Richard Shirley

Contact Richard

Following2 Creators

Muscle Memory page 52
March 19, 2015 11:41:27
None
None
None
2
Like

Muscle Memory page 52

Re-scanned and re-colored

Al Davison

March 19, 2015 11:41:27

Muscle Memory pg 56
April 21, 2015 11:53:45
None
None
None
4
Like

Muscle Memory pg 56

Like most 3 year old's I loved dressing up. But we had little money, The Robin hood costume in this sequence was made from felt I cut off of an old pool table at the local tip. The lighter side was used for the top and, and the darker side for the cuffs, hat and collar, I drew up the pattern with chalk, and my Mam cut and sewed it together (after giving the felt a good clean) I made the bow myself from a plastic chair back, also found on the tip, the arrows with rubber suckers, were bought from a local school jumble sale, for tuppence, which was a whole months pocket money for me in 1963.

Al Davison

April 21, 2015 11:53:45

Muscle Memory page 57
April 21, 2015 12:28:11
None
None
None
5
Like

Muscle Memory page 57

My childhood dream persona 'Meep!' makes an appearance. This was how I imagined myself as a child, before ever seeing myself in a mirror. The doctors and nurses had to wear surgical masks so I could only see eyes as a frame of reference for faces, and usually could only see them from the waist up. I myself was lying on my belly on a metal frame, and being paralysed from the waist down, was only aware of my arms and head. 'Meep', was the sound that the life support machine made, and I thought it was my name for the longest time.

Al Davison

April 21, 2015 12:28:11

Muscle Memory page 58
April 28, 2015 18:51:28
None
None
None
3
Like

Muscle Memory page 58

New page. You'll notice my hair is white in this sequence, and shaved above one ear where there is a scar. Hydrocephalus is a condition that means the fluid around the brain doesn't circulate or drain properly, the fluid builds up and puts pressure on the brain and causes the head to become abnormally enlarged. In the early 60's it wasn't possible to tell if a child would develop Hydrocephalus, as a side effect of severe Spina-Bifida, so a shunt was inserted into the heads of everyone with Spina-Bifida, to help drain the fluid, if it wasn't needed it would integrate into the skull, but either way it would also leave a soft, vulnerable area, where a portion of the skull had been removed for the insertion. In my case I never needed the shunt, but when my hair grew back after being shaved for surgery, it was completely white, The area where the scar was, was kept shaved for a while, till it fully healed to prevent infection. It took almost a year for my hair to go back to being black.

Al Davison

April 28, 2015 18:51:28

April 2015 Patreon supported
May 1, 2015 06:59:00
None
None
None
Like

April 2015 Patreon supported

Thank you so much for the support this month!

StarTalk Radio

May 1, 2015 06:59:00

Muscle Memory page 61
May 12, 2015 12:46:32
None
None
None
4
Like

Muscle Memory page 61

New page. These hallucinations that I experienced, when poisoned by the white spirit, also occurred when I was exposed to anesthetic, I still get them whenever I catch a cold or have a fever.

Al Davison

May 12, 2015 12:46:32

Muscle Memory page 62
May 12, 2015 19:39:49
None
None
None
4
Like

Muscle Memory page 62

another new page. The only time I ever recall hearing anyone outside the family question my Dad's behavior.

Al Davison

May 12, 2015 19:39:49

Muscle Memory page 63
May 15, 2015 17:51:05
None
None
None
3
Like

Muscle Memory page 63

rescanned, recolored and relettered

Al Davison

May 15, 2015 17:51:05

May 2015 Patreon supported
June 1, 2015 06:59:00
None
None
None
2
Like

May 2015 Patreon supported

Thank you so much for the support this month!

StarTalk Radio

June 1, 2015 06:59:00

June 6, 2015 13:18:25
None
None
None
4
Like

For Patrons Only

To become a patron, view this post, and contribute in this activity feed, click here.

Al Davison

June 6, 2015 13:18:25

Grandad Anderson
June 21, 2015 13:00:23
None
None
None
3
Like

Grandad Anderson

I'm taking a short break from the main narrative of Muscle Memory, as I have a couple of other short term projects that need my attention, including producing some finishes from my good friend Peter Gross's layouts for a Vertigo book, I'm still working on Muscle Memory, including some research and studies for a later sequence relating to my maternal Grandparents experiences during WW1 and, the strange ripples, that effected my relationship with my Father down the line.


Here's a reworked guache study of Grandad Anderson, in his army uniform.

Al Davison

June 21, 2015 13:00:23

Grandad 'Basher' Anderson
June 21, 2015 13:07:38
None
None
None
3
Like

Grandad 'Basher' Anderson

Grandad was a coal miner, and amateur bare-knuckle boxer, before WW1. He injured his shoulder in a mining accident after the war, and had to give up the opportunity to go professional. He was also a formidable wrestler, and one of the first people to study Ju-Jitsu in Britain.

A revised guache study.

Al Davison

June 21, 2015 13:07:38

June 2015 Patreon supported
July 1, 2015 06:59:00
None
None
None
Like

June 2015 Patreon supported

Thank you so much for the support this month!

StarTalk Radio

July 1, 2015 06:59:00

Muscle Memory page 65
July 15, 2015 19:23:11
None
None
None
Like

Muscle Memory page 65

New page. That page from a book that stuck to my plaster saved my life, see how on the next and final page of Chapter 2.

Al Davison

July 15, 2015 19:23:11

Muscle Memory page 66
July 18, 2015 13:24:16
None
None
None
2
Like
2

Muscle Memory page 66

How Ray Bradbury saved my life on a rubbish tip, in Newcastle, in 1964. New Page, and the final page of Chapter 2.

Al Davison

July 18, 2015 13:24:16

Katt Taylor Ray Bradbury was an interesting man and a wonderful writer. I love that words can make such amazing differences, on just such things entire lives turn.

July 19, 2015 00:40:20 路 Reply

Al Davison Yes, we were in touch for a while and I was able to tell him of this experience and he was very supportive.

July 19, 2015 08:44:05 路 Reply

Muscle Memory page 67
July 18, 2015 19:35:15
None
None
None
2
Like
2

Muscle Memory page 67

Chapter 3 heading.

Al Davison

July 18, 2015 19:35:15

Katt Taylor

July 19, 2015 00:43:30 路 Reply

Al Davison I think you may be projecting. That's me and my wife on our wedding day, very relaxed and happy.

July 19, 2015 08:41:26 路 Reply

July 2015 Patreon supported
August 1, 2015 06:59:00
None
None
None
2
Like

July 2015 Patreon supported

Thank you so much for the support this month!

StarTalk Radio

August 1, 2015 06:59:00

Muscle Memory page 70
August 18, 2015 16:11:27
None
None
None
2
Like
3

Muscle Memory page 70

A sequence about the first time I got struck by lightning, and how that led to me getting the nick-name Magpie, yes I did say 'the first time.'

Al Davison

August 18, 2015 16:11:27

Yen Quach What?! :O

August 18, 2015 17:13:04 路 Reply

Katt Taylor Nice work, especially the last two panels. :-) As for the content...OUCH!

August 18, 2015 20:04:14 路 Reply

Al Davison Thanks! It didn't hurt as much the 2nd time 馃槈

August 18, 2015 20:51:13 路 Reply

Muscle Memory page 71
August 25, 2015 14:49:57
None
None
None
3
Like

Muscle Memory page 71

New page. Continuing the sage of the first time I was struck by lightning.

Al Davison

August 25, 2015 14:49:57

Magpie studies
August 26, 2015 15:22:54
None
None
None
4
Like
4

Magpie studies

Ink and watercolour, studies in preparation for the end of the current sequence.

Al Davison

August 26, 2015 15:22:54

View all 4 comments

Al Davison Thank you1

August 27, 2015 14:17:56 路 Reply

Katt Taylor Beautiful work, definitely a stand alone piece of art. Thank-you for sharing.

August 27, 2015 21:01:25 路 Reply

Al Davison Thanks Katt

August 27, 2015 22:02:20 路 Reply

Endpapers 2
September 9, 2015 20:09:17
None
None
None
1
Like
3

Endpapers 2

Polaroid self`portraits taken in my flat, whilst blind.

Al Davison

September 9, 2015 20:09:17

Yen Quach It's harder to recognise you without the hat!! (wonderful polaroids, though!)

September 11, 2015 09:57:24 路 Reply

Al Davison And with marginally more hair than I have now!

September 11, 2015 10:35:30 路 Reply

Yen Quach Ha!!

September 11, 2015 15:30:35 路 Reply

August 2015 Patreon supported
September 1, 2015 06:59:00
None
None
None
4
Like

August 2015 Patreon supported

Thank you so much for the support this month!

StarTalk Radio

September 1, 2015 06:59:00

Muscle Memory page 76
September 15, 2015 18:55:20
None
None
None
2
Like
3

Muscle Memory page 76

New page.

Al Davison

September 15, 2015 18:55:20

Katt Taylor I'm very fond of Australian Magpies they give a lovely early morning chorus. 馃槉

September 15, 2015 19:10:14 路 Reply

Farore Nightclaw Not to mention the swooping.

September 23, 2015 19:21:56 路 Reply

Al Davison They have white beaks I believe, and are more slender than the British variety.

September 15, 2015 20:36:35 路 Reply

Muscle Memory page 77
September 22, 2015 20:01:01
None
None
None
1
Like

Muscle Memory page 77

This page is the first of a sequence that was published many years ago in a very limited edition promo comic, to try and get publishers interested. The art has been re-touched, re-lettered and colored. The color increases as the sequence progresses.

Al Davison

September 22, 2015 20:01:01

September 2015 Patreon supported
October 1, 2015 06:59:00
None
None
None
1
Like
1

September 2015 Patreon supported

Thank you so much for the support this month!

StarTalk Radio

October 1, 2015 06:59:00

SpaceVR No problem. We love SPAAAAACE! Hopefully we can support you at the $50 level next month. DFTBA

October 1, 2015 17:20:45 路 Reply

See More