While on holiday recently I found myself rummaging around in a second-hand bookshop and came across a book on the work of William Heath Robinson but as we were running late I bought the book quickly and left. However, when I finally had time to look at it more closely, I realised that the book showed the work of the THREE Heath Robinson brothers, Thomas, Charles and William. I hadn't realised that there were three of them and that they were all successful illustrators!
The first image in the book that took my breath away was a watercolour portrait of someone called George Parlby produced by Charles Robinson (he seems to be the only brother not to use the 'Heath' in his surname for some reason) which was a study piece he produced to become an RI. You don't see watercolour portraits so much these days and so I thought I'd have a go at producing a copy to understand (as best you can from a printed page) the way he would have layered the watercolour etc. It took me most of yesterday to paint but very enjoyable none the less. I hope Charles will forgive me for plagurising his excellent work......
