Quentin Blake- Matilda.

This is an illustration by Quentin Blake for Roald Dahl's well known children's story 'Matilda'. As a child, I was a big Roald Dahl fan and so have been brought up with Blake's illustrations and have really learned to appreciate them.

Quentin Blake has a unique style, usually using pen or ink which is very effective and subsequently also my favourite way to draw. I really like the unpredictable yet natural marks that he makes, managing to create successful images by using only a few lines.

A sense of freedom is created in his work which can be easily seen in this image, in areas such as Matilda's hair. The nose has been exagerated and proportions expiremented with in an almost childlike way but I feel that this only creates more of a sense of character as well as being fun and playful, thus relating to the appropriate audience, in this case, children.

Movement is also visable in both the piece as an image and the way in which it would have been drawn- it looks to me like it would have been done quickly, possibly this one chosen from many similar sketches that had been drawn before he managed to achieve the perfect illustration to match the words. I find Illustration interesting in the way that the artist has to try to bring to life scenes and characters by using only the relevent text and their own imaginations. In this sense, the text could be considered almost as a brief.

The simple lines and equally effortless colours compliment the shapes and childlike qualities of the piece with the only shading on the ground. Even this is in only one tone.

Although Quentin Blake's work is probably best known for his illustrations in the Roald Dahl books, he is unique and recognised world wide as an artist in his own right.