Enhance your skills and gain valuable insights by participating in an art workshop, where you can learn from both professionals and peers.
The Artist Trap
The life of an artist can be solitary and in my case, it is a welcome condition. I prefer the silence and the isolation for many reasons: one being that I am an introvert and an HSP (at the extreme highly sensitive person spectrum). This set-up helps me to hyper focus and finish 3-5 picture books a year.
Admittedly there are moments when I crave for human contact in a meaningful and relevant to my profession way. I told you about my goal to network and gave you tips on how to navigate the artsy social scene as an introvert. In all honesty, I still retreat into my cave because I simply cannot afford losing time for small talks and parties. If I needed to absorb a bit of social energy, I go to the city center to watch people and still end up at a bookstore or at the least head over the supermarket. But now I am stuck.
I just finished the 5th book of this year, and I am drained. I’m running out of creative juices! I am about to start a new one this month and work on it all through spring next year. In between are short-term projects, too, and another picture book in January. Clients have been asking the same style of book cover art and although I love where my art brand is going, I am in danger of getting trapped.
I am drained. I’m running out of creative juices!
Rébecca Dautremer mentioned this kind of trap for artists, where different clients just ask the same kind of artwork over and over again that you as an artist no longer grow. In her early years as an illustrator she experienced success with one book title that opened more doors for her. However she was brave enough to defy expectations and define her own path. She learned how to say “no, this is how I am going to do it.”
Rébecca Dautremer is an acclaimed French illustrator of the epic Jacominus Gainsborough series, the 150th anniversary edition of Alice in Wonderland, an illustrated version with an avant-garde interpretation of the Bible, and the ambitious graphic novel rendition of John Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men. She has worked for publishing, animation, theater, including top commercial clients like Kenzo within the two decades of her multi-faceted art career.
Which is why I signed up to her 4-day art workshop when I saw her announcement posted on Instagram months ago. The workshop was in English and as it was in Belgium, it was accessible enough from where I live, it was in August when I had a bit of window in between projects, plus it was affordable for any serious artist, I could not not go.
Have a Goal
What do you want to take with you after a crash course in illustrating children’s books? I for one wanted to pick Rébecca’s brain so I may see through her eyes as an accomplished illustrator and be in her red Chuck Taylors, which coincidentally I also had on, as she demonstrated her painting techniques. Often when you see beautifully illustrated books, you wonder how the artists did it in the same way you stick your nose to a painting hanging on a gallery wall and investigate every inch of it.
I wanted to know how she makes art for books hoping that I might find a way to release myself from my routine. Rébecca‘s art is out of this world! Her art is largely distinguished for the highly stylized but realistic renders of characters that reside in her intricate world viewed with a softness reminiscent of old photographs. She designs her pages with intent and careful planning, from concept to paper to spread. What impressed me the most is her ability to paint everything on one sheet with a final piece intended for exhibition and sale. It shows confidence of a seasoned artist who has been practicing her craft for decades. She herself takes pride in this skill.
The Workshop
Hosted by Villa Verbeelding at the Hogeschool PXL-MAD in Hasselt, Belgium, the 4-day workshop aimed to help participants turn an idea into an illustration. "Where can we find the concrete elements that help us create some images?"
The morning of day one was about introductions. We've learned that our mentor had been disappointed with her prestigious fine arts education in Paris, where she experienced condescension and ridicule for wanting to become an illustrator and not follow the traditional path of fine artists. Only one professor gave her an opportunity and introduced her into the world of publishing and the rest is history. I, too, was disappointed with my formal art education in the small town I grew up in not because of proud professors but because of their own inexperience in the field. We were made into guinea pigs to experiment on the newly established Fine Arts degree and we ended up teaching ourselves. Not one gave us any opportunity to any creative industry instead we had to forge our own way. This is one of the reasons I did not want to be a professional artist.
During my encounters with professional fine artists, especially in the local art club that I joined not long ago, I cannot help but notice the disinterest in illustration and how it is more categorized as design. Like Rebecca's professors, this branch of art is not taken seriously, which makes me feel out of place.
As Rébecca’s illustration career took great strides, she was also developing her techniques and style while growing a family. She had support. Like myself, her husband was an ally. Illustrating books, especially in her calibre, demands time and relentless dedication. Without support of any kind, I, too, would not be able to pursue this career. My husband, family and friends cheered me on as I climbed my impossible mountain.
Notes and thumbnail sketches during the workshop
Without support of any kind, I, too, would not be able to pursue this career.
The Challenge
The next two days were dedicated to conceptualizing. Our exercise was to create the scene when Little Red Riding Hood meets the wolf in the forest. Classic but that was exactly the point. It is a very well known children’s fairytale told and illustrated thousands of times. Our task was to tell a different story.
Rébecca then asked us what we wanted to tell and then to imagine our page as a theater stage, where we cast our characters, build the stage and costumes. We must write down our materials and from there create a scene.
Her experience in the theater influences her art making and composition. It was once again kismet that brought her to the stage. She commissioned installations for a gallery in Switzerland and costumes and stage productions for theaters and the opera in Paris. Those contraptions she created would also appear in her children’s books. This was good information about her process because I, too, spent my teenage years in theater productions that sparked a passion in filmmaking, where I worked as production staff, costume and production designer and later as a matte painter and intermediate colorist in post production. The rigorous research and meticulous attention to details that I learned from media conservation and film restoration was training for my brainstorming process. I used those experiences all the time in my picture book making. It was also a delight to find out that she was also inspired by Hans Christian Andersen Medal recepient Lisbeth Zwerger, one of my illustration idols!
For the exercise, I asked myself, would I create a big scene or a minimal one? What’s my tendency? As a maximalist, of course, I would go for a landscape. But is there another way? I came up with a few ideas on how I would recreate the iconic fairytale scene. My cast of characters: the wolf, Little Red and the forest. That’s it! The wolf is the forest! It was my turn to consult with Rébecca, who was generous but also critical about my ideas. First, she asked if I needed advice. When I said, “yes, please!”she then asked to have a look at my portfolio, which was a good opportunity to express, why I did not want to do the same kind of artwork. She pointed out my weakness, illustrating people, but also commended my stronger animal illustrations as well as my artistic style. As for my "Little Red Riding Hood" sketches, she encouraged me to work on the piece that we could both work on together and would likewise most challenge me—the landscape, if only I could stylize the wolf more and choose a more dynamic angle. Got it!
She pointed out my weakness, illustrating people, but also commended my stronger animal illustrations as well as my artistic style.
There was emphasis on getting the rough sketch right, from composition to lighting. She showed her past works, her process and original artworks, which was a delight to see, especially when I have been collecting her books for years. I was fangirling the whole time! She demonstrated how to stretch a watercolor paper, how she patiently and efficiently makes gorgeous gradated backgrounds and the highlight: how she painted a scene.
Come prepared
The thing is you may have a goal—your own personal reasons why you want to attend an art workshop, but you also need to understand what’s the goal of the workshop. Knowing that helps you anticipate what the subject matter and the exercises will be. Since it’s an art workshop you should come with your tools, a paint set, brushes, drawing pencils, paper and other materials that you are most familiar with.
4 days will also not acquaint you with a new material. At first, I thought I could try digital painting this time, but our mentor had other plans. As a traditional artist, Rébecca encouraged us to use paints, particularly gouache, her favorite medium. No problem, I have my watercolors with me.
Artists who have been practicing for years know the nuances of paints like how pigments react with water and paper, the perfect sharpness of a pencil or the fine tip of a brush or where and how we arrange our tools on the table. We all have our favorite brush and paint brands. Rébecca has hers and was even stressed when she discovered that the formula of her favorite gouache paint, Lefranc & Bourgeois Linel, had changed. She only uses one brush, synthetic taklon Leonard No. 14, and keeps a box of it for it loses its shape in just hours of use. Her choice of watercolor paper? Hot pressed Arches, of course!
Artists who have been practicing for years know the nuances of paints like how pigments react with water and paper, the perfect sharpness of a pencil or the fine tip of a brush or where and how we arrange our tools on the table.
She also affirms how painting is physical. Similar to athletes training, not only your hands but also the entire body responds to every brush stroke. Something clicks in your brain, your muscles and even your soul whenever you discover a solution or are just painting really well. And it's a good day when that happens. Your confidence also grows as you get better.
4 days will not teach you how to draw. I’ve witnessed this over and over. If you are an amateur or newbie artist, you might get disappointed and discouraged because you cannot bring your concepts into paper simply because of a technicality issue of not being able to draw or paint with water-based medium. Legendary designer Saul Bass famously said to students, “learn how to draw.” You will feel pressured and overwhelmed if you need to meet a deadline. I also get rattled by creative blockage and there are ways to fix this.
Practice is one way to overcome this. So use every opportunity you have to draw, paint and get to know your tools. If you need to attend a drawing class, if you can, then do it. Time yourself and set a deadline. You become faster and more disciplined. Our brains learn from habit. Once you have trained these skills, drawing or painting becomes automatic. You can then concentrate on conceptualizing.
If you come to this kind of crash course lacking of both, you will struggle. You will stare far away, walk around the room and chatter with other participants also struggling instead of focusing on the task. Procrastination is a form of escapism. You will be distressed and disappointed at the end of the day.
I waited to attend a workshop like this. Even when I joined MATS, for months I was already practicing drawing again and creating anything after decades of stopping. When I saw the announcement from Rébecca’s Instagram, I asked myself if I was ready because I can imagine a teacher who cannot connect to a student who does not understand the basics and even what picture books are. Conceptualizing is top level knowledge because once you learn it, that’s when you get work.
My tip for you if you want to practice conceptualizing: join art prompts in Instagram like Folktale Week. Read how I benefited from joining the challenge here.
Out of the box
Rébecca ended the workshop by sharing a story based on a photograph. She showed how we can tell a different story just by changing how we frame or crop an area from a picture. It’s an exercise in contextual and visual storytelling. It reminded us that although the image ultimately pairs with the text it does not have to be a literal interpretation. We don’t necessarily have to show the obvious wider picture but we can select more intriguing moments or details in the story or the manuscript and then paint that. This was the secret to her out of box visual storytelling.
As for my final spread that, although I met the deadline, showcased my painting skills and produced a decent concept, I still felt I could have done it another way. As my pretend client, she approved it afterwards with a “Très bien!” and allowed me to go to finish. Later she mentioned that I already know what I am doing—a wonderful compliment indeed from a successful artist. Nevertheless, I know I need to do more.
I’m reminded of this Insta reel post by @chilldrensillustrators: How to be one of the best illustrators?
"I’d say that all the best illustrators brought more to the text than you could ever have briefed or imagined.” - Katie Haworth, Children’s Publishing Manager of Oxford University Press
Rébecca challenged me to improve on this idea and I accepted. Later I asked myself if I would I do it her way or just pick bits and pieces from her teachings and apply that to my own process.
A failure
I had an ultimate goal for this workshop. I wanted to understand how Rébecca Dautremer creates her extraordinary pictures. I may not have created a mind blowing final scene of Little Red Riding Hood because I just did what I usually do: a magical realism landscape. Does it mean I failed?
As for her process, my main takeaway from the experience was putting importance to the concept and composition at the very beginning. Although we have similar steps and techniques as traditional artists and that she encourages us to learn how to use waterbased media, part of me wondered if I should start following her exact steps. Am I going to stretch my watercolor paper? I don't think so, because that would eat up so much of my time. Also I love my Hahnemühle Leonardo 600 gsm paper, which is thick enough and therefore does not require stretching. Am I going to use gouache? It depends. I mix my media every now then. Am I going to use just one brush? I don't believe I can but I will order the same brand of brushes just to test it out. I'm still on the look out for the brush. Am I going to paint everything on one paper? I can if I want to although I still prefer my hybrid technique for practicality. Am I adopting her technique in gradated background painting? Definitely!
One thing I realized is that I really need to improve my people illustration and learn how to stylize. She pushed me in that direction. It was completely unexpected to hear her challenge me. Perhaps she knew I could do much better and so I will always hear her voice in my head from now on. I did what I could do in 4 days—1.5 days brainstorming, 1.5 days sketching and 1 full day painting. In my actual work, I have less time than this because I always aimed for one artwork a day.
One participant told me I was fast. Without sounding smug and displaying imposter syndrome, I responded with a tight smile, “Yes, I am.” You see, once your concept is solid and the sketches are properly executed with careful decisions in composition and lighting, then all you need to do is paint. Rébecca's ability to paint everything in one piece shows confidence that you can only achieve through constant practice and great ideation. With a strong concept and properly executed sketch, you allow your clients to already imagine the image sans color. Like Rébecca, I also put so much importance on the rough sketch phase. If you get this right and the client approves, there is less chance that they will ask for a huge revision of the final colored artwork. But our mentor takes her rough sketches a step further by deciding on the tonalities of her sketched scene. She stressed why it's important to show where the blackest black of the image is. She also adds into her workflow a rough coloring of the scene, done digitally.
I realize I really need to improve my people illustration and learn how to stylize.
I asked her if clients ever requested her to revise her final art especially when she paints them in one piece. She answered that clients never did. I suppose when you reach that point in your career and have made a name for yourself, you have more authority and autonomy in the work.
We are where we are
I've been comparing myself to Rébecca all throughout not because we are at the same artistic level but because I needed to know how similar our experiences might be right from the start. She began her journey decades ahead, which is why along with those artist that have gone before us, she is in the best position to guide newcomers. Artists like myself are mostly isolated and living in our fantastical world but are brought back into the realities of our living situations that often distract us from our objectives. Most of the time our only point of reference are those artists' finished works that we see on books or in social media posts. If we are more curious, we look them up and discover a bit more about their process or even their lives. It's seldom that we engage with successful professional artists, those we call "artist's artists," and chat with them over drinks or have them critique your work in your face and at the same time apologize for being so frank wherein I responded with "I live with Germans, so go ahead."
Some participants when sharing their work felt embarrassed or intimidated by more experienced artists in the group. I was humbled the whole time even though I am at an advanced position, as a published illustrator. I began this creative journey completely clueless, which is why I can fully empathize with their struggle and thirst for first-hand knowledge during the workshop. I also felt I should remind some of them to not compare because we are where we are right now and that we can only keep on going to improve ourselves. We can only be grateful for artists like Rébecca, who makes it a personal mission to share their wisdom, experience, time and even art materials so that artists like us may find our way. Taking workshops like this is a great opportunity to learn straight from those who have been there and done that. Their insights into this competitive and complex industry is valuable and their honest critique of your work is even more precious. If for some reason you cannot attend physically then online courses such as Make Art That Sells or ITSme Learning Academy are good options if you want to further your education at your own pace. I can only emphasize the impact of these online courses in my growth as a professional children's books illustrator in this post, for example.
Rébecca also started with commissioned artworks that she was no longer proud of but showed us anyway to prove a point that we all have humbling beginnings. Those were works she created 20 years ago. I am in my 3rd year of illustrating children’s books with 15 book titles in the bag. I can only look forward to how my illustrations would look like in 2 decades and so should you.
We are where we are right now and that we can only keep on going to improve ourselves.
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