The Villains in my Home Town- part 10.

I was talking about technique earlier. This is one of the drawings I was happiest with, and it was quite a late one.


I had figured out how, using Pantone markers, to get a muted palette of tones for representing what was in front of me quite realistically, and more to the point, I had done the job enough times now to know the short cuts and not be daunted by various annoyances. This is the drawing that goes with the anecdote I illustrated in After the Snooter. Three men, prison inmates, were on trial for the murder of another inmate.


They were encased in the bulletproof glass cage I told you about on april 17, which I had now drawn on two previous occasions. The Queen's Counsel was laying out the details of the case for the court, using video evidence of the of the murdered man's cell and its environs. Each of the three accused had his own solicitor and barrister. I've never seen so many white wigs in one room before or since. As the story unfolded, one or other of the barristers would raise an objection. In their practised way they objected to everything you can imagine. One had just objected to the use of the word 'killed' for instance, since it remained to be proven that the dead man had been 'killed' rather than, for instance, taken his own life. "Objection sustained."


The QC got another sentence out and yet another objection was raised: "Your honour, it has come to my attention that my client is being sketched by a journalist and that he is being depicted in a cage." A discussion ensued between the judge and the barrister as to whether said 'sketcher', and I was the only artist on the premises, was within his rights to draw it exactly as it looked. "It will work badly for my client if the world should see him in a cage," "But your client IS in a cage mr Johnson. It is for his own protection.The jury are the only ones who matter here, and they can see him in it." etc. I had a bad feeling that I was going to have to stand up and talk at some point, so I busily composed my short speech. Eventually the judge looked around and said, "And do we have such a 'sketcher' here present?"
So I stood up before the court and said (as well as I can recall):
"I have drawn that 'cage' before, your honour, and the learned gentleman who objected is clearly familiar with my work. However, drawing it again is more work than I wish to take upon myself today and he may rest assured that his client will not be seen on television in the 'cage',"
The court was greatly amused. The judge asked the barrister if this satisfied him, he spoke his assent and the court got back to its business.