EXTRACTS: Illustrators Issue 6 © 2013 The Book Palace (96 PAGES in Full edition)

67 Lunches were a social event at a large wooden table that had been built for the dining room. The household revolved around Coton, and so lunch was served when he came out of the studio… he had something of the demeanor of the elder statesman in debate at his generous dining table.” Coton always placed enormous importance in physical fitness, as would be expected from someone who had been a physical fitness instructor for the RAF. The life of an artist is fairly sedentary, so he felt it imperative to exercise every day. He was of average height, around 5’ 9”, but very muscular. Hilary tells how “he loved to saw trees up for firewood, mow the extensive grass areas, tennis court, bowling green, and ornamental lawns. He loved to play tennis and swim a brisk crawl with deep breathing exercises to strengthen his lungs.” He always tried to live his life to the full, and he found risky activities were exhilarating. Sailing, windsurfing, swimming, mountain and rock climbing in Scotland, fast driving—he drove a 1929 four and a half litre Bentley until the early 1960s, when he decided to preserve it by taking it to pieces and storing it, mostly in the airing cupboard!” Coton’s first published work appeared in October 1950 for Amalgamated Press’ newly launched Cowboy Comic Library . A succession of his strips appeared in their comics, but it was within the pages of the Tiger that Coton All images © IPC Media with thanks to the Illustration Art Gallery