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Quentin Blake in Angers, France Quentin Blake launched his recent exhibition at Angers, and was treated with a special performance inspired by favourite chracters from his books!
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New works for Vincent Square Eating Disorder Clinic A new series of Quentin Blake prints have recently been installed in the Vincent Square Eating Disorder Clinic in Central London. Before making these works, Quentin met the young service-users and discussed his ideas with them. These drawings are, as always with this artist's work, a kind of celebration of everyday life.
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Watch Mr Scratchy, a special interview with Quentin on Swiss TV Quentin Blake talks to RSI Televisione Svizzera and draws wonderful creatures in his studio. Click here to see the video.
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Quentin Blake on the walls of the Unicorn Theatre If you're in London you can see Quentin Blakes all the way up the staircase at the Unicorn Theatre. A series of theatrical characters both animal and human walk, fly, or are propelled all over the walls. These new murals were unveiled at a special event during which Quentin was interviewed by actor Jude Law. You can read about them both in the Guardian.
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New Quentin Blake lampshades You can now light up your bedroom with some favourite Quentin Blake drawings. Stamp Creative have produced a new range of lampshades to suit every taste. You can buy them online from Stamp Creative
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Quentin Blake nominated for TWO Roald Dahl Funny Prizes! The annual Roald Dahl Funny Prize was founded in 2008 by Michael Rosen as part of his Children's Laureateship and its aim is to honour those books that make children laugh. The 2010 shortlist include: two books illustrated by Quentin Blake: Angelica Sprocket's Pockets for Funniest Book for Children Aged Six and Under category, and David Walliams' Mr Stink in the list for Funniest Book for Children aged Seven to Fourteen. Sadly neither of these books were winners. However, the prizewinning author and illustrator for the Six and Under category, Louise Yates for Dog Loves Books, paid tribute to Quentin saying that he was the reason she had decided to become an illustrator!
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Quentin Blake's drawings now on fabrics and wallpaper! Fabric and wallpaper designers Osborne & Little have recently launched 'Zagazoo by Quentin Blake', a glorious collection of fabrics and wallpapers based on favourite Quentin Blake characters and graphics.
See Osborne & Little for full details.
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The Book Bus in Ecuador Quentin has recently decorated a second Book Bus which is now working in South America. It visits schools in the Andes, the Amazon, the Pacific Coastand the Galapagos Islands (Book Bikes there!), spending 3 months in each region. The visit days to the schools are often the only day when these schools have access to a wide variety of books. Book bus volunteers spend time with children, encouraging them to learn to read and develop literary skills.
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Quentin Blake at the Guardian Hay Festival!
On 29th May as part of the Hay Fever Festival for children Quentin appeared before an audience of 1400, and he spoke, drew pictures and signed many books....
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Quentin voted top favourite illustrator! In a web-survey carried out by Nosy Crow, a new and independent children's books (and apps) publisher, Quentin was voted people's top favourite illustrator...this is not the first time readers have voted in this way, but it's always good to know that he's still up there!
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Quentin Blake Telling Tales at the Unicorn Theatre 21 March 2010 Quentin Blake was both host and and illustrator at London's Unicorn Theatre at a special evening of stories and images. Co-hosted by Michale Rosen, the evening featured tale-telling performances by stage stars such as Patricia Hodge, Martin Jarvis and Roger Lloyd Pack. Quentin sat on the stage and drew characters and moments from each story. The event was held to launch the Unicorn's Play Your Part campaign, which will support its mission to inspire children through theatre and art.
Photo courtesy Pete Schiazza
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'You're thinking about the picture which you're doing, enjoying the gestures in drawing..and then you're also being the children in the story..thinking about the sorts of reactions that might happen...' |
Quentin Blake now on Teachers TV Working with the House of Illustration, Quentin has made a 15-minute programme which can now be seen on the Teachers' TV channel and online. In 'Inspirations - Quentin Blake- The Power of Illustration' Quentin takes us on a journey through the story, ideas and illustration techniques behind two of his own books, Clown and The Green Ship. He also reflects on how words and pictures are two languages which introduce different and sometimes contrasting elements to a story.
Illustration from 'The Green Ship'
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'We all have our own experiences of waiting rooms ... .. I’m grateful for the ferns and palms and suchlike that are often introduced to enhance them, and as I was thinking about drawing something for the Gordon Hospital it occurred to me that in these situations we all belong in some sense to the Potted Plants Club; and so I presumed to imagine some other members of it'
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Two new Quentin Blake hospital projects for 2009 The Gordon Hospital, Pimlico is a mental health hospital for adults and
Ellington Ward in Northwick Park Hospital, Harrow, is an older adults mental health ward. Quentin has made a series of pictures on a circus theme which were installed in Spring 2009.
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Quentin Blake at the Trousseau Children's Hospital, Paris Quentin has had huge success with recent projects involving site-specific decorations for hospitals and other healthcare settings. This led to an invitation from a specialist Paris children's hospital to produce a scheme of 16 large-scale images for a newly refurbished outpatient unit. The otherwise drab and dark corridor and waiting rooms have been transformed by his optimistic and sensitive visions of young patients and their doctors in cheerfully fantastic settings. The scheme was launched in October 2008 and patients, families and staff are now enjoying their brand-new environment.
Quentin working on the Trousseau pictures in his studio in France
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Quentin Blake wraps at St Pancras Passengers leaving St Pancras International station are now greeted by an extraordinary 16m high building wrap. It's covered with a madcap human and birdlife welcome committee who cook, paint, drink, garden and swing their way round the building and a streetside hoarding. Commissioned by Argent , London and Continental Railways and DHL–Exit Supply Chain, the developers of the new Kings Cross, it's the first of several public art installations intended for the scheme.
The wrap covers the Victorian Grade II listed Stanley Building, which will be refurbished for new uses in due course, but, until then Londoners and visitors can enjoy the largest-scale Quentin Blakes ever, for free.
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At last! The party food you've been waiting for: Roald Dahl/Quentin Blake cakes! Your favourite Dahl recipes and treats are now available at Tesco's. Look out for Quentin's unforgettable drawings of The Twits, the BFG and Charlie, on packets of Whizzpoppers, Snozzcumber Surprises, Mr Twit's Scary Hairy Cakes and many more.
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Quentin Blake works for hospitals and other healthcare settings Quentin's work is increasingly seen beyond the pages of books. He
continually applies his imagination and extraordinary skill to
new challenges, as his work for NHS trusts demonstrates. After
his highly successful commissions for the Kershaw Ward at the
South Kensington and Chelsea Mental Health Centre, his work can
now also be seen at six further centres, including Bentley
House in Harrow, a day service for older people in Harrow
with mental health problems. At St Charles' Hospital in
London W10, Quentin's drawings decorate the Redwood Ward in the Chamberlain
and Nightingale Buldings which provides therapeutic treatment,
rehabilitation and respite care to people over 65 years of age.
The Alexandra
Avenue Health and Social Care Centre in South Harrow caters for young
people and Quentin's enormous ‘Planet Zog' drawings now animate waiting areas and other public spaces. Quentin Blake is also patron of the Nightingale Project which brings life and colour into the South Kensington and Chelsea Mental Health Centre through music and the visual arts. Nightingale Project
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