Atelier Doré

it’s be my first hangout. i’d love to try it! :)

i have a cool hunting blog and i’m trying to get it to do better. i post 3 times a week, i watch seo, i research my posts, i put a fair amount of work into it. for some reason, my stats are lower than before even if my content is original. any advice, please? merci beaucoup :)

http://littleaesthete.com

Un nouveau verbe : hangouter ! J’adore !
Je note la date du prochain hangout………..

C’est génial que tu renouvelle l’expérience :)

Xx
http://www.Lauralexo.com

Did you take any classes as in drawing & figure drawing when you started out? I feel that for fashion illustrations do need the basic foundations to the divert from the structure of the body and face to create your own. If you can expand on any tips for illustrations that be great, since your illustrations are so elegant and realistic!

Have a great day!

Hi Garance,

I recently decided to teach myself fashion illustration, being inspired by your work. I always liked to draw as a child, but my parents never let me join an art school and made me take dance classes instead (they thought it was much more useful – the discipline that comes with it, not to mention physical benefits). I’m 32 now I wonder how you learned to draw. Whether it came to you naturally and through practice or did you take classes? Do you need to have a model/photograph or can you draw from imagination? I’m very intimidated by learning on my own, because where do you really start?

I’m looking forward to your insights!

Yuliya

Let’s hangout !! !
I’m in that situation where I don’t know/can’t decide what I really want to do…
So, I’m wondering: When and how did you know, it was the right time for you to do what you wanted to do ? And most of all what triggered your ambition to be an illustrator, and take your work to the next level ? What made you consider pursuing in illustration and photography ? Merci <3

Hi Garance and Team!

I have always loved art and recently started doing a little watercolor painting. I often times get frustrated though trying to find my own voice. I’ll see a really great painting by an artist I admire and try to recreate it, but that isn’t really MY work. So my question is, how do you develop your own voice with your art? Did it just come naturally for you, or did it take a lot of time to create your own style that is uniquely your own?

Hi Garance! Im reading this really cool book called How Artists Work…Daily Rituals….that I got at McNally OFCOURSE!
So, my intent is to create a more concrete daily ritual of my own….so maybe I will be more efficient……hopefully!
What are your daily rituals to get yourself in the mindset to illustrate….photograph….film…….I imagine they differ? How do you convince yourself to do the tasks you dont like as much for your business?

I will go right to the point. How did you know you were talented enough to drop everything else? At a point of time, an artist has to spend full time on its work and then he « might » be considered as an artist. I am not part of those who have always been drawing since they are kids to consider myself as an artist & I wonder if taking this risk is just an inherent part of an artist personality. What did you make decide it was the right time and how confident were you in your succes? Is there a rational approach to make this decision?

Hi Garance – in your opinion, what makes the real difference between pro and amatorial images? Especially when a loto of pros and semi-pros seem to favour the snapshot kind of look (not to mention the whole « insta » look) and amateurs trot around with a small army of dSLRs…

Woohoo I just worked out that I can chat if I get picked. 10pm New Zealand time!

Garance, you have followed your dreams and do what you love doing. My question for you is, did you have reservations/fears before venturing into your line of work and, if so, how did you overcome them? I work in a law firm (yawn) and seem to be too practical or perhaps am lacking in confidence to pursue my creative side.

Hey Garance!

My question is: How do you know when something is truly done and ready to show to the world? Also, what is your process like (do you listen to music? how long do you spend on a piece? do you ever abandon something and then go back to it? are you alone? etc.). Also, did you ever have trouble with your family supporting your path as an artist/in a creative industry? Sorry for all the questions!

Thanks for your time!

Hey Garance !

(Je ne sais pas si je devrais écrire en anglais ou français, donc bon, va pour l’anglais haha)
I am an imaginative person, with drawings or writing, so I am really sensitive to the concept of creation. I currently work in publishing books, and I have so many ideas to put together, it’s hard to find a way through all of this. So, I was wondering how can you define your creative identity through all the influences you use to work ?

How do you balance having a style versus continually evolving in your craft? Commercial preferences versus personal aesthetic?

Bonjour Garance,

I was wondering how did you come up with your illustration style? I saw some of your early work and it’s almost completely different! Where did your very characteristic strokes come from? What inspired you?

Merci beaucoup!

**

Hi Garance! Do you always know exactly how an artwork will turn out? How much of your illustrations depict the exact image in your mind, and how much of them take form as you go along?

So lovely that you are doing this again! I recently watched your other two hangout videos and loved them!
I have 1 question, don’t know if you would be able to answer it since I won’t be on the hangout but do really love to know….

1. How you come about telling your parents that you want a career in an « Art field » when they have seen you graduate with a completely different major and they expect you to go along with that career? (In my case Psychology)

Your Blog & Videos are truly an inspiration! Thank you!!! :)

Bonjour Garance!

C’est chouette que tu fasses un autre ‘hangout’. Je n’ai pas de questions artistiques, les miennes sont plutôt reliées au côté technique et logistique du blog, mais bon, peut-être pour une autre fois! Je participerai de toute façon, tes conseils son vraiment supers…tellement honnêtes et authentiques. Merci pour tout ton travail, quelle inspiration!

Émilie

Je n’ai pas de question Garance. Juste hate de t’écouter à nouveau répondre aux questions!!! J’avais tellement kiffé la première fois! :)

xx

Bonjour Garance & team,

Thanks for this opportunity to speak with you! My longstanding admiration for you and your work grew upon meeting you at your book signing in Philadelphia (I was the gal who hails from Boston who you so aptly/adorably told you loved the « Boston accent » from a 30 Rock episode).

Anyway, here’s my question- as a mid-twenty-something, who studied communication in college and doesn’t want to jump into an agency job and rather, is trying her hand at freelance publicity for small homegrown businesses & brands, do you have any tips for how to best manage your time? On the daily, you juggle a vast number of projects in different scopes- how do you maintain your « Garance Dore » voice as a across all projects?

Merci Beaucoup!
Dani

Okay, thanks for a great blog, Garance. Always a pleasure to come along on your adventures.
My question is regarding photography:

When you started out (you know, when Scott gave you your first camera :)), and you´d played around with it for a while, how did you grow confident in your skills, and what influenced you the most in learning the camera and refining your style of photography (please, as many examples as possible). I´m so curious, because I´m an aspiring photographer / visual multitasker, and it has been impossible for me to find anything about the early years of my favorite photographers. The resume of their career always describes their way to Vogue etc. in 1,5 sentence, which, I´m sure, takes a LOT more work.
So, how did you learn techniques (any good tips and tricks? :)), and what do you reckon developed your photographic style? And maybe, if you like, a few words on your style?
Thanks!

So great to see you again in hangout!
A lot of interesting question have been asked above but I wonder how technology changed your creative process through the years and what tools (hardware, software, apps, cameras, lenses etc.) do you use and/or you have recently discovered?
I am interested as well in your development as an artist: which photographer/illustrator you have met (or not) the most influenced your way of seeing things around? who inspires you? and how these real meetings (ex. Peter Lindbergh) changed your creative work?

Thank you and see you on hangout :)

Hi Garance! How important is going to school and getting a specific education in art in pursuing illustration, design, and photography? Is it worth investing the time and money (sooo much money !!) for a degree and the connections? Thank you! xx

So happy to see you in the next hangout I’ll be there!!!! Your photos and draws are touching me and I’m sure that I will learn a lot.
Cheers :)

Bonjour Garance,

Merci de cette occasion que tu nous offres d’avoir la réponse à des questions si particulières liées au secteur créatif.
Je suis fascinée par l’art et dessine depuis le plus jeune âge. La photo – comme tout ce qui est pictural – est aussi un médium que j’affectionne. Seulement voilà, je ne dessine plus depuis des année et j’ai l’impression d’avoir comment dire… Perdu le « modjo du dessin ». Paradoxalement, en faisant des études d’architecture d’intérieur, j’ai plus fait de maquettes que je n’ai dessiné (vive l’enseignement belge!). Puis, j’ai perdu l’habitude de croquer des portraits. E récemment, quand je me suis mise en tête de vouloir faire des illustrations, j’ai déchanté en voyant mon niveau. Aujourd’hui j’ai 28 ans et si je m’écoutais, je ferai ce que je voulais faire quand j’étais petite: « dessinatrice ». Seulement voilà: comment?

J’en viens enfin à mes questions (désolée pour la longueur de l’introduction):
Tu nous avais raconté ne pas avoir pris de cours dessin, comment t’es-tu perfectionnée?
Tu as une bonne gestion des proportions du corps et de la gestuelle, comment travaille-t-on ça?
Je n’arrive pas à dessiner sans modèle photo, est-ce un mauvais plan en fait?
Comment as-tu développée ta patte?
En quoi les nouvelles technologies t’auront-elles étés profitables dans le développement de ton travail pictural?

Merci d’avance pour tes réponse. Merci encore de nous proposer cette session questions/réponses. Et merci pour le « positive mood » que dégage ton blog depuis des années…
Diane

Hi Garance! My question is probably most typical, but how do you get paid from you blog aside from using ads on your site?

Hello Garance!

I’m curious about your thoughts on the connection between illustration and art direction.

As an illustrator interested in art direction, I’ve found that many people tend to pigeonhole illustrators as « only » being able to draw, as if the entire process of producing engaging illustration work doesn’t also involve utilizing strengths in editing, design, and style. You yourself seem to have transcended that stereotype and created a multi-media brand that has a cornerstone in illustration as well as various other outlets (and is fun and accessible, too!).

I’d love to hear more on that topic and how you perhaps feel about illustrators moving into art direction territory (in contrast to designers and photographers, who tend to transition into these positions more frequently). I think it would be an interesting discussion and one I’d love to engage in.

hey!
the subject this time is really good and specific. I have been looking forward to discuss this with someone who knows more about it than me. so here we go –
since bloggers who also pursue illustrating, they influence their followers like me. if you can identify one’s work in mine, does that mean I can’t grow unique style (I’ll still be seen as someone’s wannabe) or this is just a beginning towards developing my own style?

and second – how did you find your own unique illustrating style (if you can call it so)? were you influenced by someone or this was just something that came naturally?

Do you think that technology has changed your technique/style? I mostly work with tactile media, but lately have been using a tablet more and more, and notice that I have to change my style a bit to fit the medium. Did you have a similar transition? Was it trial and error to find the right program/stylus/app? Is there one tool that you think really helped you?

Merci!

Yay! Can´t wait to check it out when I get back from my holiday trip :-)

A little background: my dream job is to be a stylist or a fashion business consultant so after High school ended, I decided that the smart thing for me to do was to go to university and study business while developing my creative skills as a retail employee and learning the best I could from fashion magazines and websites like BoF. However, I am slowly realizing that finding a internship is the ultimate key to entering the fashion industry. That, and who you know and I don’t…know many people in that field that is. I’m from Montreal Canada and needless to say, the fashion opportunities aren’t that wide and the thing is, every company with an internship wants someone with internship experience…

So, my question is how do you get your foot in the door when the very jobs that you would be qualified for , that you know you would do well in, is not willing to even take a second look at you simply because you don’t have the experience or you don’t know the right people?

Thanks :)

Bonjour Garance,

J’ai vu évolué ton style & BRAVO!
Ma question est quel matériel utilises tu pour avoir une écriture à l’épaisseur aléatoire, je chercher désespérément avec mon stylet et ne trouve pas!
Tablette spéciale ou brush crée?

Deuxième question: Pour la retouche de tes photos, tu arrives à faire cet été clair et lumineux hors retouche ou c’est après?

Merci !

How cool! I am glad you are joining into the Google hang out thing.

My question(s) is the following:
As you started as an illustrator before doing photography, what was your reaction when you were offered your first commissioned photographic job? Were you stressed and how did it feel to be taken seriously and being expected professional result for something that started as passion? Also ,for both photography and illustration, what did you do to reach the level you are at today, as your drawings and photo have beautifully evolved since your first posts and I would like to know what tips you would give to anyone wanting to pursue their passions in a professional way.

Thanks a lot!!

I really hope to be part of this second hangout especially as I will have the day off on Tuesday ;-)

Hello Garance,

Out of the many questions, this question is an itch I would like for you to scratch.

Yves St Laurent, Dior, Givenchy, Chanel, Lanvin etc within our rich fashionable past, so many prominent Fashion Houses used Fashion Illustration as a necessary tool and now, in today’s market it appears Fashion Illustration is making a huge comeback in a big way; becoming more mainstream in all facets of fashion/beauty industry. What are your thoughts about this new yet old trend? Or do you consider this a new trend or an old art form with a new modern take? Going back to good ole fashion basics like circa Coco is this the new approach like yourself as an artist and David Downton and Kerri Hess?

Fashion Houses embraced illustrative works of art to advertise, promote, sketch in design studios for new collections, couture shows with private clients etc. I would love to get your thoughts about this amazing new cross-over trend.

Your Fashion Illustrations (in my opinion) is your true signature even though you are an extraordinary photographer. For me, I am instantly connected with your fashion illustration and feel I have known you for years; and thus I believe there in lies this quite amazing secret with why Fashion illustration is coming back in a big way. Any woman can connect with it instantly and you are on this path where almost every woman stops in their tracks amazed by your works of art.

I know this was long please forgive me — I am such a big fan I would love to discuss further.

Bonjour Garance,

Voilà j’ai pris une grande décision, je veux quitter mon job et monter mon projet artistique.
Sauf que voilà, je suis ingénieure depuis 7 ans. J’ai très peur de n’arriver à rien.
Quels sont tes conseils pour quelqu’un qui veut se lancer?
Dois je faire des formations en photoshop ou ce n’est pas nécessaire pour commencer dans l’illustration?

Merci! Tu es une vraie source de motivation.

Bonne continuation