During a Summer trip to Oxford we spent an afternoon at the best museum in the world. First there’s a Haida ‘Raven Transformation’ mask from British Columbia; the mask is designed for storytelling dances, and opens when the wearer pulls a string… surprise! Instead of arranging objects by region or time period, the museum groups them by type, so you end up with cases full of variations on a theme. My childhood fascination with World War Two led me to a cabinet full of guns, and it was odd to see so many of them, familiar from comics and films, just sat there in the case. (Below them there’s a couple of heavier guns I saw in a small airforce museum.)
Lexington grey in fountain pen and water-brush, watercolour, A5 – 30 mins
Edding 30 marker pen, Lexington grey in water brush, water-colour, A4 and A5 – about 5 mins per gun
Mostly drawing 
We were just talking about Oxford and the museums the other day! Our favourite was the Museum of the History of Science, loved that. Pitt-Rivers, was great, too, of course. We went there before I started drawing, but when (not if) we go again, there will be sketching, and we will not miss the aviation museum. The mask is wonderful, the bright blue really makes it pop.
I haven’t been to the History of Science Museum, but the Ashmolean’s another treat. Like a smaller but equally rich British Museum. I’ll post some sketches from there next… Ed
Interesting fascination, Ed. Guns?! But, I get it, I love looking at them too. The good or bad engineering, the deadly cleanness. Wood against metal surfaces. But I’d never want to pick one up or be on any side of them.
Years of reading Battle comic has made them totems. And it was interesting seeing how their design isn’t just functional, there’s a strong aesthetic element too; the particular curve of a hand-grip, etc. Strong stuff! Ed
Seems like we were both influenced by Battle, later, I moved on with the cast of artists to 2000AD, but over here in Germany, kids grew up on thick Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck comics coming from South America, Italy and Spain. Also, the geographical and ideological proximity to the Benelux states helped flood the German market with French and Belgian comics (Tintin, Asterix, Marsupilami). Comics, I can’t remember seeing in England back in the 70s and 80s. Looking forward to more “Funeral homes” and morbid stuff from you 🙂 *LOL* I enjoy your Blog, Ed!
Yup, same for me, Battle, then 200AD, and all the while dipping into my older brother’s collection of Tintin and Asterix. I think the combination of strong contrast and gritty detail in Charley’s War, and the beautiful colour and clear lines of Herge are the most likely influences on me. I went back to Arnos Vale, so I’m afraid the crematorium oven will return, in time for Halloween!
Ed
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