Pointed noses looking up to the sky, minimalist beady eyes, a mischievously grinning mouth with a melancholy moment – these dreamy figures are familiar from the illustrations for the Roald Dahl stories. Matilda, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, The Witches – he gave them and around 300 other children's books a face: Quentin Blake, who was already drawing for Punch magazine at the age of 16, turns 90 today.
The Briton was born in London in 1932, and generations of children grew up with his illustrations. Before devoting himself to formal art training, Blake studied English literature. The cartoonist skillfully combined the two professions. Not only did he illustrate the stories of well-known authors, he also wrote books himself, such as Three Little Monkeys at Christmas. Blake awakens his illustrations with the help of a pen, and then colors the surfaces with watercolor. His distinctive drawings will likely be instantly recognized by future generations. Art.Salon congratulates the illustrator on his milestone birthday.
