HOME | DD

Description
Hi,

Another contest grabbed my attention! This one is all about nurses. Appropriate, I guess, given present day concerns.

As usual, I was bouncing a few ideas around about style and theme, etc. I decided to have bash at one of the most influential artists around. That might sound like hyperbole. But given the reach of how many people Tom Arthur Browne (1872-1910) influenced, I'll stand-by that statement.

Poor old Tom Browne died aged only 39, of cancer, and his reserve force army unit fired a salute at his gravesite - he'd joined the Territorial Army some years before. He was buried in Shooters Hill, London but grew up in Nottingham. He began work at the age of 11 as an errand boy in the world famous Nottingham Lace Market. By the age of 14 he'd began an apprenticeship at a firm of lithographic printers and by 1888 was studying at the Nottingham School of Art and moonlighting by selling his first professional cartoon in 1888 to 'Scraps'. Delighted at the fee he received, he carried on moonlighting until he completed his apprenticeship.

Tom began using techniques in comics still used by comic artists. He knew that the orthodox fine-art and cross-hatching style was not be useful for the cheap standards of printing in early comic books Tom developed a simpler, yet still detailed, style of solid blacks and bolder lines. His drawings also included comedy, with his characters falling into light-hearted mayhem and slapstick. This became the traditional comic style. And it's here that Tom's influence reaches out again. Without Tom there'd, arguably, be no Dandy, Mandy, Twinkle, Beano or Whizzer & Chips comics which fostered and nurtured writing and drawing talent which often worked for Eagle and 2000 AD comics.

Two of his characters, tramps called Willie and Tim, influenced no lesser person than Charlie Chaplin! Charlie was quoted as saying: "I started the tramp to make people laugh because those other old tramps, Weary Willie and Tired Tim, had always made me laugh." Tom was a big fan of the vaudeville/music hall tradition of Dan Leno which inspired Charlie Chaplin and Stan Laurel and this reciprocal relationship was continued for many years - still influencing comedy to this day. Tom also produced a regular comic book featuring the antics of Dan Leno (1860-1904) - a famous British music hall star. Interestingly, Tom and Willie featured in live-action re-tellings of some of the earliest ever motion pictures in the world!

On April Fool's Day 1898, along with fellow artists Phil May, Dudley Hardy, Walter Churcher, and Cecil Aldin, Tom established the Sketch Club, Dilke Street, London. The club continues to thrive. And in 1901 Tom became a member of the Royal Institute of Painters and Water Colours.

Aside from Tom & Willie Tom also designed the character of the monocled 'striding man' used for Johnny Walker whisky bottles and re-designed the Capstan cigarette sailor mascot.

Tom, always a hard-working and fun-loving man, died wealthy. Having moved to Westcombe Park in suburban London (not too far from Greenwich Park and the Observatory) he left a small fortune to his wife and family. His was a rags-to-riches tale.

For style approach I wanted to mix two elements of Tom's technique - his cartoony bodies and his painterly, slightly washed-out, colour schemes of those early comics. I decided to avoid using the Red Cross symbol - as it's illegal to misuse that symbol. Hence the alternative.

So, here's one legged Velma. Caught in a moment of nurse-y timidity.

Well, As always, I hope this one legged Velma amuses more than she offends.

And, as always, sincere thanks to those who stop by here and leave encouraging words or helpful feedback. It's honestly truly appreciated.

Best wishes,

John

Description
Hi,

Another contest grabbed my attention! This one is all about nurses. Appropriate, I guess, given present day concerns.

As usual, I was bouncing a few ideas around about style and theme, etc. I decided to have bash at one of the most influential artists around. That might sound like hyperbole. But given the reach of how many people Tom Arthur Browne (1872-1910) influenced, I'll stand-by that statement.

Poor old Tom Browne died aged only 39, of cancer, and his reserve force army unit fired a salute at his gravesite - he'd joined the Territorial Army some years before. He was buried in Shooters Hill, London but grew up in Nottingham. He began work at the age of 11 as an errand boy in the world famous Nottingham Lace Market. By the age of 14 he'd began an apprenticeship at a firm of lithographic printers and by 1888 was studying at the Nottingham School of Art and moonlighting by selling his first professional cartoon in 1888 to 'Scraps'. Delighted at the fee he received, he carried on moonlighting until he completed his apprenticeship.

Tom began using techniques in comics still used by comic artists. He knew that the orthodox fine-art and cross-hatching style was not be useful for the cheap standards of printing in early comic books Tom developed a simpler, yet still detailed, style of solid blacks and bolder lines. His drawings also included comedy, with his characters falling into light-hearted mayhem and slapstick. This became the traditional comic style. And it's here that Tom's influence reaches out again. Without Tom there'd, arguably, be no Dandy, Mandy, Twinkle, Beano or Whizzer & Chips comics which fostered and nurtured writing and drawing talent which often worked for Eagle and 2000 AD comics.

Two of his characters, tramps called Willie and Tim, influenced no lesser person than Charlie Chaplin! Charlie was quoted as saying: "I started the tramp to make people laugh because those other old tramps, Weary Willie and Tired Tim, had always made me laugh." Tom was a big fan of the vaudeville/music hall tradition of Dan Leno which inspired Charlie Chaplin and Stan Laurel and this reciprocal relationship was continued for many years - still influencing comedy to this day. Tom also produced a regular comic book featuring the antics of Dan Leno (1860-1904) - a famous British music hall star. Interestingly, Tom and Willie featured in live-action re-tellings of some of the earliest ever motion pictures in the world!

On April Fool's Day 1898, along with fellow artists Phil May, Dudley Hardy, Walter Churcher, and Cecil Aldin, Tom established the Sketch Club, Dilke Street, London. The club continues to thrive. And in 1901 Tom became a member of the Royal Institute of Painters and Water Colours.

Aside from Tom & Willie Tom also designed the character of the monocled 'striding man' used for Johnny Walker whisky bottles and re-designed the Capstan cigarette sailor mascot.

Tom, always a hard-working and fun-loving man, died wealthy. Having moved to Westcombe Park in suburban London (not too far from Greenwich Park and the Observatory) he left a small fortune to his wife and family. His was a rags-to-riches tale.

For style approach I wanted to mix two elements of Tom's technique - his cartoony bodies and his painterly, slightly washed-out, colour schemes of those early comics. I decided to avoid using the Red Cross symbol - as it's illegal to misuse that symbol. Hence the alternative.

So, here's one legged Velma. Caught in a moment of nurse-y timidity.

Well, As always, I hope this one legged Velma amuses more than she offends.

And, as always, sincere thanks to those who stop by here and leave encouraging words or helpful feedback. It's honestly truly appreciated.

Best wishes,

John