Just a theory

To help Cambridge University celebrate its 800th anniversary, illustrator and Cambridge alumnus Quentin Blake has made a series of special drawings of two other celebrated alumni, Charles Darwin (celebrating his own birthday this year) and Isaac Newton. Mr. Blake‘s drawings will be projected onto Cambridge’s Senate House and Old Schools today, Saturday, 17 January (7:15pm to 10pm — sorry, I’m too late for this one); Sunday, 18 January (5pm to 10pm); and Monday, 19 January (5:15pm to 10pm).

The BBC has a video of the light show and animated sketches here.

For the other Darwin illustration (old Charles and his tortoise) go here.

*  *  *

Some of our favorite books illustrated by Quentin Blake (and you can be sure that children who read Blake books when young will grow up with a decent sense of humor):

The Twits and The BFG by Roald Dahl (Mr. Blake has illustrated the entire works of RD)

Drawing: For the Artistically Undiscovered by Quentin Blake and  John Cassidy (a Klutz book)

Tell Me a Picture by Quentin Blake, the book version of his National Gallery art appreciation/education exhibit for children

The Uncle books by J.P. Martin, recently reprinted as part of the New York Review Children’s Collection

Mr. Blake is also one of the illustrators featured in the recent Artist to Artist: 23 Major Illustrators Talk to Children About Their Art, compiled by the Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art.  And his newest (I think) book is Quentin Blake’s Ten Frogs/Dix Grenouilles: A Book About Counting in English and French