Expressive Drawing - Quentin Blake

Quentin Blake is an English illustrator and children's writer. i know him from illustrating books written by Roald Dahl i read growing up. 

The BFG and Sophie

One of the reasons i wanted to write a report on Blake ,for my expressive drawing unit, is because he was one of the first artists i was exposed to. His work has an emotional attachment to me as i automatically think of the stories i read as a child.  

Last year was the first time i looked into Quentin Blake, and looked at his illustrations as his art form, and saw him separately from the novels i had read. I think his hand has influenced me more than i know on how to communicate emotion into a drawing. 

Grandmama telling stories about witches


What i love about these is how they look like they have been created in the spur of the moment. But i know they actually take a lot more planning than you would think.


Quentin Blake's technique starts with him drawing a rough sketch of the subject, to figure out how people stand or to figure out an expression. He needs to ask questions at this stage and problem solve. 

On his Web-sight ( www.quentinblake.com ) He says he asks himself these questions.  

• Is the method and medium of this drawing suitable to the atmosphere of the book?
• What goes on which page? Do the actions carry on from one picture to another?
• Do the characters still look the same on each page?
• In the attempt to combine planning with an air of spontaneity I've employed various techniques of which the one I have found most successful, and have used for the last thirty years - making use of a light box!

He then takes this drawing onto a light box. and on top of that he puts a sheet of watercolour paper. He then draws over the top with waterproof ink and a dip pen. He cant see the rough drawing under the watercolour paper very clearly. This must be very time consuming and easy to make a mistake.

I have done this technique before last year and it was quite difficult to let go and not be so tight, i have managed to be a lot looser now but i am still quite bad with stick and ink. 

From life drawing in class i have found that doing quick studies dose two main things for me, the first is it loosens me up and gets me into the right frame of mind. 
Secondly it helps me problem solve, it helps me understand the figure and how to draw it. How much information i need to add to a drawing.  

I love Blake's illustrations because they are so loose and and energetic. 
You know one of his drawings as soon as you see it. I think from a young age that has always interested me and caught my eye when looking at drawings. I can see how it has translated into my own work.