90 Candles - Quentin Blake Centre for Illustration

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Last December, our founder Quentin Blake turned 90. To celebrate, we invited 90 illustrators to draw a candle inspired by the original meaning of the word “illustration' – "to light up, make light and illuminate”.

Scroll to view the candles and click the images to find out more about the illustrators.

Illustration of a procession of characters including a shooting star, a witch, a tree and an owl

Illustration of a child looking up at an owl in a tree, silhouetted by the moon

Illustration of a person drawing a bird by candle light, watched by little animals

Illustration of a candle surrounded by shapes including flowers, a crown and a moon

Illustration of a bee lighting a candle in a vase surrounded by crocuses

Illustration of a person in a red dressing down holding a candle stick with the letters 'QB' and a shadowy figure behind

Illustration of a table top with a vase of flowers, a glass of wine and a frog

Illustration of the Gruffalo with a red candle on his head

Illustration of a candle and two ducks in a boat on wheels

Illustration of a candle singing on top of a birthday cake

Illustration of a candle illuminating darkness

Illustration of mice dancing around a candle

Illustration of a dog looking at a birthday cake

Illustration of a blue dragon with a candle

Woodcut illustration of a tall column with a candle wick on top

Illustration of an elephant holding a candle in its trunk

Illustration of a dragon breathing fire to light a candle

Collaged illustration of a candle

Illustration of a sparkler candle setting off fireworks

Illustration of three monkeys climbing up a candle

Illustration of a group of people holding an illuminated candle wick aloft

Illustration of a candle with a starburst shape above

Photographic image of two overlayed scenes of someone screwing a bulb into a lampholder and an interior scene

Illustration of a character journeying through an underground cave to get to a party

Illustration of a flame character, in front of a row of houses

Illustration of a character wearing a large birthday cake as a hat

Collaged and painted illustration of a candle

Illustration of three witches dancing around a bonfire holding candles, coloured in blue and orange

Collaged illustration of a person jumping over a candle

Illustration of two people in a boat in the moonlight framed by trees in a candle shape

Illustration of a castle surrounded by characters from Alice in Wonderland, with Quentin Blake at the top holding a match

Illustration of a pencil with a flaming end, like a candle

Illustration of characters climbing a stripy candle

Illustration of a candlestick holding a lit candle with hand-written Bengali type

Illustration of a face looking at a candle from the shadows

Illustration of a birthday candle with a face in the flame

Woodcut illustration of a candle on a windowsill

Illustration of a boxed candle, labelled 'The Dark Town everlasting candle'

Illustration of a person holding a candle on a red background

Illustration of a blue candle with a gold flame

Illustration of a candle made from layers of burned paper and wax

Illustration of a person holding up a candle against an orange background with a decorative border

Illustration of a person writing or drawing by candlelight

Illustration of a child holding a candle with a finger raised in shushing gesture

Illustration of a person in a pink top holding a candle against a spotted green background

Illustration of a pink and blue striped candle with a starburst flame

Illustration of a candle in a red cave with the words 'Make Light'

Illustration of an ornate candlestick against a green background

Illustration of a person in a boat looking onto a house in the distance under the moonlight

Illustration of white characters arranged in a pyramid shape against a white background

Illustration of a mother and child reading a book by candlelight

Pencil illustration with the letters of the word 'candle' arranged as coloured blocks

Illustration of a group of children, one at the top of a staircase holding up a candle, another painting a birthday cake

Illustration of a close up candle flame

Collaged illustration of a lit candle with a lightbulb above

An illustration of a blue candle overlaid with the words: I cannot hold a candle to the laughing lines you drew, instead I'll write this line for you scribble a wick of words and wait Quentin will illuminate

Illustration of a person wearing a flame-like hat, surrounded by lit matches

Illustration of people looking up at a cityscape with a giant illuminated candle behind

Illustration of three mice pushing a birthday cake towards a sleeping cat

A portrait of Quentin Blake, made up of balloons and fireworks

Illustration of a hand holding a pencil, lit at one end like a candle

Illustration of a yellow candle with concentric purple circles behind, made from cut paper

Two people in a hot air balloon powered by a candle, looking down on London

Illustration of a person surrounded by flora, with a yellow spark in front of them

Photograph of a candle shape made from 3D objects, including a stack of Cheerios

Illustration of a group of people decorating a giant candle, using a scaffold made from art materials

Illustration of a mouse carrying a candle and riding a woolly mammoth

Illustration of blue birds looking at a candle set into a tree trunk

Illustration of a chandelier rendered in white lines against a blue background

Illustration of four scenes with the text: How to keep the light going. Encourage it to burn bright! Shield it when it fades. Pass it on, oh so gently. Dance! Dance! Dance! In time with the flickering flame

Illustration of a candle with roots beneath

Illustration of a headwith a view into the mind that shows a burning flame

Collaged illustration of anthropomorphised candles with the word: Quentin

Illustration of a green dragon breathing fire against a pink background

Illustration of people dancing around a candle on top of a birthday cake

Illustration of a twisting green candle

Illustration of a candle with hearts radiating out from its flame

Illustration of a tiny candle with a giant colourful flame

Illustration of a candle-shaped house with people visible in the windows

Illustration of a person with a candle on their head with the words: You LIGHT UP my life

Illustration of a lit candle against a dark background in a holder with a smiley face

Illustration of a candle in an ornamental holder, surrounded by bright colours and foliage

Illustration of a person reading by candlelight in a dark tower at night

Illustration of an iced cupcake with a lit candle in it

Illustration of rabbits in vestments watching a candle be illuminated

Illustration of an illuminated candle surrounded by moths

With huge thanks to Adam Higton, Aleesha Nandhra, Alexis Deacon, Alice Lickens, An Chen, Andrzej Klimowski, Anne Howeson, Ashton Attzs, Axel Scheffler, Bruce Ingman, Carolyn Gowdy, Catherine Anyango Grünewald, Charlotte Ager, Chris Haughton, Chris Riddell, Christopher Brown, Claire Alexander, Cressida Cowell, Dan Fern, Emily Rand, Emma Chichester Clark, Erin Aniker, Grace Holliday, Graham Rawle, Hannah Berry, Harry Woodgate, Hollie Fuller, Huntley Muir, Isabel Greenberg, James Mayhew, Jason Chuang, Jay Cover, Jean Jullien, Jemima Muir, Jhinuk Sarkar, Joanna Layla, Joey Yu, John Lawrence, John Vernon Lord, Jonny Hannah, Joy Yamusangie, Julie Vermeille, Karrie Fransman, Kingsley Nebechi, Laura Carlin, Lauren Child, Lena Yokoyama, Lily Ash Sakula, Lily Kong, Lucinda Rogers, Luke Best, Luke Pearson, Maisie Paradise Shearring, Margaret Calvert, Margaret Sturton, Marion Deuchars, Mark Oliver, Matthew Richardson, Mick Inkpen, Montana Forbes, Natsko Seki, Nick Butterworth, Noma Bar, Oliver Jeffers, Owen Gildersleeve, Paul Cox, Peony Gent, Peter Nencini, Posy Simmonds, Rachael Ball, Rob Biddulph, Rob Ryan, Roderick Mills, Rubyetc, Russell Mills, Sabba Khan, Sara Fanelli, Sharon King-Chai, Sharpay Chenyuè Yuán, Shonagh Rae, Simone Lia, Siôn Ap Tomos, Skye Baker, Steven Appleby, Thomas Hedger, Tom Abbiss Smith, Tom Gauld, Toya Walker, YiMiao Shih and Zoom Rockman.