Born in 1895, Adrian Keith Graham Hill was one of the first TV artists to appear on BBC TV. His programme called "Sketch Club" was seen during the 50's and early 60's.
Commissioned by the Imperial War Museum to record scenes from the front, his sketches were incredibly accurate and true to life. I came across his books when learning my art and his book, 'What Shall We Draw' published in 1957 (the year I was born),, sits alongside many of his early books in my library. 'Further Steps in Drawing and Sketching' introduced me to some of the very basic principles of object drawing, choosing a scene and composition.
Last night, whilst flicking through the above books, I came across a sketch produced by Adrian to accompany "Figure Drawing". It has always been one of my favourite chapters and the sketch which starts the chapter I've always called 'The Three Wise Men'. It epitomises what a good sketch should be; emotive, thought provoking and most of all, informative. Reflecting on Adrian's work from The Western Front I can see how he has honed his skill during those days.
So, on a whim, I thought could I bring the sketch up to date, develop it for charcoal and see if I could produce a homage to the man who died in 1977. Leaving behind a plethora of work which I would strongly advise any new artist to read. My copy of 'Further Steps in Drawing and Sketching' cost just £0.50 from a local book store. It gave me the basics of what for many is a major stumbling block. Why not learn from an artist who developed and used his skills for good and generously shared them with us. Sadly Blandford Press who printed most of his early books was dissolved in 2022 so you may need to do a bit of hunting.
In fact I liked it so much I framed the original and hung it on the wall of my study.
But don't worry there are a very few limited edition prints available in the shop if you would like one.
Marco
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