Quentin Blake: Tell Me A Picture DVD

For the Tell Me A Picture exhibition at the National Gallery, Quentin Blake, distinguished illustrator and Children's Laureate, selected an alphabetical anthology of pictures with stories in mind. Each of the twenty-six images was chosen to encourage younger visitors to wonder about what stories it might tell – and so to provide ways to help introduce children to the wider world of art.

The pictures include paintings from the National Gallery's collection, modern works by Edward Hopper, Paula Rego and Jack B. Yeats, and illustrations by John Burningham, Michael Foreman and Roberto Innocenti. Mysterious, exciting, touching and sometimes frightening, the images are all distinguished by their pictorial inventiveness.

This art DVD includes an interview with Quentin Blake in which he explains the ideas behind the exhibition, as well as the reasons for his choice. He talks illuminatingly about the process of looking at pictures, which starts in early childhood as children begin to look at picture books. He also discusses his life as an illustrator, the connection between pictures and words and drawing techniques as we see him working in his studio.

This art DVD will be of interest to fans of Quentin Blake, students of all ages, teachers – and everyone who enjoys looking at pictures.

Running time approximately 25 minutes • Region free • English subtitles