'A Quentin Blake Summer': Illustrating Verse & Book Covers

Not one, but two touring exhibitions from the Quentin Blake Centre for Illustration are on show in Aberdeen Art Gallery this summer: Quentin Blake: Illustrating Verse and Quentin Blake: Book Covers, both opening 8 July.

Quentin Blake has been writing and illustrating poetry throughout his 60-year career, collaborating with the likes of Michael Rosen, Sylvia Plath and Roald Dahl. In Quentin Blake: Illustrating Verse, visitors will see original artworks, sketchbooks and rough drawings that give a rare insight into Quentin’s writing and design process, as well as the creation of some of his own most-loved characters such as Mister Magnolia.

From literary classics to his own picture books, Quentin Blake has created hundreds of book jacket designs. In Quentin Blake: Book Covers first editions are displayed alongside reproductions of original artwork that show how he combines typography, dynamic layouts and his unique way of drawing to create playful designs.