He trained as an architect at Edinburgh College of Art (1963-1967) and Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh (1967-1968), and worked for a while as an architect before establishing himself as a cartoonist. He worked in animation from 1970 to 1975 for Halas & Batchelor in London, Potterton Productions in Montreal, and Kotopoulis Productions in Toronto. He then joined Red Weekly and Socialist Challenge as a political cartoonist. He signed much of his political work "Blotski", and he and Republican News cartoonist Cormac worked together as "Kormski", drawing the anti-clerical strip "Dog Collars" for Fortnight magazine.