Retirement was a major change in lifestyle for scientist Prof Maurice Cowley. It was not something he was looking forward to, as he had been a workaholic for all his academic life.

Fortunately he worked for an enlightened university which sent him on a pre-retirement course where he was introduced to the alien concept of taking up a hobby. He had no idea of what do until the desperate course tutor suggested he take up life drawing. The argument was put to him that his greatest scientific hero, Prof Richard Feynman had also been a lover of life drawing.

At first Prof Cowley was doubtful about drawing naked people, until he attended a night class run by a young artist known as Deborah Swift. She captured his imagination, inspired his creativity and, by setting the example of her own commitment to Art, she encouraged him to become an artist. At each step he describes the challenges, issues, techniques and relationships he had to master to become a naked draftsman.

He has dedicated this inspirational and reflective book, about his personal quest for artistic insight, to his trail-blazing hero Richard Feynman.