Day 3 of my 5 Day, 3 image challenge! Postage Stamps. I consider myself fortunate that, from the age of 16 I could pursue a full time Art education until I ultimately took a HND in Natural History Illustration and became a professional artist. The latter course was an important one, it specialized in the commercial side of art (illustration) but then niched even more by specializing in only subjects from the natural world. That was perfect for a country boy who had spent much of his early, formative years in the deserts of the Middle East and then the woodlands, downlands and water meadows of the county of Berkshire. The illustration course also gave me the opportunity to meet like-minded students and teachers, many of whom are on facebook and follow this page. Perhaps the biggest thing that the course did though was make me realize that such a thing as a Wildlife Artist actually existed! Before then I had no idea that artists painted animals and birds and then got paid lots of money (ha ha!) to then sell them! The library at the Art college had an excellent book list. In it were books by Robert Bateman, Lars Johnson, Bruno Lliljefors and Keith Brockie-all very inspirational for a young artist. Of course Illustration is the commercial side of art, clients dictate the subject and often style for various products that require artwork. Over the years Ive illustrated everything from food packaging to childrens book but Ive also illustrated dozens of postage stamps. Frustratingly they have never been for my native UK but one day, perhaps, Ill have the opportunity. Gibraltar is the closest I have illustrated and the Gibraltar Philatelic bureau has kept me very busy in the last few years designing stamps for the famous Barbary macaques, the Gibraltar military regiment and the many birds of the Rock itself.
Posted on: Tue, 20 Jan 2015 07:32:42 +0000
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