Sad news hearing that esteemed British comics artist and teacher Ron Tiner has passed. Formal tributes and obituaries will follow as he and his work influenced so many of us involved in the comics community today, myself included, so thought I would note my own recollections.
I can't recall exactly when I first met Ron, may have been those fabled early Bristol comic conventions or the equally legendary BICS, Birmingham's International Comic Show but I was lucky to meet and chat with him several times over the years.
He had worked for many of the popular British comics, likes of 2000AD, Battle, Misty etc, more mainstream book publishers, particularly classical or historical adaptations and I think a few of the American superhero titles.
Oddly though I really got to know him and his work through his highly practical educational illustration books, most notably Figure Drawing Without A Model (1992) and its much later follow up, Drawing from your Imagination (2008), both still in print from David & Charles!
His Figure Drawing book I found particularly helpful when I seriously took to drawing again in the late 1990's (mine is a 1998 reprint) with practical instructions, examples and exercises, more useful than any illustration guide I've encountered since to the extent I still refer to it today as its dog eared appearance confirms!.
These books were my introduction to Ron and his work so our interactions usually centred around art discussions and techniques. I'm pretty sure that when we first met he'd not long launched a university course on Sequential Illustration in Swindon, which in absence of my requested correspondence option, he urged me to join if I was serious about a career in comics and illustration. I did give this due consideration but with young family and a mortgage, it wasn't practical and I stayed on the sensible path until I could make my own corporate escape years later. I maintained comic making throughout as a rewarding hobby though which it remains to be to this day, Ron's advice and influence being a constant inspiration.
Although we were never in regular contact, I cherish the little correspondence we did share and I recall his enthusiasm for Italian artists introducing me to the likes of Sergio Toppi and Gino D'Antonio, who I'd not previously encountered. Unprompted, Ron even posted me his copy of D'Antonio's Man in Zululand book when he heard of my interest in the subject. Amusingly he also sent me a curt reminder to return it when he thought I'd held onto to it for too long! Thankfully I eventually picked up my own copy some time after.
Our last meeting was at one of the smaller comic shows in Birmingham at the Edgbaston cricket ground maybe 10 years or so ago, where strangely enough I first met and befriended another legendary comics gentleman, Commando comic cover artist, Ian Kennedy, also sadly no longer with us. Ron remembered me and we had several warm conversations throughout the day and being organised for once, I had brought along his illustration guidebooks for him to sign which he graciously did, adding an impromptu sketch of me in one much to my delight which I treasure to this day.
Thanks for the inspiration and memories Ron. Sincere sympathies to family and friends.
