Quentin Blake discusses his artwork for James Blake’s ‘The Colour in Anything’

Quentin Blake has discussed his work on the artwork for ‘The Colour in Anything,’ James Blake’s new album.

BBC 6 Music DJ Mary Anne Hobbs wrote to Quentin Blake to find out about his work on the record, and Blake replied in a letter, detailing how he came to be involved in the project.

James Blake’s creative director Alexis Burgess is an old friend and admirer of Quentin Blake. Burgess first contacted the illustrator because he was a fan of ‘Patrick,’ Blake’s children’s picture book about a man with a magic violin, whose music changes the colour in things. “Alexis felt that I might be able to do something along these lines, but of course in a very different way, for James,” Quentin wrote.

“There was a meeting between us,” Quentin continued. “I’m sort of a musical illiterate in that although I listen to music, I don’t really know what’s happening. Nevertheless, I can respond to atmosphere and James and I have, I think, some similar ideas about how the imagination works.”

Listen to Mary Anne Hobbs read out Quentin Blake’s letter below.