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Jalcalara / Creatice Capsule / Valencia, Spain
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Here is our 21st Creative Capsule. This month, we are inviting you to meet Jalcalara.

Describe your creative lab in a few words
A tiny white desk in front of a big and lighty window, surrounded by a lot of books, especially comics. Music is almost always playing, mostly jazz.

In two sentences, how would you describe your work technique?
"Ligne Claire" is always present in my mind. As an architect by training, I always try to play with architecture and perspectives.
 
What is the project of which you are most proud of?
I'm very proud of any client or commissioned project that put their trust on me, but in a personal way, I'm especially proud about my work with Alfa Romeo. Trying to make something creative and different every year and every race is something that keeps me awake. F1 is good training for that because where the same solutions are repeated over and over again, getting out of there is something that gives surprising results, but it takes a risk. I really believe that illustration or any creative work is a long distance race. The most exciting things are always yet to come.

What are your favourite colors to create?
Illustration, unlike architecture, has taught me not to have prejudices with colors, and this is something really wonderful. Within the red color there are hundreds of reds, and this is amazing. I love working with many colors. Sometimes I play with complementary colors. For example, sometimes I wear one sock with one color and another with the complementary.

Why did you become an artist?
I realized that it is the best way to enhance my creativity. There is a certain inner peace when you draw, and it helps you to understand the world or your reality. I think there are few activities that focus all your attention as much as drawing.

In four words, how would you describe your style of illustration?
I think maybe clean, colorful, funny or trendy. 

What is the project of your dreams?
A cover of New Yorker Mag would be a very special dream come true, but there are also some brands that I would really love to work with: Benetton, Ralph Lauren, Fred Perry, Nike or Apple for example.

What does a typical day in the life of Jalcalara?
First thing in the morning is to organize work and mail. Then I always work until mid-afternoon and usually go for a run or exercise after that. The few hours of the day that I have left are spent with my wife, family or friends, watching movies, listening to music (specially vinyls) or reading. And don't forget this: it’s important to make five meals every day!

What inspires you?
I like to walk around the city listening to some music. Go to the museums or bookstores. Learn from my favourite artists like Martin Handford, Joost Swarte, Chris Ware or Jamie Hewlett. Movies by Wes Anderson are always a good choice and Jazz music is really inspired. A beer with a friend may give you a lot of inspiration too!

What is your favourite blog or website?
New Yorker, Pitchfork or Designboom.

 

Emmanuel Hyronimus / Creative Capsule
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Here is our 20th Creative Capsule. This month, we are inviting you to meet Emmanuel Hyronimus

Quickly describe your creative lab?
I try to change it as often as I can. You don’t let the body get used to it. It’s all about it. Tilt the body, to free the mind. I live on top of a hill, it must influence my perspective. To have a look that floats over the city.

In two sentences, how would you describe your working technique?
If I sometimes add color on my iPad, I draw mostly in black ink on paper. A line for me is magical, it is like a thread that prolongs me, that unrolls my thought. Depending on the project, I draw from the real, from photographs, from an idea... or I let the ink take me completely, on an unknown path. I like that part of the drawing can escape me. It is then a language close to poetry.

What is the project you are most proud of?
I need to tame each project and take it to my imagination. This is what clients who trust me expect. For this I must sometimes move away from it, twist it, reformulate its contours... This is the most difficult part. I am happy when the two worlds come together, that they resonate.

What are your favorite colors to create?
A black & white drawing contains all the colors, it allows the eye to evolve within its own palette, to make its own journey. The reader’s gaze then helps to make it exist. Dive into the drawing, get lost in it. I love this freedom of reading, take this time. This is one of the forces of drawing. One moment to dream. Escape. When I add color, I’m usually divided between effective minimalism and a generous explosion! One or two bright and acidic colors to reinforce a graphic impact, or less saturated colors, for the emotion, but always letting the black line express itself!

Why did you become an illustrator?
Drawing has always been part of my daily life. It’s a double way for me to be in the world: drawing it and dreaming it. Draw it to catch it, capture it, grab it and try to understand it. And dream of it to flee from it, to escape from it and go to all that it’s not.

In four words, how would you describe your style of illustrations?
Drawing is a catalyst of worlds, external or internal. Mine are poetic, often playful, all the time, blending humour and emotion, at best.

What is your dream project?
I went to Japan alone for a month. I came back fascinated by what I could feel, see, the shifts, and the deep correspondences. I particularly liked being a stranger there, and the freedom it gave to my eyes. I was at altitude. I would very much like to be able to use this feeling for a project, in Tokyo for example. It would be like drawing from the place of my imagination. I would also like to draw for magazines about musical, social or political subjects, in order to reflect the psychological side of my drawings.

What does a typical day in the life of Emmanuel Hyronimus look like?
For more than a year, entire peoples have been masked, confined, restricted in their most essential freedoms, having to rethink every step of their daily lives, redesigning the contours of their lives. Everyone tries to cope with constraints, obligations, calls and desires. This is exactly how I have been composing my days for several years; and adapting them to seasons of course!

What inspires you?
Generally speaking, I am inspired by everything that will make me a contemplative spectator, or an explorer of the imaginary. My background is where I sort of consciously pile up these things that impress me, but that I don’t use them right away, these things that I’m passionate about, but I don’t understand right away.... Sensations, emotions, ideas, forms, words... It’s an invisible work, of almost every moment.

What is your favorite blog or web page?
The Anonymous Project is a crazy project that brings together amateur photos from the last 70 years. A true kaleidoscope of our daily lives, these photos tell the story of ordinary lives, our own, our collective memories. It’s moving, funny, dizzying, and strangely fascinating. https://www.anonymous-project.com/

Wearbeard / Creative Capsule / Madrid, Spain
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Here is our twentieth Creative Capsule. This month, we invite you to meet Wearbeard. A Madrid based illustrator and painter specialized in what he calls conceptual illustration, which means that every image that he draws tries to deliver a home-cooked idea. He mostly works in advertising and editorial, specially in science dissemination, but also in purely artistic endeavors. On his spare time, he plays drums with his band and sculpts using ceramics. Also, he is a firm believer in self-teaching.

Question 1 / Describe your creative lab in a few words?
A little corner filled with a couple of Cintiqs graphic tablets (a small one for travels), the inevitable computer, a couple of hard drives, a lightbox, a lamp, pencils and pens, three rulers, a hanging plant, my almighty paper daybook and an ukulele to unblock inspiration when it does get moody.

Question 2 / In two sentences, how would you describe your work technique?
An absolutely excessive amount of brain work, a lot of sketching and composition (sometimes in my head, sometimes in paper and sometimes directly on the computer) and a final session of getting it done, normally on the Cintiq using vectors. First, I do a kind of broad key line, and after I work up all the thiner and, finally, color. That’s mostly it for commercial projects. Paintings, ceramics or drawings happen more naturally, though the overthinking part tends to be present too. 

Question 3 / What is the project of which you are most proud of?
Probably the series I did for El País Semanal illustrating a collection of articles by psychoanalyst Stephen Grosz. But I also really love one of my latest ones, the poster for a music festival called Canela Party.

Question 4 / What are your favorite colors to create?
I really have a thing for pastels. Color is a key element in my work which in fact vertebrates my style in a way. I do have some kind of ´color philosophy´, based on low saturation and the frequent exclusion of certain colors. Actually, for a long time I used to never use black. But I got over that.

Question 5 / Why did you become an artist?
In order to reach a level of self-realization that is just so hard to even match doing anything else. Anything else that you can support yourself by doing it, I mean. I guess I just wanted to try and be happy with every little thing I must do in my day, even a little proud sometimes.

Question 6 / In four words, how would you describe your style of illustration?
I’d say it’s simple, cryptic and kind with a little darkness hidden somewhere at times. I hope that four concepts count as four words.

Question 7 / What is the project of your dreams?
A graphic novel. A reasonably thick comic book. Maybe someday I will find the time.

Question 8 / What does a typical day in the life of Wearbeard?
Shower, breakfast ritual (most important of the day!) eaten while watching comedy, working, fruit stop. Working, grocery shopping stop. Cooking, eating watching comedy, reading, work, kefir bowl stop. Work… and okay, I need some air. On the coolest days, I get to go to a rehearsal space and play some drums, or even to a park to play tennis or basketball.

Question 9 / What inspires you?
The music I am constantly listening to, what I read every day (mostly books by dead people!), the darkly funny way in which the world keeps changing, standup comedy show, walking down random streets paying attention to the puzzle of architecture, my niece and my nephew… also, I love coming up with ideas for concerts, it’s such a mind trip.

Question 10 / What is your favorite blog or website?
Ironically enough, I’m pretty sure it would be allmusic.com. At least the most visited by far. I’ve been using it as my musical catalog reference ever since I was in the University.

 

Lavilletlesnuages / Creative Capsule / Paris, France
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Here is our nineteenth Creative Capsule. This month, we invite you to meet LaVilletlesnuages. Passionate illustrator, Lavilletlesnuages alias Louise, lives in Paris where she creates and plays with colors and words. Her Penninghen diploma in hand, she embarked on the adventure of illustration to share her vision of the world she wants, colorful and positive. Recent winner of the Young Talents of Les Agents Associés, Louise is multiplying experiences in advertising while she is developing her own creations. She likes to touch every support of the image and the communication worlds, as it is for the press, the digital or the television. In addition to the illustration, Louise explores new media (in particular ceramics and textiles) to develop her own style.

Question 1 / Describe your creative lab in a few words
I work a little bit from anywhere, it can be it in my apartment or in a cafe. Each place lends itself to different states of mind. On the other hand, I can only create my objects completely at home, because I doubt that Parisian cafes appreciate my mess on their table!

Question 2 / In two sentences, how would you describe your work technique?
I like to create quickly according to what I feel and what touches or inspires me.  Because I am very present on social networks, it is important to be reactive and to be able to talk about current affairs before they become obsolete. Beyond the news, certain subjects are ingrained in me and my daily life, like fashion or human relationships, they are an inexhaustible source of inspiration.

Question 3 / What is the project you are most proud of?
My collaboration with Nike last May. For six months I was freelancer and Nike approached me to make visuals to talk about my vision of the World Cup of women's football.  It was a real honor.

Question 4 / What are your favorite colors to create?
I am a fan of vibrant color palettes. I love electric blue and pink, and I am currently working on a sparing use of colors.  For me, an artist who follows a color block, it is a big step out of my comfort zone, and it is a big breath of fresh air in my work.

Question 5 / Why did you become an illustrator?
I like the idea that art embellishes lives of others. I often get messages on Instagram from people who thank me for sharing so many things with them, helping them stay motivated in their lives. I believe that is the cornerstone of my job. I create to share.

Question 6 / In four words, how would you describe your illustration style?
Colorful, lively, poetic and funny.

Question 7 / What is your dream project?
Work with dynamic and cool brands like Nike, Asics or Lacoste.

Question 8 / What does a typical day in the life of Lavilletlesnuages ​​look like?
What I love about freelancing is that there is no two days alike. There are obviously recurring axes every day, but it is often varied. I usually get up at 8 a.m. and get to work fairly quickly. It’s important to spare moments of your day to create without thinking, even if for only half an hour to scribble and release your line. I also spend time on social networks, trying to make it not too time-consuming. And I end my days with yoga! If I am motivated.

Question 9 / What inspires you?
Life, encounters, nature, books... Everything I interact with is a possible source of inspiration and can often be far removed from my work in primary reading. For example, recently I was very inspired by a photo book by Oliver Wainwright called Inside North Korea.

Question 10 / What is your favorite blog or web page?
I love to rummage around on Instagram, it's an infinite pool of creation and new things. I particularly like fashion Instagrams like those of Alexandra Guerain, Kitesy Martin and Charlotte Pouget.

Creative capsule / Paris, France
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Here’s our eighteenth Creative capsule. This month, we invite you to meet Florent Hauchard who lives in Paris. He is first worked as a graphic designer. Then, he quickly returned to his first passion: drawing. He loves music, traveling and comic books. Three simple things that inspire him. Especially music, that is necessarily connected to the image by its context and the emotions it arouses. Florent can spend hours finding old funk, bluegrass or bossa nova albums. Meet a fabulous artist!

Describe quickly your creative lab?
A plant, a tablet and a computer, no more and no less. However, I am very mobile, and I like to work in several places thanks to my iPad Pro which accompanies me everywhere.

In two sentences, how would you describe your work technique?
First, very fast paper sketches, then a more sophisticated sketch on the tablet and finally the colorization using digital painting on photoshop.

What is the project you are most proud of?
My poster for eco-friendly conferences for BNP Paribas I think, especially at the level of the structure. https://www.colagene.com/fr/illustration/florent-hauchard/id-6831

What are your favorite colors to create?
I love yellow and purple, retro colors that vibrate!

Why did you become an illustrator?
Answer cliché: by passion. I started as a graphic designer, but I always liked drawing, like my father probably. So naturally I quickly returned to drawing in my professional life.

In four words, how would you describe your style of animations?
Retro, dynamic, colorful, crazy.

What is the project you dream of?
An album cover for Tom Misch?

What does a typical day look like Florent's life?
It always starts with a hearty breakfast, an hour of research of visuals or inspirations in a more global way, 1h of sport then direction the offices in motorcycle to work until the end of the day. I have a great coworking space with great people, so it's always a pleasure to work :)

What inspires you?
Mainly other visual artists be they graphic designers, illustrators, motion designers ... etc. and, especially music. I like to draw references to cinema as well as I do not go as often as I would like to.  

What is your favourite blog or website?
I really like Behance and Inspiration Design which are big classics for inspiring research.

Anne Cresci / Creative capsule / Lyon, France
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Here’s our seventh creative capsule. This month, we invite you to meet Anne Cresci who lives in Lyon, after many great years spent in Paris. Anne never leaves home without her notebook, which she uses to jot down notes about everything around her. Her illustrations are snapshots of everyday life, capturing melancholy, cheer, childhood, fashion and friends. She loves children's books as well as women's magazines, brand campaigns and portraits, contact us for any project.

Describe quickly your creative lab?
Currently it is very nomadic! Since I work on iPad Pro, I take a real pleasure to work surrounded by life in cafes around Lyon. I developed a real faculty to work while discussing hours! Otherwise I have a workshop in the city center of Lyon which is a bazaar filled with books, papers and watercolors that hang around my computer!

In two sentences, how would you describe your work technique?
I work almost exclusively in digital on Photoshop and since September on Procreate, which was a real revelation. I also do a lot of research of materials and patterns in watercolor that I then integrate into my illustrations to give them an extra dimension, a more traditional side that I particularly like.

What is the project you are most proud of?
It's not a specific project, but rather an image from time to time of which I am particularly happy. Well, there is my series of illustrated novels for pre-teen girls, the Kinra Girls, on which I work for 8 years, that I love enormously. I was very attached to these 5 little heroines!

What are your favorite colors to create?
I like fresh and happy colors. I realize that I often go to pink orange tones, these are colors that put me in a good mood!
But above all, I love the work of line enhanced with spots of bright colors or pastels

Why did you become an illustrator?
A friend of mine in high school wanted to go to art school and I wanted to become an interpreter at the time. I thought it was a much cooler project so I started drawing. I have never regretted it!

In four words, how would you describe your style of animations?
Feminine, colorful, lively and romantic

What is the project you dream of?
I think I would love to work for a beautiful clothing brand like Isabel Marant style or take the time to set up a personal project in painting.

What does a typical day look like in Anne Cresci’s' life?
It's quite eclectic and a little different each day. What is certain is that I rarely start my days without having a coffee on the terrace alone or with a friend! And then I alternate all day between drawing and research for my projects of the moment. Or my coffee drags on turns into lunch with friends and nap or a stroll with my children.

What inspires you?
Everything inspires me! My walk in the morning with music in my ears, the city around me, nature. My friends and the people I meet, I try visit regularly exhibitions and museums and internet of course! Instagram, Pinterest ....

What is your favorite blog or web page?
I am not very faithful, so it varies constantly over my discoveries. Currently, I really like to look at Instagram pages for travel photos, such as living like a nomad out of a van, I admit that it fascinates me.

Nicole Jarecz / Creative capsule / USA
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This is our sixteenth Creative Capsule. This month, we invite you to meet Nicole Jarecz who lives in Detroit spending a year in Paris. Her delicate and feminine illustrations are the result of a subtle blend of graphite, ink, watercolor and digital textures. She finds inspiration in everyday events and fashion. Nicole has the elegance of her characters and she's passionate about fashion and all that attracts the field of beauty. Advertising, showcases, packaging, dlive drawing, contact us for any project.

Describe your creative lab quickly?
My studio space is an extension of myself. It is the place where I love to begin and end my day. The walls are covered with mood boards of my work and other artists who inspire me. My space never looks the same. The art on the walls are constantly changing depending on my mood. The only thing that stays the same are my tools: a large desk, a multitude of mixed media art supplies (I use everything from gouache, ink, pastels, colored pencil, charcoal and colored pencils), IMac, Wacom tablet and tons of paper. 

In two sentences, how would you describe your work technique?
I am very traditional and digital artist. I always start with a pencil sketch for the overall figure but I like to ink my faces on a large scale so that there is a lot of detail when I size it back down. I put the drawings of faces into Photoshop to clean up the line work and print it on my final paper. I go to color with watercolor, gouache or any other supply I see fit for the rest of the figure. I always end in Photoshop to clean up the illustration, to exaggerate proportions or tweak the color. 

What is the project you are most proud of?
The project I am most proud of were three illustrations I created for Roger Vivier. They chose me to make three digital cards. It was an honor to work for such a prestige luxury Parisian brand. It wasn't just about the client but I was proud of the execution of the project as well. 

What are your favorite colors to create?
I have always used very feminine and soft colors for my illustrations. Recently, I like working with touches of bright red on a white background. I always preferred black to any other color! I really enjoy black line work to create bold contours around color or when creating face and hair.

Why did you become an artist?
Since I was a child I always excelled in the arts. I was meticulous with art projects in school. I never thought about pursuing a career as an illustrator until a high school art teacher told me I should pursue art school. I'm so happy I took her advice. I can't imagine doing any other job!

In four words, how would you describe your style of illustration?
Feminine, vibrant, whimsical, detailed

What is the project you dream about?
It's always been my dream to work with luxury Parisian brands but if I could pick one brand in particular it would be Dior. Dior makes my heart skip a beat which is motivation enough for me. I would also love to see my work on posters in Paris, especially for Galleries Lafayette or Printemps. Another goal of mine is to do live fashion sketching at PFW or NYFW. Illustrating for a magazine or advertising project is a completely different experience than sketching on site. I love both but with live sketching there is so much more freedom. I feel in my element when creating gestural fashion figure sketches. I really want to do more of this type of work.

What does a typical day look like in Nicole Jarecz's life?
Busy and unpredictable. Not only am I a full time freelance illustrator but I am a stay at home mom. Both require a lot of time and attention. My days start early preparing my oldest daughter for school. I stay at home with my little one so I usually don't have much time to work during the day. When I really need to work my youngest will come into my office and play games or draw and watch me draw! My kids definitely see me drawing a lot and tell others that mama's job is to "draw people". Most of my work is done at night time when my kids are in bed. So, on a typical day I will really begin working at 8:00 in the evening. Honestly, I hate working at night time. My favorite time to work is early in the morning with a big cappuccino on my desk. That's when I produce the best work. I think that being a stay at home mom has really taught me how to manage my time and be more efficient in my work. My style has evolved because of that. It's helped me be the illustrator that I am today.

What inspires you?
I am always very inspired by traveling. I grew up in Detroit and hardly ever moved anywhere until I finished my studies. After, I lived in Paris for six years. Everything around me was beautiful. I fell in love with the city, the people, the food and the fashion. I am living in Detroit again but continue to travel to Europe every year and across the United States. I think it's important for artists to see the world and how others think and live differently from them. It definitely keeps me going. 

As for artists, my favorite fashion illustrator is Rene Gruau. He is the original master in this field. I recently started collected some of his books for my office and they are my favorite pieces. I always look to him for inspiration whether it's composition, line work or color...everything he does is beautiful! I hope to be a tiny percentage as good as he was one day!

Do you have a website?
I am always on my Instagram page, @nicolejareczillustration. I try to update a few times a week. It's been quite a surprise to how it's turned out. The more I posted, the more followers I got. I've made some truly amazing connections through Instagram. It's a very important tool if you are an artist. Another website I always visit is Pinterest. It's easy to make lots of mood boards with different images that inspire me. It's another very valuable tool that I don't think I could live without!

Les tontons makers / Creative capsule
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Here's our fifteenth Creative Capsule. This month, we invite you to meet Les Tontons Makers, a creative studio composed of Laurent Lasserre and Romain Lier. From motion design to illustration to typography, they use both digital and traditional techniques to give the best visual solution to their clients. To try them is to adopt them! Enjoy your meeting.

Quickly describe your creative lab.
Romain: It's a pretty simple place, a desk with my laptop and a big screen, some pictures on the wall, my graphic tablet, books, and drawing materials. We meet a few times at Laurent's place to discuss projects. Laurent: An office that is a bazaar, a tablet, 2 screens, my PC and my dog who lays between my feet!

In two sentences, how would you describe your work technique?
We look for graphic references on various mediums or we start with instinct. Once the style is found, we propose a board to the client for validation, and then comes the storyboard. We then decode the entire graphic universe of the film and finally, we have the final animation.

What is the project you are most proud of?
The credits from The Minute of the Prisoner, because we had a "carte blanche" on the project on all aspects ranging from the artistic direction for the side comic strip to the animation itself where 3D projection works well.

What are your favorite colors to create?
Romain: I do not really have a favorite color. I find them more or less beautiful and interesting depending on the context and the emotion that we want to communicate. That said, I love black and white, or the combination of black and white added to a color. And Laurent: I prefer fresh colors to saturated colors.

Why did you become motion designers?
Laurent: For my part I've always loved animated films and video games. I discovered motion design during my studies where it was the premise. I loved the first time animated an object, and I have not stopped since. 
Romain: I am basically passionate about drawing and graphic design and it's always fascinating to be able to create the movement of graphic things.

In four words, how would you describe your animation style?
Graphic, modern, neat, varied.

What is your dream project?
A production where we would have "carte blanche" and could complete the team with other talents for an ever more ambitious project.

What does a typical day look like in Tonton Makers' lives?
We wake up at home, then go to our respective offices and connect to status on current projects and define the work of the day. We both like working with music. In general, we will call each other for a second status in the afternoon and when the evening comes (when there is not a project to finalize), we wind down with physical activities (Roman rock climbs, while Laurent plays indoor soccer).

What inspires you?
Laurent: I like to watch videos on Vimeo or images on Dribble to see the principles of animation or techniques that work well.
Romain: Too many things to list them! I love painting, drawing, typography, animation, ancient and modern creations, and I am a big music fan.

What is your favorite web page?
We do a lot of graphic scouting on Behance, Dribble, Vimeo and Instagram. We also follow the work of agencies and artist portfolios.

Aurore Danielou / Creative capsule
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This is our fourteenth Creative Capsule. This month, we invite you to meet Aurore Danielou, a very versatile designer. She lives and works in Montreal, and is passionate about fashion, scenography, decoration and of course illustration. Charming and professional, she loves to meet clients. Enjoy!

Describe your creative lab quickly?  

My creative lab is filled with objects that I love and that inspire me. There is always a candle somewhere, a comforting plant, an old engravings or plates of illustrations found in every corner. On the other hand, my workspace is usually uncluttered to focus on my white sheets and my creative process.

In two sentences, how would you describe your work technique?
Handmade and instinctive. With an accumulation of lines and patterns that reflect the reality but also areas of calm and relaxation.

What is the project you are most proud of?
Each project is like a baby for me, but I particularly enjoyed working on the mural for Restaurant HÀ in Old Montreal.

What are your favorite colors to create?
The shades of pink and blue, as well as black.

Why did you become an artist?
This is the best way for me to escape from everyday life and create worlds that are easy on the eyes and beautiful for the heart.

In four words, how would you describe your style of illustration?
Feminine and detailed with a touch of casualness, most of the time dreamy.

What is your dream project?
A mural of giant flowers.

What does a typical day look like in Aurore Danielou’s life?
My morning coffee is the motor of my day, I like the energy of the morning to work.
It usually is composed in two parts, the first is more research and inspirations, where
I inform myself about the news in the art, architecture and fashion industries. The second is the illustration creation. Every day, I create at least one illustration of the moment or a pattern for my wallpapers. In the afternoon, I work on my creative projects with a break where I go for a walk or cycling. The connection to green spaces and the outdoors inspires me and helps me a lot in my work.

What inspires you?
Nature and femininity

What is your favorite blog or web page?
Pinterest

Creative capsule
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Here is our thirteenth Capsule Créative. This month, we invite you to meet Stéphanie F.Scholz, who was born in Japan, and grew up in Australia, and lives and works at present in Berlin. Good reading!

Describe your creative lab in a few words?
My creative lab is a large desk in a red brick old industrial building in Berlin. It has a few funny objects scattered around, a bunch of new and old books with interesting images, a collection of pens and pencils and a Wacom tablet and computer. I also like collecting patterns, colors and funny drawings by other people and hanging them on the walls around me.

In two sentences, how would you describe your work technique?
I make digital cut outs - I draw by hand or in illustrator and then cut the shapes out of many scanned papers, gradients and textures.

What is the project of which you are most proud of?
I would say I'm most proud of my work with Jacob Kramer on our illustrated children's science book called LOOKING UP. It's about observatories and telescopes, and we are trying to make it equally appealing for girls as for boys. I get to draw all these great places around the world that showcase the biggest and most high telescopes. Jacob uses really imaginative language, which inspires and makes it much easier to understand complex physical matters. It's quite a big long-term project as we've planned three other books for this series, which all also celebrate how scientific instruments act as extensions of our senses. 

What are your favourite colors to create?
Oh, I like so many different palettes I really can't say! I like how colours work together and I mostly enjoy a mixture of very bright and very muted colours. I tend to not work that much with black or white.

Why did you become an artist?
I wanted to become an illustrator because I like working with texts and making images for print, magazines and books. I also enjoy that the tasks change- it is a really varied creative occupation and I constantly learn about new things. I really love trying to come up with concepts for images, which is like riddle solving.

In four words, how would you describe your style of illustration?
Bold, colourful, geometric with gradients.

What is the project of your dreams?
Like many illustrators it's probably doing the cover for the New Yorker and I would also like to work on more science books.

What does a typical day in the life of Stephanie F. Scholz?
I get up all grumpy in the morning, have tea and read until I'm normal again and then head to my studio, which I share with a bunch of designers, programmers and musicians. I then usually start sketching, working on commissions or working on the book project if there's some time in between. I might go for a run or head to a yoga class before lunch if I have the time. And then I sit at my desk for the rest of the day. And when I'm at my desk, I always listen to podcasts or audiobooks, they are like fuel to me And usually end up meeting friends or going to the cinema in the evening.

What inspires you?
I love looking at what other illustrators are up to and I like a wide variety of styles and ideas. I also go to an art history course once a week, which often surprises and inspires me. And I find inspiration in popular science books about astronomy, biology, history or in novels.

What is your favourite blog or website?
I really like reading slate star codex and human progress. I often look at it's nice that and but does it float and also enjoy seeing illustrator's personal websites.

Giordano Poloni / Creative capsule
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This is our twelfth Creative Capsule. This month, we invite you to meet Giordano Poloni who lives in Milan and has a Bachelor's degree in cinema. Famous magazines and various customers use his style. He creates digital works that recall his Italian origins. Discover the advantage through our Creative Capsule which he took care to answer. Good meeting!

Describe your creative lab in a few words?
A desk full of paper and some inspiring books surrounding my laptop.

In two sentences, how would you describe your work technique?
I always work using digital software and Cintiq, I also draw sketches digitally as well, but it’s just matter of habits, I found it a quicker method. I’d really like to draw with pencils and other stuff on paper, maybe one day… Working on projects I can say that at first, I let flow some random images in my mind, without rational process, until I find a subject that affect me. Then I start drawing immediately the main subject with colors, changing them in progress until I’ve found the perfect combination.

What is the project of which you are most proud of?
The children’s book “C’est toi mon papa?” (“Are you my daddy?”) is my favorite project so far. I’m really proud of it, I had great freedom creating all the illustrations, I had seen my imagination explode on them. I also won a Gold medal and another couple of competitions with this book so it has widely recognized.

What are your favourite colors to create?
I didn’t have a clear idea about this aspect of my work until I saw a bunch of my illustrations put together and I found that the colors I use the most are the primary ones: green, blue and red. This is funny.

Why did you become an artist?
I started reading comics when I was four, since it’s my great passion. I didn’t do anything until, at the and of my twenties, one night I saw the interview of Emiliano Ponzi in an Italian newspaper. Something exploded into my mind and at that moment, I figured out what I wanted to do. It’s the most important means of self-expression and it makes me feel better to create new colorful worlds. 

In four words, how would you describe your style of illustration?
Narrative, surreal, melancholic and colorful.

What is the project of your dreams?
I’m really far from where I am aiming right now, but I’d really love to illustrate a ghost story.

What does a typical day in the life of Giordano Poloni?
I wake up to feed my cats and have a breakfast. Then I take a bus to go to my office that I share with some friends.  I quickly look at the news and then I start answering emails and working on my projects (at the moment I’m on three books and a bunch of covers and editorials) while listening to some music and having funny conversations. During the afternoon, I keep working until 6pm then I sometimes can have a predinner drink with friends or my fiancée. I could be also having a funny night in some bars or clubs, if not I come back home to rest and watch a movie.

What inspires you?
I recognize that I’ve got a vintage touch and I really love the American imaginary of the forties and fifties. My favourite painter is Edward Hopper, his use of light is astonishing, I’m studying it and everytime I try to integrate it on my artworks but I also try to use colors in a surrealistic and expressionistic way for a more playful mood. Other two painters that I really love are Francis Bacon and David Hockney.

What is your favourite website?
I’m currently studying to improve my skills about character design and I found a great Facebook page called Character design references, it’s an amazing source of inspiration.

Creative capsule
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Here is our eleventh CREATIVE CAPSULE. This month, we invite you to meet Mamzelle Poppy, young, rigorous and artist in love of colors, fabrics and materials of all kinds. Her work is a game of mixed elements creating a pop, graphic and colored esthetics. Her approach is often intuitive; she does her creations with feeling and plays her main tool: her creativity.


Describe your creative lab in a few words?
A big screen on a quite small square table. It isn't perfect but it's cozy because I am surrounded by my illustrations hung on on walls. I also put the things I like and that I want under my eyes on my pin-board.

In two sentences, how would you describe your work technique?
Instinctive, because I walk in the visual crush. Given that I work according to photo references, it should speak to me. In most of the cases I like to create a space where I assemble various elements dug up here and there, then I harmonize the whole on Photoshop to portray something new. I like playing with colors and textured papers.

What is the project of which you are most proud of?
My collection of portraits which is growing little by little.

What are your favorite colors to create?
It's difficult to choose; I would say all the colors, because I really like the color!! The lively colors such as the red, the orange, the pink millennial as well as black's touch to sublimate and underline the whole. It's said I still look for the perfect red; the red "Poppy". If I find one, it would be this one.

Why did you become an artist?
I don’t know. I didn’t decide, but since my childhood I always did creative things. This need to create has naturally stayed with me; it has influenced my various choices of studies and my path to this day. I believe that when I will be in a real workshop, the one I dream about, (large and bright), I will really feel like an "Artist".

In four words, how would you describe your illustration style?
Colorful, feminine, textured, offbeat.

What is your dream project?
Theoretically, a beautiful history like the one of G. Kero and thus to create my brand it would be my dream. Otherwise, an attractive collaboration with a brand (clothes, accessories …) that I like in which I would have the freedom to include my personal touch, my creative vision and offbeat sense of fashion would be enough to make me happy.

What does a typical day in the life of Andi look like?
Generally, I wake up around 9 am, I cuddle my cat Ganesh and I begin my day with a shower and a good tea, the essentials! Then I turn on my computer, I put on Spotify and while my programs are being launched, I water my plants; it allows me to take a big breath of fresh air before settling into my workstation where I begin by checking my e-mails and social networks. I usually will work until lunch time around 1-1:30pm. 30 minutes later at the end of meal with my second cup of tea, I start listening to a show or a podcast. Then I go to my yoga lesson at 6 pm; I come back at 8 pm, and after a good shower, I prepare dinner (often at 4 hands, so I should probably say "we" prepare dinner). My evenings are not the same: sometimes I return on my work after dinner or we will watch a movie or TV show. I try to go to bed around midnight, I check Instagram and/or Pinterest, I read a little and then sleep. However, once a week we establish a no-screen evening, in which I will craft, use my sewing machine, paint or make pearls. I will do anything that is not in front of a screen – it’s the rule and it’s very pleasant.

What inspires you?
So many things! Women, photography, art, magazines, meetings and people behind a creative project…

What is your favourite blog or website?
There are a lot, I admit I am often inspired on Instagram because it allows me to stay up to date in an effective and intuitive way on my favorite accounts.  Among them I would say I enjoy @elsamuse and her team, I have been following her since the beginning and she does a great job, very inspiring! http://www.elsamuse.com

Creative capsule
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Here is our tenth CREATIVE CAPSULE. This month, we invite you to meet Andi Meier, our young and smiling German artist working with some Plasticine. He shows a lot of creativity, his compositions are more and more complex and his universe is unique. Big marks and famous magazines appeal to him and the results are magnificent. Décrouvrez down here his interview and also some photos of him in the work in its studio. To work with Andi is a charm!

Describe your creative lab in a few words?
Messy, but there are unicorns flying around.

In two sentences, how would you describe your work technique? 
Everything is modulated in clay, photographed and arranged on computer.

What is the project of which you are most proud of?
One of the projects I am really proud of are the illustrations for “The Washington Post”.

What are your favourite colors to create?
I prefer bright pastellic colours.

Why did you become an artist?
I wanted to become famous and rich.

In four words, how would you describe your style of illustration?
Colourful, happy, hand-crafted, ironic

What is the project of your dreams?
To make my own illustrated-book.

What does a typical day in the life of Andi looks like?
-Option 1: standing up at 7, taking a shower, riding on my bike to my office, creating the whole day amazing new clay-illustrations, going to the gym, meeting friends and go to bed.
-Option 2: snoozing about 2-3 hours, standing up at whenever, riding with my bike to my office, watching the whole day you-tube-videos, riding home, go to sleep.

What inspires you?
There are many things in everyday life, which are really inspiring. But I especially like watching tourists making selfies – a perfect inspiration for character-design. But of course the internet is also pretty helpful.

What is your favourite blog or website?
Globally, I like to surf on Instagram and Pinterest... no favorite !

Aaron McConomy / Creative capsule Aaron McConomy
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Here is our 9th CREATIVE CAPSULE. This month, we invite you to meet Aaron McConomy, one of the most faithful illustrators of the clinic since many years. Aaron is an artist in the soul, he likes finding and interpreting strong and unique ideas in his creations. He got his own mark and he excels in the editorial domain and many others. Good meeting with the mysterious and charming Aaron.


Describe your creative lab in a few words?
Messy

In two sentences, how would you describe your work technique? 
I put blobs of color on paper and convince people they look like something

What is the project of which you are most proud of?
I wouldn’t want to make the other projects jealous by picking a favorite.

What are your favourite colors to create?
I would very much like to create new colors but it is very hard to imagine what they would look like. Having only 8 colors to work with can be very frustrating.

Why did you become an artist?
I decided when i was pretty little. Drawing was always what i was good at. It was either this or a lucrative career in poking things with sticks.

In four words, how would you describe your style of illustration?
Line, color, line, repeat

What is the project of your dreams?
The New Yorker cover. Well, the front cover. I did the back cover once but it doesn’t count.

What does a typical day in the life of Aaron looks like?
I lay in bed and draw. It is a very difficult way to make a living.

What inspires you?
Process. It’s not where you start it’s where you go.

What is your favourite blog or website?
http://www.angelfire.com/nj2/STW/

The last Creative Capsules
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The Creative Capsules of Colagene, it's meeting our artists, their studios, with honest answers and sometimes a little bit crazy! If you did not already take 5 minutes every month to meet our 8 interviewed artists, it's now or never to take a cup of tea and make beautiful meetings.

Jérôme Mireault / Creative capsule
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Here is our eighth CREATIVE CAPSULE. This month, we invite you to meet Jérôme Mireault, one of the first illustrators and storyboarder of the successor of the creative clinic in its early stages. Even today, Jérôme knows how to give a unique style to his work and he is a still our little genius of the image by his fickle and trendy style. Good meeting with our dear, faithful and creative Jérôme!
 

Question 1 / Describe your creative lab in a few words?
A simple desk in my apartment; I am lucky to have huge windows, then a lot of light. It is essential.

Question 2 / In two sentences, how would you describe your work technique?
Rather direct. I was used to sketch on paper before; but now, I draw directly in the computer on the tablet, which saves time and specially piles and piles of paper!
 

Question 3 / What is the project of which you are most proud of?
Recently, I had a little crush for illustrating the label for the vermouth of cider Rouge-Gorge, in association with Polygraph.
 

Question 4 / What are your favourite colors to create?
I would say that my palette changes a few weeks. With the imminent arrival of the spring, I like to draw with colors a little more pastel, but vibrating also. Lots of pink, green.


Question 5 / Why did you become an artist?
Like many illustrators, the passion of drawing has been developed during the childhood, and I always knew and wanted to venture out on this universe.

Question 6 / In four words, how would you describe your style of illustration?
Modern, Casual, Adaptable, Vibrant.

Question 7 / What is the project of your dreams?
I am a big fan of board games, then, that would be something which inspires and joins me a lot. But I would not tell no to illustrate a label of beer of microbrewery. (I drop that here, like that…).

Question 8 / What does a typical day in the life of Jérôme Mireault?
I get up around 7am and prepare coffee, while checking around the projects to make me a list of things to do. So then I begin to do some sketches with some music, and if the temperature is nice, I can take a short joyride or a bike ride. I am keen of naps in the afternoon, that also allows me to work late in the evening (I often have my peak of creation at the end of evening).

Question 9 / What inspires you?
People; in particular people around me. I have the chance to be surrounded with height of extraordinarily creative human beings, and that it’s an infinite source of inspiration.

Question 10 / What is your favourite blog or website?
https://www.facebook.com/classicalartmemes

Tonwen Jones / Creative capsule
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Here is our seventh CREATIVE CAPSULE. This month, we invite you to meet Tonwen Jones, English illustrator based in Brighton full of vintage references and surrealist creations who revisits with humour funnily the daily life. Good discover!

Describe your creative lab in a few words?
Inspirational, fun and close to the sea.

In two sentences, how would you describe your work technique?
I am predominately a collage illustrator who combines photographs (often vintage), hand drawn elements, patterns, textures and paper ephemera. I scan and assemble everything in photoshop and end up with a digital illustration file that tends to have a comical take on everyday life.

What is the project of which you are most proud of?
London Zoo Map for the new Lion Exhibit and several of my illustrated maps that were featured in the Gestalten book ‘Mind the Map’ showcasing maps and cartography. It was a proud moment!

What are your favourite colors to create?
Bright pinks and blues with maybe a hint of mustard.

Why did you become an artist?
It was in my blood. Both my parents are artists so I’ve always been surrounded by art, printmaking presses and interesting artefacts.

In four words, how would you describe your style of illustration?
Humorous, vintage, eclectic and colourful.

What is the project of your dreams?
Illustrating my own book of maps, some real and some of the imagination.

What does a typical day in the life of Tonwen looks like?
I always start the day with a fresh pot of coffee and once I turn my computer on, I also tune into Radio6 Music. I often browse through several blogs for some inspiration and then I make a start on whatever job I’m working on at the time. After several hours of drawing and assembling in photoshop, I might pop out for a stroll in the North Laines district in Brighton to browse through the flea markets to get some inspiration or along the seafront to get some fresh air. Then I get back to my drawing board and feel fully charged to start drawing again. I often work late and several of us often get a take out if we have a big job on!

What inspires you?
Exhibitions, junk shops, museums and the seaside where I live.

What is your favourite blog or website?
Ape on the Moon (apeonthemoon.com) and Design sponge (designsponge.com)

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Here's our sixth CREATIVE CAPSULE. This month, we invite you to meet Antonio Uve, spanish illustrator living in Madrid, with his very own playful and graphic world. It's a real pleasure to work with Antonio. Enjoy meeting him!

Describe your creative lab (the place you do illustration) in a few words?
My workspace is a little corner of my small loft. It has plenty of light and I love it! Although in the Spanish summer, it gets a bit too warm! I like to be surrounded by posters, plants and postcards to inspire me.

In two sentences, how would you describe your work technique?
My technique is focused on finding simples shapes to depict what I have on mind, then I play with color. The final part is adding textures to give a warm touch to the final result.

What is the project of which you are most proud of?
Last year, I made some illustrations for a Spanish magazine called Icon, about the best culinary schools in Spain. That assignment brought me some amazing clients outside of Spain, which made me appreciate the unexpected power of the internet.

What are your favourite colors to create?
Recently, I realized I tend to use a lot of blue, but in general I tend to use bright colors. I love playing with color and testing different palettes. When I have enough time, I could spend hours and hours testing colors… it’s one of my favourite part of the process.

Why did you become an artist?
I was working at different agencies as an art director and graphic designer, but I was never completely happy.  At one point I realized that all I wanted to do was draw so I kept following that feeling. Now I feels like the most lucky guy in the world to get paid for illustrating.

In four words, how would you describe your style of illustration?
Colourful, simple, dynamic and fun

What is the project of your dreams?
I would like to illustrate a book for children. In my free time this year, I hope to put together some ideas for my portfolio to help this dream happen in the future.

What does a typical day in the life of Antonio look like?
My day starts about 7:00 am, I go to the gym very early to start my day full of energy. After, I head home to have breakfast and then work until lunch time-- which in Spain is usually 2pm! In the afternoon, I feel more creative and I save this time to work on sketching, or new ideas and new projects. I try to have a schedule similiar to an office but often deadlines demand something very different.

What inspires you?
Charley Harper, Blexbolex, Alexander Girard, Manolo Prieto, interior design, travels, Radiohead, The Smiths, The xx, Moderat, The Amazing World of Gumball...

What is your favourite blog or website?
I have to admit that I love to check websites in which you can see the homes and workspaces of people like http://theselby.com/ or http://www.designsponge.com/

 

Thomas Stefflbauer / CREATIVE CAPSULE
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Here's our fifth CREATIVE CAPSULE. This month, we invite you to meet Thomas Stefflbauer, american roughman living in Germany. Enjoy it!

Describe your creative lab in a few words?
It’s a small table in a corner of our big apartment. But I also love to go into coffee houses in the neighborhood and work there.

In two sentences, how would you describe your work technique?
I either start by doodling with rough brushes in Photoshop or a loose arrangement of reference material. Then I work in many layers in order to be able to change things later on. For vector art I prefer Flash over illustrator because of its intuitive drawing process. But for more conceptual art such as logos or type-art I use only illustrator.

What is the project of which you are most proud of?
A graphic novel which hasn’t been published yet. It’s the story of my wife’s experiences from growing up in Brooklyn to traveling the middle East.

What are your favourite colors to create?
Deep, dark reds and blues with highlights sprinkled in.

Why did you become an artist?
Because I didn’t want to stop drawing ever.

In four words, how would you describe your style of illustration?
My style is that I never settled on a style. But I love to draw in whimsical flowing style with elongated, dynamic lines. I did many editorial illustrations that way in my early years.

What is the project of your dreams?
I’m doing it. It’s called "Dreamworlds". Digital paintings based on “art trouvé”-style photos. I literally aim to re-create the images I see in my dreams.

What does a typical day in the life of Thomas looks like?
I get up with my kids, prepare breakfast and work on a personal project. I’m writing stories, work on my "Dreamworlds" project or I finish my other projects. The afternoons are either for office tasks, helping my son with his homework or going to the grocery. Evenings are booked for family when I don’t have a new job coming in.

What inspires you?
Literally everything around me. I try to spend time away from the computer when I don’t work in order to be around people and nature. To me the city is nature as well.

What is your favourite blog or website?
I have to confess that it’s pinterest and speed drawing tutorials on Youtube.

CREATIVE CAPSULE
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Here's our fourth CREATIVE CAPSULE.This month, we invite you to meet Ëlodie, parisian and talented illustrator. Enjoy it!

Describe your creative lab in a few words?
I live and work in my tiny (but attractive) Parisian apartment. I adore it for the luminosity which is ideal to draw. In a corner of the apartment, I settled my illustrations to create a set which serves me when I photograph my creations. And otherwise of my window I can perceive the beautiful Parisian roofs, I love it!

In two sentences, how would you describe your work technique?
Before I drew exclusively in the very fine felt-tip in dotted line, but this technique was long and boring. Since I prefer to draw in the pencil of paper then to colorize on Photoshop. I adore the grain of the pencil of paper which gives a warm and authentic effect to the final illustration. I also scan many textures: papers, paints which I assemble afterward in my illustrations.

What is the project of which you are most proud of?
I adored illustrating for the collaboration's communication between Nina Ricci and Ladurée: 2 brands that I adore.

What are your favourite colors to create?
Rose, red, purple, white.

Why did you become an artist?
I do not consider myself as an artist but rather as a creator who needs to touch everything and to create and that since my earliest childhood. I became an illustrator, but I am interested in other creative domains such as photo.

In four words, how would you describe your style of illustration?
Feminine, delicate, poetic, vintage (and sometimes playful)

What is the project of your dreams?
To illustrate for beautiful Parisian brands : Dior, Chanel, Diptyque

What does a typical day in the life of Ëlodie looks like?
In the morning I take advantage to have all my concentration to sort out my e-mails, look after my websites and / or my communication. The afternoon is only dedicated to the creation of new illustrations.

What inspires you?
60's, Paris, fashion, sea.

What is your favourite blog or website?
I am a fan of the universe of the blogger Daphné of modeandthecity.net for her preppy look and her lifestyle photos.

CREATIVE CAPSULE
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Here's our fourth CREATIVE CAPSULE.This month, we invite you to meet Ëlodie, parisian and talented illustrator. Enjoy it!

Describe your creative lab in a few words?
I live and work in my tiny (but attractive) Parisian apartment. I adore it for the luminosity which is ideal to draw. In a corner of the apartment, I settled my illustrations to create a set which serves me when I photograph my creations. And otherwise of my window I can perceive the beautiful Parisian roofs, I love it!

In two sentences, how would you describe your work technique?
Before I drew exclusively in the very fine felt-tip in dotted line, but this technique was long and boring. Since I prefer to draw in the pencil of paper then to colorize on Photoshop. I adore the grain of the pencil of paper which gives a warm and authentic effect to the final illustration. I also scan many textures: papers, paints which I assemble afterward in my illustrations.

Read more

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Here's our third CREATIVE CAPSULE, nouveauté mise en place cet été. This month, we invite you to meet Zigor Samaniego, spanish artist living in Vitoria-Gasteiz who specializes in 3D. Enjoy this novelty, and don't hesitate to share this around you to make her work known.

Describe your creative lab in a few words?
I like to mix real, unreal and absurd stuffs. With these mixtures I always obtain something entertaining.

In two sentences, how would you describe your work technique? 
I am using old techniques for project preparation, but then to model it I use  modern technology such as programs for  digital scupt and new generation renders.

What is the project of which you are most proud of?
The project I am the most proud of is one for American express. For the completion of that project I worked with Ogilvy Agency which is the biggest enterprise I have work with.

What are your favourite colors to create?
I like to use worm colours such as pink and violet.

Why did you become an artist?
Since I was a child have it inside of me, but over time I have learn to have profit of it. Nowadays  art is my job and hobby

In four words, how would you describe your style of illustration?
Suppose my style can be described as crazy a bit but funny for illustration.

What is the project of your dreams?
I would like to make an intro for Nickelodeon, it is my dream as an illustrator.

What does a typical day in the life of Zigor looks like?
I wake up at 7 am . First what I do in the mornings is a " the liter" , which is a big jar of coffee for a whole day.
While having a coffee I am reading my mails and answering to the clients questions that are subscribed to my course of lettering.

After 8 I start to work, listening music and trying to be concentrated without any distractions. If I really like the some project,  I am able to don't  move from 8-14 from the computer and being in some state of trance.

After the lunch break  I am finishing  the projects and sending the progresses to the clients, so they can give me the feedback the same day.

Usually I finish at 17 but very often I the afternoons I am trying new things, for instance learning to use new software which I consider interesting for my job.

What inspires you?
Video games and cartoons.

What is your favourite blog or website?
For illustrations: http://www.40fakes.com/
For fun: www.finofilipino.com (in spanish)

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Here is our second CRÉATIVE CAPSULE novelty launched this summer. This month we invite you to meet Véronique Joffre, French artist living in London and working paper cuts. Great discovery, and do not hesitate to share around you to make her work known.

Describe to us your creative lab?
My workshop gives onto the garden where from I perceive cats, birds, squirrels and sometimes even foxes! My desk is quite simple but it is surrounded with images, books and with pictures that I like looking at, they help me to immerse myself into the creative process. And on top of that, papers, markers, scissors and tubes of glue!

In two sentences, how would you describe your work technique?
I work mainly in paper cuts, I have my stock of colored papers and other that I create with markers for more textures. A little bit in the style of a sculptor, I cut the shapes with my scissors directly from the material, from the mass, then, either I create all the elements separately then I assemble them on Photoshop (to have a bigger freedom in the composition set), or I stick the whole work directly (to have complete originals).

What is the project of which you are most proud of?
I recently published my first youth book as author-illustrator, Imagier mouillé published by Thierry Magnier. It is a picture book for toddlers, on the theme of the water and animals, who plays on the associations of words (that rhymes in french) as "lac/flaque", "mare/marécage", "goutte/rosée", "rivière/cascade", etc.... I was eager to create an album mixing the playful, graphic aspect and the educational side to learn the kids some of wonders of nature!

Which are your favorite colors to create?
I really have no favorite colors, what guides me it's what takes place between themselves, the way they interact and vibrate oned with the others! But I like the vivid, often primary colors, the strong contrasts that a small touch of grey comes to calm and balance!

Why did you become an artist?
I don't know if we really become an artist, we are all when we are a child, some stay, other not. I just made the only thing which always carried me: visually create, play with colors, shapes, to tell, to evoke, to take some pleasure (even if it is not always easy) and try to also give some!

In four words, how would you describe your style of illustration?
Simplicity, balance, colors, cutting.

What is the project about which you dream?
A project which offers lots of freedom, a creative challenge, a beautiful visibility, a harmonious and constructive communication with the client with comfortable deadlines and a great budget ; -)!

What looks like a typical day in the life of Véronique Joffre?
A clever mix of: lot of work, hold deadlines, or create new images, try new graphic tracks and then a little cooking, tea breaks, some phone calls, a hint of waste of time on social networks, little bit of pilates, some gardening and some cuddles to my cat! And of course on weekends, it's often the pub and art exhibitions!

What inspires you?
So many things! Nature, animals, colors, naturalists, textures, la garrigue, stones, Matisse, rosé wine, Bonnard, Willy Ronis, Jane Goodall, David Attenborough, Daniel Barenboïm, Christine and the Queens...

What is your blog or your favorite web page?
A site I like is the English collective NousVous formed by three talented illustrators, their universes are very inspiring! http://nousvous.eu/

CREATIVE CAPSULE
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We are pleased to present the very first CREATIVE CAPSULE. This month we invite you to meet Benoit Tardif. artist from Quebec whose work is well known and appreciated in Quebec as well as across the Atlantic. He was also awarded by numerous contests. Good reading.

Describe to us your creative lab?
It's a very simple desk equiped with a luminous table to trace, a scanner and a printer. There are always too many sheets of paper laying around!

In two sentences, how would you describe your work technique?
I trace individually each color with an ink-pen and marker. Then, I scan it and assemble it with Photoshop.

What is the project of which you are most proud of?
I am the co-owner and artistic director of "Les Éditions de Ta Mère" (Your Mom's Editions), and I've been creating books covers for about 10 years. I started to illustrate and developping my style with this project.

Which are your favorite colors to create?
I like working with lively colors which contrast well between them. I adore red, there are very few my illustrations which have no red! 

Why did you become an artist?
The freedom of illustrator's job attracted me a lot. To create images to make his living, it is brilliant! 

In four words, how would you describe your style of illustration?
Simple, efficiency, madness, color. 

What is the project about which you dream?
I have no dream in particular. I would simply like to go on being popular and to work on beautiful projects.

What looks like a typical day in the life of Benoit Tardif?
I get up at about 6 am, at the same time as my two-year-old son (it's him, the alarm clock!). At about 7:45 am, after the breakfast with the family, I set to work and I draw non-stop (or almost) till 5pm when I'm going to prepare the meal. I try as much as possible to keep my evenings and my ends of the week in family. 

What inspires you?
The art generally, people in the street, the city, the old breweries...

What is your blog or your favorite web page?
I'm using a lot Pinterest to inspire me. Otherwise, www.seymourchwastarchive.com website where we can consult Seymour Chwast's work, a legendary illustrator who inspires me a lot.