The Great Escape with Quentin Blake

My latest influence has been the wonderful work of Quentin Blake. I have returned to the library and have taken yet again great fascination into Quentin’s book named ‘Words and Pictures’ (2000). From here I have been studying Quentin’s use of visual language. I have been looking at the way how Quentin uses his limited materials and have admired Quentin’s casual use of drawing and wash of watercolours and inks.

Below are some regularly looked at pages from the book:

Quentin draws upon his energy he masters in line and it is this playfulness and unashamed casualness to his imagery that I wish to continue as he has done into the world of finished results.

I feel that I meet someone really fascinating in Quentin’s images. It is under the condition’s of enjoying the images for himself that I wish to go about making my own images. As I sense that I am speculating in on someones personal love to this insistent habit.

Using this research my idea’s on my colour palette have been more easier. I swab colours from various of Quentin’s images and take them into play with my own images. The image below is approached with a fluidity and rhythm of painting. I enjoy making brushstrokes that remain visible in the work and leaving places unfinished. The ink drawing is particularly a place where I get to have more control but I let loose on creating expression with it and I very much enjoy the fun of creating this materials own take on this layer of impression. I can really do what I want with it! I also use a blunt conte pencil to create soft texture for webbing. Texture is something that I want to work in as important tool in my ingredients at play in the image.

I feel the result of this image is a successful one. The textures and the collaboration of mixed media is well-balanced avoiding the sense of an overworked or underworked image. This image has depth in the exploratory landscape of muted layers of colours. The wash helps to create an attractive transparency that preserves my movements with my materials. This has evidenced my impression of each detail of the form. I intend to take more of my storyboard into this continued method of making.

Process experimenting: a colour lesson with Quentin.  (Drawing pencils, conte pencil and inks)