Illustration glossary
Browse our guide to illustration-related terms, from ‘abstract’ to ‘zine’.
Explore illustration from museums, archives and personal collections. Browse curated stories and search our database to find process drawings, posters, books and more.
Showing image 1 of 4: Drawing of four people performing classical Thai dance wearing yellow, pink and orange costume
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Puffin Picture Books
Browse our edit of the iconic children’s book series
Jacqueline Ayer
Jacqueline Ayer's daughter, Bet, speaks about her mother's life and career. (3 minutes 55 seconds)
Curated stories
Janina Ede
Illustration for British books and television, made from the 1950s to the 1980s.
Eleanor Vere Boyle
Sketches and illustrations for Victorian children's literature.
Jacqueline Ayer
Picture books, textiles and drawings made in Thailand in the 1950s and 60s.
Jo Brocklehurst
Documentary drawing of the punks, fetishists, actors, dancers and club-goers of Berlin, London and New York.
Can’t find what you’re looking for, or have a query about something you’ve found? Email us collections@qbcentre.org.uk.
Quentin Blake archive
Quentin’s archive of original illustrations, designs, dummy books and paintings is pledged to us.
About collections
We work with museums, archives and personal collections to research and share the history of illustration.
Audio described illustration
Poster by Daysi García López, 1969
Designed for the Organisation of Solidarity with the People of Africa, Asia and Latin America to express support for Black Americans.
Book illustration by Eleanor Vere Boyle, c.1875
Watercolour and gouache illustration for Boyle’s retelling of French fairy tale, Beauty and the Beast.
Drawing by Jo Brocklehurst, 1981
A portrait of Val Drayton and Lou Challice, members of the London-based Kill Your Pet Puppy collective.
With thanks to the collections and copyright holders who have allowed us to share their material.
This resource has been made possible with generous support from the John Ellerman Foundation(opens in new window).