MR CROC AND HIS PUNCH AND JUDY FRIENDS

https://ihldesigns.com/collection/mr-croc/

Mr Croc is part of a family of drawings of Mr Punch and friends.

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These illustrations are a starting point for me to connect and process a family collection of precious Punch and Judy puppets. Recently inherited from my mum, the puppets are the beautiful work of the famous and talented Punch and Judy Man, Fred Tickner (1898-1992) a family friend and generous maker. Fred was one of the great makers of Punch and Judy figures, with many of his puppets on show at the V&A. His style exerted an enormous influence on those who came after. In the 1930s he gave the first performance of Punch and Judy on British television. Fred also made British TV’s first iconic puppet star ‘Muffin the Mule’.

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My Mum was a great friend of Fred and would take my sister and I up to Covent Garden often to watch him at work. We grew up with his puppets around the house, it was normal. We took great care and pride in them.

My sister and I are in touch with The Punch and Judy Fellowship and are collating our precious puppet legacy.

As an Illustrator, my personal way to connect with the world is to draw. It helps me process and take time to think, learn and observe a subject.

The Mr Croc Tee is just one of a set of Mr Punch drawings, most of them at a monochrome design stage.

These drawings are about design and character in equal measures in which I am always seeking clarity and attitude. Mr Croc has been worked up using photoshop from my original pencil drawings into the full colour you can see in my collection. The pencil drawings I have here are all hand drawn and as yet untouched by any tech. Photoshop allows me to play with colour-ways and overlayed pattern. Whilst it is a great tool, you can’t beat a piece of paper and an idea as the essential starting blocks.

I look forward to working them up into a complete set as icons of a historic period in street public entertainment. Look out for the complete set of illustrated Tees. They’re coming!