insp-art.html

 

 

This is where you'll find some beautiful and strange pieces of art. It comes from several origins but every artist inspired me in a way or another.

First of all, a big thank to Bengal for pushing me on thesse tracks. I wouldn't be there if u didn't care.

Let's do this in chronological order. The first artist that moved me in a graphic sense was the one that designed that animated feature :

THE LION, THE WITCH AND THE WARDROBE. If I ever get to know who this was, I'll be glad to thank him ( or her ) here.

Then came that incredible animated feature :

LES MAITRES DU TEMPS ( masters of time ) from Renez Laloux and Moebius.

My first chills came from this movie and those gigantic insects and unidentified monsters. A great thanks to them too ...

AND THEN ......

 

- Akira's anime book 1 of 5 cover -

  

this is 'till I was like 10 yeears old, AND THEN IT'S THE BLACK HOLE ... Until iI discovered ( thank to one of my favourite magazines, MAD MOVIES, thank you every one ) AKIRA. ( see the movies part for this one ). But AKIRA wasn't just a movie. It was a manga long before that. My first drawings came from here.

INcredible artist Katsuhiro Otomo managed to build a real piece of modern epic adventure buy including so many imaginary elements. And the magic is those imaginary elements all are depicted by realistic characters, with deep emotion and coherent feelings and thoughts. Every character has this psychological work and bounds that made the story so real. I think this is what realy hit me when I tried to read this.

Friendship, Love, Self-questioning, unknown world discovery, childish dreams, and realistic consequences are what really made this manga a piece of what I'm building today.

  

- Akira japanese version book 6 cover -
         
-- --Bastard!! jump book 19 cover
  
Then I discoered Mr Kazuchi Hagiwara's world. Not that I'm a fantsy fan ( I definitevely am not found of dwarfs, elves, role playing and everything ...) but I came in when everything was about gigantic demons invading a post apocalyptic earth. ( Number 13 ) And Mr Hagiwara ( and his studio ) 's art really dug me deep. At the time, I thougt 'this is the kind of manga that fits me right'. Of course, at the time I was found of the "never-ending-dying-resurecting-again-and-again-blowing-everything-off hero". I found this really fun. And the atrtwork really made me work my drawing at some place. The manga has gone very beatifull, and graphically exosting. Too bad the scenario always is full of never ending storyless combat.
  
----Bastard!! jump book 20 cover
         

- youngblood strikefile #1 cover -

  

Then This is when I really began to discover who I consider as the best comics artists of our generation.

I first began with one that is still today one of my favourite and model, I mean Mr JAE LEE.

I dscovered him ( thank you X-EN !!! ) With The " YOUNG-BLOOD STRIKEFILE #1-3 and the "WILDCATS TRILOGY" series. That really pushed me on. Gave me directions. Again that psychological inner thoughts so present... coupled this time with the knid of art I was looking for... At the time, my dramings were always in part ( or all ) black, with deep shadows. Mr LEE just showed me the way it would look when you are skilled. It really impressed me, and I kept drawing that way for a long time.

  

- Hellshock #2 - 2nd mini series -

 

- The SENTRY - issue 5 -

 
         

- Adam Hughes's Ghost TBP cover -

  

Then again, an american comics artist that gave me graphic directions. This is mister Adam Hughes. I never really tried to draw like he dopes because it's too round for me, and I'm not a pin-up drawer, but I really dig his style

 

 

At last, at the same period, I discovered Mister Mike Mignola. Great artist too. Damn efficient in the use of shadows and black fillings. Very impressive when he getts to the simpliest graphic expression.

 

- Mike Mignola's Alien Salvation cover -
         

- a Mathieu Lauffray's limited illustration -

  

 

And finally, I came to meet the fabulous french trio that are Mister Benoit Springer, Mister Mathieu Lauffray and the fabulous Miss Claire Wendling, that I consider to be one of the most efficient graphical comics artisc of our time.

I first discovered them on a salon, of which they actually drew the poster ( miss Wendling and sir Lauffray ).

 

.- a Benoit Springer limited illustration -

 

 

Miss Wendling was, I guess, the longuest graphical influence to me, even if there's no really trace of it now in what I'm doing. But she still is someone I admire her early work. Because it's simple and efficient

- Claire Wendling's fantasmagorie portfolio cover -