Quentin Blake
Quentin Blake was born on December
16th 1932, Sidcup, Kent in the suburbs of London and has been
drawing illustrations ever since he can remember.
In 1943 Blake started attending
Chislehurst and Sidcup Grammar School, followed by National Service in 1951
where he served in the Royal Army Educational Corps. In 1953 he went on to
study English at Downing College in Cambridge and then in 1956 studied a
postgraduate diploma of teaching at the University of London. Afterwards, Blake
attended classes at Chelsea Art School.
His first drawing was published at the age of 16 for a magazine ‘Punch’. He continued to draw for ‘Punch’ and other magazines over the years, including ‘The Spectator’ before entering the world of children’s books with his first illustrations in ‘A Drink of Water’ by John Yeomen in 1960.
Although Blake has written and illustrated many books of his own and illustrated over 250 books by at least 80 different writers, he is most famously known for his illustrations depicted in most of Roald Dahl’s top selling books.
Blake started working with Dahl in 1976 and the first book he illustrated was ‘The Enormous Crocodile’ published in 1978. Dahl and Blake soon became firm friends, working together until Dahl’s death in 1990. Quentin ended up illustrating all of Dahl’s books except for ‘The Minpins.’ His favourite Roald Dahl book is ‘The BFG.’
Dahl quoted Blake to be ‘The finest illustrator of children’s books in the world today!’
In 1978 Blake became Head of the Illustration Department at the Royal College of Art having taught there since 1965.
Blake has received many awards and recognitions for his work including:
His first drawing was published at the age of 16 for a magazine ‘Punch’. He continued to draw for ‘Punch’ and other magazines over the years, including ‘The Spectator’ before entering the world of children’s books with his first illustrations in ‘A Drink of Water’ by John Yeomen in 1960.
Although Blake has written and illustrated many books of his own and illustrated over 250 books by at least 80 different writers, he is most famously known for his illustrations depicted in most of Roald Dahl’s top selling books.
Blake started working with Dahl in 1976 and the first book he illustrated was ‘The Enormous Crocodile’ published in 1978. Dahl and Blake soon became firm friends, working together until Dahl’s death in 1990. Quentin ended up illustrating all of Dahl’s books except for ‘The Minpins.’ His favourite Roald Dahl book is ‘The BFG.’
Dahl quoted Blake to be ‘The finest illustrator of children’s books in the world today!’
In 1978 Blake became Head of the Illustration Department at the Royal College of Art having taught there since 1965.
Blake has received many awards and recognitions for his work including:
- Whitbread Award
- Children's Book Award
- Emil/Kurt Maschler Award
- Kate Greenway Medal (1980)
- Appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE)(1988)]
- Blake was appointed the first ever Children’s Laureate (1999)
- Hans Christian Anderson Award for illustration (highest international recognition given to creators of children's books) (2002)
- Made a Knight of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres (2002)
- Blake received the 'Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres' by the French Government for service to literature (2004)
- International Bologna Regazzi Prize (2004)
- Appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) (2005)
- Eleanor Farjeon Award for his outstanding contribution to the world of children's books (2012)
- Blake was knighted in the New Year's Honours - meaning that his full title is Sir Quentin Blake