Quentin Blake

Quentin Saxby Blake CBE (born December 16 1932 in Sidcup) is a British cartoonist, illustrator and children's book author, most notable for his illustrations in books written by Roald Dahl.

Education

Blake was educated at Chislehurst and Sidcup Grammar School. His first published drawing was for "Punch" magazine, at the age of 16. He read English Literature at Downing College, Cambridge (1953-6) and later studied at the Chelsea School of Art. He undertook a postgraduate teaching diploma at the Institute of Education before working at the Royal College of Art.

Career

Blake gained a reputation as a fantastic and humorous illustrator of over 300 children's books. In particular, his illustrations of Roald Dahl's stories brought him international fame. In addition to his collaborations with Dahl, Blake has also written numerous books of his own.

Artistic style

His artistic style is very distinct, composed of fast and scribbly ink lines, but with a precise stroke. His idiosyncratic use of line adds great depth to his drawings, conveying movement and creating a sense of excitement within the image. First, he creates pen-and-ink drawings, and then adds colour by watercolour painting. The spontaneity of his style is achieved by allowing himself a free hand at first, and then tracing elements from the first draft onto subsequent drafts.

Awards and honours

Together with Russell Hoban, he was awarded the Whitbread Award for Children's Book for "How Tom Beat Captain Najork & His Hired Sportsmen".

He was appointed an OBE in 1988, and subsequently was created a Commander of the Order of the British Empire in the 2005 New Year's Honours List for services to Children's Literature.

Since 1989, he has been visiting professor at the Royal College of Art. In 1999 he was made the first Children's Laureate in the UK.

In 2002 he was awarded the Hans Christian Andersen Medal for his contributions to children's book illustration. He has also been awarded an honorary degree by Cambridge University in 2005.

Other activities

Blake is patron of the Blake Society, Downing College's arts and humanities society.

Blake is also a patron of "The Big Draw" [http://www.thebigdraw.org.uk/] which aims to get people drawing throughout the UK.

In 2006 he was a 'castaway' on the BBC Radio 4 show Desert Island Discs.

In late 2007 he was awarded a commission by British real estate developer Argent for a proposed large-scale mural to hide a ramshackle block called Stanley Building South, near London's King's Cross railway station. The rendering of an "imaginary welcoming committee" would greet passengers arriving on the Eurostar high-speed railway from Paris. ["The Independent" [http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/this_britain/article3081841.ece Cover-up! Quentin Blake drafted in to hide 'unsightly' buildings] , 21 October 2007]

Bibliography (partial)

This is a list only of books both written and illustrated by Blake. [ [http://www.quentinblake.com/books/search.php Quentin Blake : Books : Bibliography] ]

* "Patrick", 1968, Jonathan Cape
* "Jack and Nancy", 1969, Jonathan Cape
* "Angelo", 1970, Jonathan Cape
* "Snuff", 1973, Jonathan Cape
* "Lester at the Seaside", 1975, Collins
* "Lester and the Unusual Pet", 1975, Collins
* "The Adventures of Lester", 1977, BBC
* "Mister Magnolia", 1980, Jonathan Cape
* "Quentin Blake's Nursery Rhyme Book", 1983, Jonathan Cape
* "The Story of the Dancing Frog", 1984, Jonathan Cape
* "Mrs Armitage On Wheels", 1987, Jonathan Cape
* "Quentin Blake's ABC", 1989, Jonathan Cape
* "All Join In", 1990, Jonathan Cape
* "Cockatoos", 1992, Jonathan Cape
* "Simpkin", 1993, Jonathan Cape
* "The Quentin Blake Book of Nonsense Verse", 1994, Viking
* "Clown", 1995, Jonathan Cape
* "La Vie de la Page", 1995, Gallimard
* "Mrs Armitage and the Big Wave", 1997, Jonathan Cape
* "Dix Grenouilles (Ten Frogs)", 1997, Gallimard
* "The Green Ship", 1998, Jonathan Cape
* "Zagazoo", 1998, Jonathan Cape
* "Zap! The Quentin Blake Guide to Electrical Safety", 1998, Eastern Electricity
* "Fantastic Daisy Artichoke", 1999, Jonathan Cape
* "The Laureate's Party", 2000, Random House
* "Un Bateau Dans le Ciel", 2000, Rue du Monde
* "Words and Pictures", 2000, Jonathan Cape
* "Tell Me a Picture", 2001, National Gallery Co Ltd
* "Loveykins", 2002, Jonathan Cape
* "Laureate's Progress", 2002, Jonathan Cape
* "Mrs Armitage, Queen of the Road", 2003, Jonathan Cape
* "A Sailing Boat In The Sky", 2003, Red Fox
* "Angel Pavement", 2004, Jonathan Cape

Other
* "The Learning Journey" (Illustrated versions, for parents, of key stages 1 and 2 of the National Curriculum for England)

Notes

External links

* [http://www.quentinblake.com/ Quentin Blake official site]
*
* [http://opal.kent.ac.uk/cartoonx-cgi/artist.py?id=405 Biography of Blake] from British Cartoon Archive, University of Kent

;Interviews and articles
* [http://arts.guardian.co.uk/art/visualart/story/0,,2179032,00.html Interview] , with "The Guardian", September 28, 2007
*
* [http://www.library.northwestern.edu/exhibits/hca/interviews.html Interview with Quentin Blake] - In free streaming video (Real), on the Northwestern University Library website
* [http://www.bexley.gov.uk/news/2007/05/0211.html Report on community dialogue in 2007]