22 November 2013Last updated at 12:17

In pictures: Dylan Thomas illustrations by Sir Peter Blake

When you think of all those babies she's got. Pic: Courtesy of Sir Peter Blake

After three decades in the making a new exhibition of illustrations based on Dylan Thomas's radio drama Under Milk Wood opens at the National Museum Cardiff on Saturday

Butcher Beynon's. Pic courtesy of Sir Peter Blake

The exhibition, entitled Llareggub, features 170 visual interpretations of the poet's landmark play for voices by renowned artist Sir Peter Blake

Captain Cat. Pic courtesy of Sir Peter Blake

Peter Blake was born in 1932 in Dartford, Kent, and studied at the Royal College of Art in London. Often described as the godfather of pop art, he designed the sleeve of The Beatles's 1967 album Sergeant Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band - a collage of images of famous people which included Dylan Thomas

He drinks the fish. Pic courtesy of Sir Peter Blake

Sir Peter's career has spanned over six decades. His work is extraordinarily diverse, and he is regarded as one of the most influential and original artists working in Britain. He was knighted in 2002.

Miss Myfanwy Price. Pic: Courtesy of Sir Peter Blake

Sir Peter said he began to illustrate Under Milk Wood in 1986 when it "wasn’t in fashion", adding that for the past 28 years he has listened to or read the play at least twice a week. "I work on Under Milk Wood at home in the evening. It’s almost like a ‘separate me’ doing it," he said.

Peter Blake 19 collage. Pic courtesy of Sir Peter Blake

The exhibition consists of portraits of the characters, watercolours of the dream sequences at the start of the play and topographical pieces - collages of scenes and locations from the play

Women's Welfare hoofing, bloomered, in the moon. Pic courtesy of Sir Peter Blake

Part of the Dylan Thomas 100 celebrations marking the centenary of the poet's birth, the exhibition runs until 16 March 2014. A BBC Wales film showing Sir Peter at work on the project can be seen on BBC One Wales on Monday, 25 November at 23:35 GMT.

South East Wales

In pictures: Dylan Thomas illustrations by Sir Peter Blake

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