Celebrating the first ever National day of Illustration!
Friday 24th November 2023
On 24 November 2023, the Quentin Blake Centre for Illustration launched National Illustration Day to celebrate and spread awareness of illustration: the pictures that are essential to our lives. This inaugural day, with an official logo created by illustrator Lena Yokoyama, is a time to share inspiring artwork - whether picture books, packaging or posters - to spotlight the very best of artistic culture in the UK,
Schools across the country are taking part in the day by creating illustrations on the theme of celebration, and the online community via social media is sharing useful, inspiring or much-loved illustrations on Instagram, Facebook or X, tagging @qbcentre and using the hashtag #NationalIllustrationDay. Art lovers can showcase their own, or their favourite, illustrated artwork from small doodles to large-scale projects.
Schools across the country are taking part in the day by creating illustrations on the theme of celebration, and the online community via social media is sharing useful, inspiring or much-loved illustrations on Instagram, Facebook or X, tagging @qbcentre and using the hashtag #NationalIllustrationDay. Art lovers can showcase their own, or their favourite, illustrated artwork from small doodles to large-scale projects.
"You can share any illustration. It might be a persuasive poster you pass by, a picturebook you’ve always loved or even something you’ve made yourself – and you can share more than one!" explains the QB Centre's website.
Speaking on BBC Radio 4's 'Today' programme, Ambassador for the Quentin Blake Centre, illustrator and former Children's Laureate Lauren Child said, 'We begin our lives drawing, but at some point we just lose it. Drawing's a wonderful pursuit so [National Illustration Day] is to encourage people to go back into drawing and look at the world. It promotes empathy and understanding as well, because when you really look, you really begin to see'.
Lauren was joined in the studio by freelance illustrator Joey Yu, who drew the Today team whilst they were live on air. Asked by hosts Martha Kearney and Mishal Hussein how she found this experience, Joey described it as 'A really wonderful environment to draw in ... it's very exciting.'
Speaking on BBC Radio 4's 'Today' programme, Ambassador for the Quentin Blake Centre, illustrator and former Children's Laureate Lauren Child said, 'We begin our lives drawing, but at some point we just lose it. Drawing's a wonderful pursuit so [National Illustration Day] is to encourage people to go back into drawing and look at the world. It promotes empathy and understanding as well, because when you really look, you really begin to see'.
Lauren was joined in the studio by freelance illustrator Joey Yu, who drew the Today team whilst they were live on air. Asked by hosts Martha Kearney and Mishal Hussein how she found this experience, Joey described it as 'A really wonderful environment to draw in ... it's very exciting.'
The Quentin Blake Centre team is running a pop-up illustration studio at Angel Central Shopping Centre in Islington, London as part of the celebrations. The free event is open to all ages and is a perfect opportunity to drop in and create your own illustration. Come along on Friday, Saturday and Sunday (each day from 12.00-4.00) to join in the fun.
Quentin's own image drawn to celebrate the day is pictured above. Let's celebrate illustration! #NationalIllustrationDay
Quentin's own image drawn to celebrate the day is pictured above. Let's celebrate illustration! #NationalIllustrationDay