Can you tell the community a little bit about yourself?
I’m a french illustrator based In Brussels, Belgium. I studied graphic design but as I’m very bad at it, I work in a bookstore and as an illustrator instead.
When and why did you first start creating?
I’ve always had a lot of fun drawing and creating images. Drawing is a catharsis to me; it’s a self-therapy. It helps me to express what I can’t describe or understand at first. 8 years ago, a friend convinced me to show my creations off. Since then, it’s become a habit and a bit of an addiction (a pleasant one).
Work, create, draw every day.
Can you tell us about the poetic nature of your work?
My drawings are about love, relationships, erotica, distance and solitude. They’re pretty romantic themes and I think that speaks to everyone. The thing is, we’re a generation that finds a lot of joy and happiness on social media which has plenty of choices all the time (Tinder, online stores, etc) and it’s exhausting. It can be hard to have real connections with others. I think my work is a kind of link with people or a way to create a link between people. I try to ask all of these questions when I draw.
How has your style developed over time?
My drawings used to be a lot more complex but with time they became “simpler”. Maybe it was because of laziness but then I really like refined aesthetics as well. Colouring is a real job and I’m very bad at it. One of my teachers once told me “If an image works in black and white, it will work in colour, it does not work the opposite way”.
You’ve created a collection of 5 T-shirts in response to a brief titled ‘5 Senses’, what’s your starting point with a brief like this?
I tried to connect a feeling with a sense, in a very straightforward & poetic way. With a basic aesthetic that people can connect to their experience.
You can’t establish yourself if you are hiding your work
Can you give some detail about how each T-shirt embodies its accompanied sense?
Taste – the memory of a kiss. Sight – looking at someone you like. Touch – hold hands with someone for support. Hearing – a caring and attentive ear. Smell – the perfume of someone you like.
How has the process of designing for a T-shirt differed from your usual output?
I had to think about what people would like to wear! It’s a different approach than designing for an Instagram post.
What 3 tips would you give to other illustrators trying to establish themselves in the creative industry?
Work, create, draw every day. Even if you are not convinced by your work. Don’t be afraid to show your creations. You can’t establish yourself if you are hiding your work. Ask others for advice and look at how everything is working and why. Question why your work is really important. Make sure your English is corrected by friends before answering interviews. It’s more credible if you are French.
Charlotte’s first collection of T-shirts, designed in response to our ‘5 Senses’ brief is available here.
