Beyond the Page by Quentin Blake on 15/11/2012 unknown edition

by Quentin Blake

Quentin Blake (b. 1932) is one of the best-known and best-loved illustrators in the world, having created brilliant and iconic characters for Roald Dahl, Russell Hoban, Joan Aiken, and Michael Rosen. He has won numerous awards, including the Whitbread Award, the Kate Greenaway Medal, and the Hans Christian Andersen Award for Illustration. In Beyond the Page , Blake writes about his works since 2000, vividly describing his processes, his collaborators, his travels, and his various projects and commissions, including his “illustrated walls” projects for hospitals in Great Britain and France. Generously illustrated with 240 full-color reproductions of his inimitable work, this is an unsurpassed collection of Blake’s achievements, which, together with his fascinating story, make it a must for aficionados and professionals alike.

Genres: Art, Nonfiction

Unknown Binding

First published March 1, 2013

About the author

Sir Quentin Saxby Blake is an English cartoonist, caricaturist, illustrator and children's writer. He has illustrated over 300 books, including 18 written by Roald Dahl, which are among his most popular works. For his lasting contribution as a children's illustrator he won the biennial international Hans Christian Andersen Award in 2002, the highest recognition available to creators of children's books. From 1999 to 2001, he was the inaugural British Children's Laureate. He is a patron of the Association of Illustrators.

Reviews

[Caroline · Rating 3 out of 5]

I started off reading this book as a bedtime read, and found it complete gobbledegook. I could make no sense of it at all. I then changed it into a daytime read instead, and lo and behold I could suddenly understand Quentin Blake's rather obscure way of writing. (Physiologically I'm a lark, not an owl, and I think my IQ dives about 10 points at bedtime, which is usually why I stick to heart-warming drivel after sundown.) This book was not good bedtime fodder. It's not an easy read; instead it is rather lumpy and difficult to follow.



Having said that, the illustrations are a delight, and there are a lot of them. The book is also big enough to show them well. It was interesting too, to learn about the projects he has been working on since 2000 - the period that this book covers. He has been doing some exciting things - drawings for hospitals, Cambridge University, schools in the UK, France and Germany, plus work at major galleries and for various charities, as well as book illustrations.



Without wanting to damn with faint praise, I must admit that for me though, the most exciting part of the book was the inside of the dust cover. I had no idea of Blake's history, stature and achievements - as a student he read English at Cambridge, he went on to study life-drawing at The Chelsea School of Art, and then for 20 years he was head of illustration at The Royal College of Art, the most prestigious post graduate art school in Britain. Since then he has gone on to do projects of enormous scope. My vision of him as as a rather cosy, small-scale illustrator have changed completely. He is obviously a major force in the British art scene.



He comes across in the book as being wonderfully modest, and still very enthusiastic about his work (I think he is now in his eighties). It was good to get to know this brilliant, funny and fey artist a bit better. He is definitely one of our national treasures.

-------------------------------------------------------------------

Illustrations photographed from the book.

[Alec Longstreth · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this follow up to Blake's book Words and Pictures, which catches us up on the projects he has been working on since 2000. While Words and Pictures focused on his early career and his many printed illustration projects, this book goes "Beyond the Page" into work that has been featured in galleries around Europe and as murals in various offices, theatres and hospitals. Blake is easily my favorite illustrator, so it was wonderful to see such a wide range of new work, especially considering his age! I hope he's got another ten years of insightful, sensitive work to share with us.

[Paul · Rating 4 out of 5]

I grew up with the illustrations of Quentin Blake as they occupied many of the books that I read, in particular the ones by Roald Dahl.

This book is a flavour of some of the projects that he has worked on from the books, to posters for art exhibitions, art for hospitals and maternity wings and other odd projects.

Being a large format book, he has filled it with his art, from the surreal and the ethereal, to the more common pictures of children it makes you aware of the scope of his talent. Each pictures if full of life, and the dynamics and movement that he conveys is something special. The text is a little flat, but that isn't the reason that you read this book.

[Parka · Rating 5 out of 5]

( More pictures on my blog )

Before this book, there was another one called Words and Pictures which collected Quentin Blake's illustrations from the previous fifty years. That book was published in 2001.

This new book Beyond the Page looks at his work from year 2000 onwards. As the title subtly suggests, it features work that does not just appear in on the page.

While Quentin Blake continues to illustrate books, he also has many projects and many bring his work to places such as galleries, museums, hospitals and other public spaces. That's the focus of this book. He writes in first account of the stories behind these projects.

It's interesting to read and see the other side of him. Many of the illustrations included have his distinctive style, but there are also many drawings that you won't see, especially in children books. There are sketches, work he did for reading campaigns, and even nude drawings, for hospitals.

Since the book focuses on work from 2000 onwards, there's mention of his earlier works only when he has to provide new art for updated editions of books, such as those for Roald Dahl.

So if you want to find out what Quentin Blake has been up to the last ten years, get this book.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

This wasn't quite the book I was expecting it to be - for some reason I thought I was borrowing a more conventional (if, I hoped, beautifully illustrated) autobiography, whereas it is really more of an update on Blake's recent work. As such the text is perhaps a little too clunky and self-conscious in places but really, this is a glorious book and there is some real beauty and sensitivity in the writing, as befits a man who studied Literature as well as Art. His delicate comments on the Eating Disorders Unit and the sadder corners of a maternity unit were worthy of a wider audience than the readers of sumptuous coffee table art books.

The book contains details of all sorts of interesting projects such as his work with overseas publishers and his works for the walls of various health facilities but showing us the actual art is given proper priority.

A moving and life-affirming work.

[Clare · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautiful book. I was lucky enough to get my mitts on the last signed copy in my local book shop - his signature was a drawing in itself! A fascinating insight into the design process in addition to some more unusual works a little off the beaten track.

[Jess Smiley · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lovely overview of Blake's most recent works, including the final treatments of all (save one) of Roald Dahl's writing, as well as his foray into public artworks, with an emphasis on artworks for hospitals. The writing jumps around a bit (and feels largely unedited) and many of the reproductions are of poor quality, but this book has captured the man and his message in a wonderful way.

[Mariana · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars as opposed to 5 because this book could really have done with some editing. Quentin Blake's prose takes a little getting used to - a slightly jumbled stream of consciousness - but spelling and punctuation mistakes are frustrating. The illustrations are stunning and abundent and it is fascinating to get a glimpse into this man's life and work process.

[Gen Johnson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an absolute delight for anyone who admires his whimsical, instantly recognizable style. The book is a treasure trove of over 300 vibrant images, each page bursting with his signature energy and charm. What I loved most were the personal stories behind these projects.