Q&A with Quentin Blake: Read his answers here!

[TinaMumsnet]

We're very pleased to announce that legendary illustrator Quentin Blake will be answering your questions about his work and latest illustrations in The Tale of Kitty-in-Boots.

Beatrix Potter wrote The Tale of Kitty-in-Boots in 1914 but did not find time to illustrate it. Now, over 100 years later, Quentin Blake has brought Kitty to life with his witty and charming illustrations.

Quentin Blake is one of Britain's most successful illustrators. He has illustrated nearly 300 books and he was Roald Dahl's favourite illustrator. He has won many awards, including the Whitbread Award and the Kate Greenaway Medal, and taught for over 20 years at the Royal College of Art. In 1999 he became the first ever Children's Laureate and in 2013 he was knighted for services to illustration.

In Beatrix Potter's own words The Tale of Kitty-in-Boots is about 'a well-behaved prime black Kitty cat, who leads rather a double life' and will be available in all good bookshops from 1 September.

Post your questions to Quentin Blake before 9 September and you'll be entered into a prize draw to win one of five copies of The Tale of Kitty-in-Boots

My 8 year old would like to know "when did you discover you could draw?"

We are huge fans and would like to know if you prefer to draw the characters you like - or characters you don't like!

Hello Quentin

My son, aged nine, asks "Would you kindly do the illustrations for my Mum's book?" preferably gratis as we're surviving on crusts and everyone loves a trier

Firstly, I want to say thank you for bringing so many wonderful stories to life!

Out of all the stories you have illustrated, do you have a favourite? Mine is Great Day for Up.

My 8 year old wants to know how and why Roald Dahl chose you to illustrate his books.

My 10 year old wants to know if you've ever struggled to get a particular illustration correct?

Hello. There are many fabulous children's books on the market today. If you could rework one with our own illustrations, not to better them but to add your own twist, which would you choose? I'd love to see a Quentin Blake Gruffalo!

Do random people frequently ask you to draw things for them?

Would you draw my pets for me please?

Another Hastings Mnetter here (hi trufflehunter), we loved your sea illustrations too!

My son, aged 5, is also a big fan and we've read a lot of Roald Dahl and David Walliams along with Rumbelow's Dance!

My question is a political one: How do you think Brexit under a Tory government is going to affect funding towards the arts in the UK and will this have an impact on the opportunities afforded to talented individuals from less well off backgrounds?

Do you ever picture people you meet/ celebrities in the style of your illustrations? Have you ever been tempted to draw them?

Hello, we adore your illustrations and stories. How do you come up with ideas for brilliantly wacky and memorable characters such as Angelina Sprocket? And which book have you enjoyed illustrating the most? Thank you! Kate, Izzie, Theo and Poppy

Have you ever read a book you weren't tasked with illustrating, had an idea pop in your head and gone on to draw it anyway? If so, what book?
Been a huge fan of your work since I was a small child and now my children are giggling at the very same things you brought to life, thank you!

Dear Quentin,

I am a Library teacher in Colombia and in a few hours our kids will be coming to the library to ask you all kinds of questions. They are incredibly excited. So, since this is an adult site, they will be communicating their questions through me. I hope that is o.k?
I would like to start with my own question though. Do you have a special routine in the morning to get you into "the zone"?

Thank you and Kind Regards,
Greg Hornsby and the kids at Colegio Anglo Colombiano

Dear Quentin,

We are back and have all of our questions below. We have some very curious kids at our school!

What goes what goes on your mind when you´re painting your drawings?

How did Roald Dahl get his inspiration?

Why did you choose to be an illustrator?

What is the strangest request you have had from a publisher?

From where do you get your inspiration for drawing?

Which is your favourite drawing and why?

How did you meet Roald Dahl?

Which is your favourite drawing that you have drawn?

How did you decided to illustrate Kitty in boots and who did you get permission from?

How did you get to be Roald Dahl´s illustrator?

Did you get your style of drawing by some kind of inspiration?

Do you need to read all the book to draw the pictures?

How does it feel to be one of the greatest illustrators in history, is it fun to be such a big role model?

Did you ever disagree with any of Roald Dahl´s suggestions?

How did you feel illustrating for Roald Dahl?

Do you listen to music when you draw? If so, what music?

Who is your inspiration? Why?

Since when did you start to paint?

Do you practice illustrating every day?

Do you have someone special to think of when illustrating?

How did you start your life as an illustrator?

What was the first book you illustrated?

Do you work with anyone else?

Who taught you to draw?

Do you have a pet?

What did you like to do when you were a kid?

Where do you live?

Does the way you feel affect the way you draw?

How do you get inspired to illustrate the book kitty in boots?

Why do you want to illustrate Beatrix Potter Books?

How do you make it that when you draw the people that read that book feel that they are there?

How did you learn to draw with that technique?

What do you think or what are your emotions when you are drawing?

Was your passion to be an illustrator?

What is the strangest request you have had from a publisher?

Why did you want to illustrate specifically Roald Dahl's Books?

How you eat in the middle of a book?

How do you illustrate so well?

Thank you so much! We can´t wait to hear from you.

Kind Regards,
Mr Greg and the kids from Colegio Anglo Colombia

One last one!

How do you make the landscape express the character´s feelings?

Thanks for all your great questions - we have sent a selection over to Quentin and will post his answers when we have them. Congratulations to lalalonglegs, Thatsthat, MothersGrim, Witchend & Geraniumred who have all won copies of The Tale of Kitty-in-Boots!

Oh, please please ask Quentin if he would do some more Mrs. Armitage books, they are the best!

Yay! Thanks MNHQ

Hi all - we've heard back from Quentin and have received fantastic answers to some of your great questions! We'll be posting them shortly. Also congratulations to GHornsby who has won a copy of The Tale of Kitty-in-Boots too - very kindly donated by MothersGrim!

Mothers Grimm,

You are very kind! Thank you so much- our kids are going to be so excited about it. I will let you know how it goes.

Kind Regards,

G Hornsby at the Anglo Colombiano

Their questions were much better than mine!

I particularly like the one about eating in the middle of a book.

Thanks again!

Thank you for all the interesting questions; it was nice for me that some of them were also accompanied by appreciative remarks. I confess I was slightly baffled by some of the exotic assumed names. At the moment I can't help imagining that Winkywinkybumbum must be from an as-yet undiscovered story by Beatrix Potter which takes place in Brooklyn in the prohibition era, about a rabbit who works in a nightclub. Could that be possible? At any rate I liked the mention of the visit to the FitzWilliam. I will try for some answers.

@SuburbanCrofter

Here is my question for Quentin:

When we visited the Roald Dahl museum, we were fascinated to see that you and Roald Dahl exchanged letters about how he thought the characters should look. Your illustrations were so intrinsic to the books, could you tell us a bit more about that process?

There were letters, but more often conversations. I would do rough drawings of what I thought the characters looked like, and also of good moments to illustrate and then I would go to Gipsy House, probably for dinner, and get Roald's comments on what I had done. You can see more about this in a book that I wrote about illustration called Words and Pictures.

@MrsGosling71

My dd(13) has always adored your drawings and wants to become an illustrator. What advice would you give her? How did you start?

Best wishes to your daughter. Actually my training was for a degree in English literature, and then I went to life classes at Chelsea Art School. (I think they are very important). But she could go to art school, and there are several that have good illustration courses. She can also set herself illustration projects - stories and books that she likes - and the most important thing is to do a great deal of drawing. Every day. Don't worry too much about the quality to begin with; get the habit.

@BearAusten

You can never fail to recognize a Quentin Blake illustration. My son loves your vibrant drawings, especially the ones for The Twits. We also have fond memories of Cockatoos.

Which classic children's book would you like to illustrate?

Why do you prefer to use watercolours for your illustrations, as opposed to other mediums?

The pen drawing does the activity; the advantage of watercolour is that it doesn't really compete with the line, or slow it down, although it contributes to feeling and atmosphere.