Muralist and teacher who initially worked in oil and later in acrylic, using several layers of colour. He produced realistic pictures, often landscapes, with a strong sense of design. Copus was a star pupil at Kingston Art School, then the Royal Academy Schools, where he won a bronze medal. Before leaving he was commissioned to produce his first mural, of Mount Kenya for the Commonwealth Institute, done in 1962, later used on Kenyan postage stamps. Copus worked from photographs in that case, otherwise archaelogical plans and a written brief were adequate. His largest work, completed in 1963, was a 150-foot mural for the Nature Conservancy, of Britain from Scotland to the South Downs. For a short time after leaving the Royal Academy Copus taught still life and life painting at Kingston and Harrow Art Schools.