Quentin Blake Centre for Illustration

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What is Illustration?

Quentin Blake Centre for Illustration is the new name for House of Illustration. You can join our online and offsite events and visit our exhibitions at venues across the UK.

We are working on a new space for our work that will open in Clerkenwell, London in 2025.

What’s on

Illustration of an owl and a cat sitting in a small boat with sails, there are some ripples in the water around the boat. Some stars and the moon are in the background. The owl is playing a small guitar, and the cat is looking into the distance with its head resting on one of its paws.

Quentin Blake: Illustrating Verse

Lighthouse, Poole Centre for the Arts 29 September 2023 to 6 January 2024

Illustrations for poems by Edward Lear, Sylvia Plath, Michael Rosen and more – on tour across the UK.

Illustration of a person wearing a fuzzy blue cardigan.

Illustrating Fashion Course

Online course with Joanna Layla 8 - 29 January 2024 Mondays, 19:00 – 21:00 GMT

Start to create your own fashion portfolio with award-winning fashion illustrator Joanna Layla in this four week course.

Illustration of a child making a splash by jumping into a puddle.

Introduction to Creating Picture Books

Online course with Claire Alexander 10 January – 20 March 2024 (there is no class on 14 February) Wednesdays, 19:00 – 21:00 GMT

Learn how to create contemporary children’s picture books with market appeal with guidance from award-winning author and illustrator Claire Alexander.

Graphic illustration of winged insects on a large pink and orange flower against a lush forest green background

Planning a Non-Fiction Picture Book

Online course for adults 12 January – 22 March 2024 (there is no class on 16 February) Fridays, 10:00-12:00 UK Time GMT

Learn all the essentials for turning fascinating facts into brilliant books with Owen Davey.

Comic panels rendered in pencil depicting a wolf looking at a small child. A speech bubble attributed to the child reads: "it's cheese".

Graphic Novel Your Life

Online course with Rachael Ball 16 January – 26 March 2024 Tuesdays, 18:00 – 20:00

On this 10-week course you’ll learn how to create a graphic novel based on your own life experiences. Guided by award-winning cartoonist Rachael Ball.

Japanese woodcut print of a fisherman standing at the edge of a rock, casting their net into a turbulent sea. An imposing Mount Fuji looms large in the background.

Hokusai’s Fuji

This illustrated exploration of printmaker Katsushika Hokusai’s dedication to depicting Mount Fuji throughout his career is our book of the month.

Quentin Blake illustration of New River Head with flags coming out from the buildings and fireworks going off in the background.

Join us

Help us to transform a forgotten heritage site in central London into the Quentin Blake Centre for Illustration

Photograph of the inside of a gallery space with illustrations on the wall, a man wearing a scarf is leaning up against the wall

About Quentin

Find out more about our founder, Quentin Blake.

Illustrated bowl with a white background.

Touring exhibitions

Bring original illustration to your museum, gallery or library

Photograph of a child illustrating with a paint brush

Illustration at school

Bring illustration into your classroom with our in-school workshops and free teacher’s resources

Illustration of an illustrator painting at an easel

National Illustration Day Gallery

Thanks to everyone who contributed an illustration to our online gallery