I have been planning of explaining for a while how I work. I have been asked a lot lately… do you draw? Is it all digital? How do you proceed? Do you sketch a lot before going to final? So I will try to explain to you the process. By now you know I use a lot of old photos in my digital collages. I just love the general feel of these photos (what they call cabinet card). I have been collecting them for years now, so they are a big part of my collages. Still they rarely appear as the original, as I would pick 2 or 3 faces to make one. So where do I get all these pictures, you may ask? Well I have been doing digital collages for a long time so I have quite a big collection of Victorian era photos, some already scans, some in the process of being scanned. An important point I would like to make about photos… I am not a fan of people finding pictures online, because it surely belong to someone else (and you dont want to do that, unless you want to infringe on other’s copyrights and have some serious problems). However, it is possible to to find some pictures that are in the public domains online, still… better be safe then sorry so always try to find (be) your own source of images.
This is why I also like to take lots of pictures (hands, trees, grass, etc) anything that I would need to make a final image. I also browse into old books and very old magazines that I have here, that contains ancient prints of animals, objects and parts, put it all together digitally, add colors… and draw some elements that I cannot find anywhere. At this point it’s a matter of personal feeling and liking. Then I try to take a step back. Do something else and come back later.
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On me demande (assez) souvent comment je procède pour faire mes illustrations numérique. Je vais essayer d’y répondre un peu ici en élaborant sur ma façon de procéder. Premièrement, ce n’est pas un secret pour personne; j’aime y inclure des vieilles photos de l’époque Victorienne, voir même Edouardienne. Ces photos d’une autre époque m’inspire… il y a un petit côté nostalgique que j’aime bien et qui m’interpelle. Avec les années j’en ai accumulé plusieurs, qui sont soit déjà digitalisés, soit à digitaliser. Mais souvent, pour une même figure, je peux prendre 2 ou 3 photos différentes. Pour le reste, j’aime prendre mes propres photos (mains, gazon, arbres etc). Surtout ne pas prendre de photos sur le web… à moins de vouloir vraiment avoir des problèmes! Les seules qui sont disponibles (et encore là il faut bien s’en assurer) sont celles placées dans le domaine publique.
Alors voilà, je ramasse tout ce dont j’ai besoin pour faire mon collage numérique… et je m’amuse! Je joue avec les formes, les couleurs, les textures… je trouve la lumière et je choisis un angle (que je trouve) intéressant. Mais avant tout ça, je fais beaucoup beaucoup d’esquisses! Je crois que c’est la base de tout bon/beau collage: l’idée. Et ça, l’ordinateur ne peux pas la “donner”. En fait l’ordinateur doit vraiment être vu comme ce qu’il est: un outil. Comme les crayons, le pastel ou la peinture. Voilà pour ma facon de procéder… après quelques années, on finit par développer un style qui nous est propre… quelque chose qui nous ressemble un peu.
I will go visit your website now!! I miss checking other websites of illustrators, too!! hehe
4 Comments
Thanks for sharing your ideas! Always nice to look “in the kitchen” of the artis.
oh yes yes, ive been meaning to ask you since like a hundred years ago:
how do you create your illos?????
thanks so much for sharing with me (yes, me, only me, hahahaha, im being selfish)
you are the best!
Have I been gone for a year or something? There are a thousand new posts on your blog. You little speedster you.
After creating web graphics for years and years I too have a big collection. I have weird things like spray bottles and screw drivers I have had to make a graphic of here and there.
I’d much rather have Victorian pictures tho.
Those are some great looking stacks and piles and cans. Feels homely.
Hahaha that is too funny Rubin, yeah I know, I have been posting like mad these days. I guess my imagination is running like crazy and I just had to create stuff…bookmarks and all … just doing some personal work while the editorial jobs are not too numerous or urgent.