A Comparative Analysis of Quentin Blake’s ‘the Bfg’ and Sara Fanelli’s “Wolf”
This essay looks at 2 artists who have had a massive impact on the illustrative world. Quentin Blake, best known for the hugely popular illustrations made for Roald Dahls books. I will be analyzing his illustration of ‘The BFG’, published in 1999 , alongside Sara Fanelis ‘Wolf!’ pictorial narrative. Sara Fanelli’s art brut style (Heller, S. 2001) of work is well known and respected by illustrators. This essay will examine the influences and motivations of the artists, the materials and techniques used, alongside issues that have been bought up in the past. This essay will highlight the similarities in Blake and Fanellis work as well as displaying significant differences.
Quentin Blake’s illustration of the BFG shows the image of a tiny girl standing on the palm of a very large man. The girl, dressed in a pink nighty, is reaching with outstretched arms towards the giant, although wanting to embrace him. The ‘giant’ appears to be quite old, black fine lines are drawn on his face to give the impression of wrinkles. His ears are disproportionate to the rest of his body, possibly being larger than the giants head itself. The tonal values in the illustration are very soft, suggesting the use of water colours, details have been gone over with waterproof black ink and a lot of scruffy looking dip pens (Blake, 2008).
Sara Fanellis illustration of the ‘Wolf’ shows a very franticly drawn wolf (resembling Ed Korens scratchy cartoon creatures) (Heller, S, 2001) on a bright yellow background. He has random lines of red and black in his fur coat alongside paper cut claws and red eyes with pasted on eyebrows. He is wearing odd shoes, one an orangey red, the other a very soft turquoise. The wolf is giving a pair of red glasses to what appears to be an old woman in a blue polka dotted dress.
Both Blake and Fanelli have sources of inspiration that motivates their work. Blake illustrated the character the ‘BFG’ for the book that Roald Dahl wrote; When it 's a book for which
Quentin Blake’s illustration of the BFG shows the image of a tiny girl standing on the palm of a very large man. The girl, dressed in a pink nighty, is reaching with outstretched arms towards the giant, although wanting to embrace him. The ‘giant’ appears to be quite old, black fine lines are drawn on his face to give the impression of wrinkles. His ears are disproportionate to the rest of his body, possibly being larger than the giants head itself. The tonal values in the illustration are very soft, suggesting the use of water colours, details have been gone over with waterproof black ink and a lot of scruffy looking dip pens (Blake, 2008).
Sara Fanellis illustration of the ‘Wolf’ shows a very franticly drawn wolf (resembling Ed Korens scratchy cartoon creatures) (Heller, S, 2001) on a bright yellow background. He has random lines of red and black in his fur coat alongside paper cut claws and red eyes with pasted on eyebrows. He is wearing odd shoes, one an orangey red, the other a very soft turquoise. The wolf is giving a pair of red glasses to what appears to be an old woman in a blue polka dotted dress.
Both Blake and Fanelli have sources of inspiration that motivates their work. Blake illustrated the character the ‘BFG’ for the book that Roald Dahl wrote; When it 's a book for which
Bibliography: Images: Fanelli, S (1997) Wolf! [online image] Available at: http://www.sarafanelli.com/docs/books/07wolf/04.html [Accessed 4 February, 2011] Blake, Q (1982) The BFG [online image] Available at: http://www.ingofincke.com/images/dahl/RD9001_large.jpg Heller, S (2001) A World Somewhere Else. Print (U.S.A.), vol. 55 Smurthwaite, N (2003) Colour in Books Heller, S (2007) Wolves, Logic & Happy Mistakes. Varoom Websites: Blake (2008) Illustrating a Book Interview [online] Available at: http://www.quentinblake.com/about/Illustrating.html [Accessed 4 February 2011] Blake, Q (2008) Meet Quentin Blake Interview [online] Available at: Auld, G (2010) Drawing on inspiration [online] Available at: http://www.johnlewis.com/Magazine/Feature.aspx?Id=682 Scott, MR (2000) ‘Blakes Heaven’ The Guardian December 16 [online] Available at: http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2000/dec/06/familyandrelationships.features101?INTCMP=SRCH