"David, tell us about your background?"
I’m 48-years-old, married with three children and three grandchildren. I live at home with my wife Margaret, and my brother who has Down’s syndrome.
I work full time at the Basildon Tractor Factory as a machine operator (formerly Ford Tractors, now Case New Holland). I’ve been there for the last 30 years. I have recently had a painting published on a Wedgwood Plate by them for their 40th anniversary. Each employee in the UK and Ireland will receive one, it was for a design competition, which I was fortunate to win - first prize was £100, which I donated to two local charities. I don’t get much time to exhibit my artwork, as family and work commitments always come first.
"So how long does it take from start to end to complete a portrait?"
To complete a drawing from start to finish varies from around 8hrs to two weeks. I know it's a bit of a broad range, but it all depends on how the picture develops. I can sometimes get stuck on a very minor detail and don't move on until I get it right, so it takes as long as it takes. On average, I spend three to four days, but I usually ask for two weeks to get them finished.
"Drawn anyone famous in your time?"
I have a celebrity portrait’s gallery, which contain a few famous people, but I have never met anyone famous as yet.
"What about an unknown whacker, which the capturer has kept secret?!"
I have one portrait that I have completed. It’s of a beautiful fully scaled mirror. The customer has asked for me not to release any details though, so I won't.

"So what do you draw in?"
. All of my drawing art is completed in graphite pencil - just plain old pencils. I use Staedtler Pencils. I also use paper rolled to a point to blend the pencil and an artist's putty rubber to pick out detail. All the drawings are completed on Daler Rowney Acid Free Heavy Weight Paper or the Windsor and Newton Equivalent Paper.

"And what prices are you charging for a portrait?"
My prices are kept very low, £50.00 for fishing portraits, plus £5.00 P&P. This is my own choice, so any or all anglers can have the chance to take advantage of my artwork.
"Ever done some huuuuuge drawings? Like A1 jobbies?"
The largest artwork I have undertaken so far is on A2 paper. These were parrot portraits for a pet shop owner, (who has recently been in the news and the Sun newspaper, unfortunately for him) ‘achoooooooooo’, not bird flu I hope. I am currently in the middle of an A2 drawing for Ron Woodward. It is a two in one portrait of two of his big carp.
"Finally, do you do just one-off, portrait type work, or do you ever do "limited edition" work, of say, fish feeding for example?"
I have recently completed a carp portrait, showing a large fish under water getting snagged up. The prints are priced at £15.00 each and are limited to 250 worldwide.
This is a relatively new venture for me, as up until now I couldn't produce prints to the high standard that I needed. I now have the facility to produce high quality limited edition prints using Epson Archival Inks. These are printed on Somerset Archival Art Paper and each print will be individually signed and numbered, and will also come with a certificate of authenticity, signed and dated by myself.