Mark Boxer: The Life and Method of a Self-Taught Cartoonist (Passage 2)

PASSAGE 2 - Questions 11-20

Mark Boxer: The Life and Method of a Self-Taught Cartoonist

1. Mark Boxer was entirely self-taught and strongly opposed to any form of art training, which he thought had the effect of weakening any natural, individual. His own ability he wasn't vain about it, though he knew he was good, meant a great struggle in pursuit of perfection. He always refused to draw people he didn't know or hadn't met. Watching them on video might be good enough: a glance, the shape of an eyebrow, a wave of the hand, all helped. Sometimes he took a table in a restaurant if he knew his subject would be there.

2. If he was asked to draw someone who didn't interest him, he'd ask if a photograph could be used instead. He never understood how he could be expected to draw someone for whom he had no feeling, whose face or character didn't make him want to draw them. There were certain people he could not draw. Ordinary good looking faces didn't interest him, and he found women difficult. Then there were certain people whom, out of a sense of decency, he refused to make fun of with his drawing.

4. He sat on high stool, pen in mouth, a number of pens or pencils in his right hand as he drew with his left. Some years ago, while playing cricket his favourite game, he make a great jump for a catch and broke his thumb. Badly set, it looked awkward, but he swore he drew better afterwards, with a more economical line.

3. Most of his drawings were done to accompany the weekly column in a Sunday newspaper. If the drawing went well, he'd have the outline of it by eight o'clock on Thursday evening, and enjoy his supper. He then went on until late. There was a lot of walking up and down, and hurried searching through reference books and piles of photographs ... Dozens of unfinished drawings ended up in the waste-paper basket. If it didn't come right, he'd give up, look unhappy and tired, and get ready for bed. On Friday morning he would phone the paper and tell them it was no good. When he was drawing the lines were always quick and confident. He started with pencil and ended up with an old-fashioned pen. He took great pleasure in colouring and inking in parts of a drawing which made the old pen scatter ink everywhere. The floor in his study is still covered with black ink spots from pens shaken to get just the right amount of ink.