I did a lot of different jobs before achieving to work as a designer and from time to time in a conversation I list some of them: storekeeper in supermarket, docker, commercial salesman, furniture salesman, supermarket watchman, delivery driver, accounting trainee, warehouseman, sluice cleaner, casino croupier (table, throws and cashier), etc.
But I NEVER mentioned illustrator!
And I did it almost during 3 years (1994-1996), mainly for the Seine-Maritime General Council but I did also few illustrations for a medical company, an insurance company and a recycling organization.
I worked for the Internal Communication department/council of the Seine-Maritime General Council on two topic:
the employees Welcome Book named "Infos pratiques" and the Internal Magazine named "Echos 76".
the employees Welcome Book named "Infos pratiques" and the Internal Magazine named "Echos 76".
Sound strange but I had completely repressed it after having been admitted to the local Fine Arts Academy. And now I'm starting to understand why and I decided to talk about it because it can help others in a similar situation… the famous imposter syndrome!
At first, when I started doing illustration, I was naive in a good way, meaning I had no barrier and a certain freshness in my approach.
Then, I started to be complexed by my lack of technique and legitimacy.
And, then when I was admitted to the Fine Art Academy and I thought I will learn academic drawing but, unfortunately, I did not.
Of course we had drawing lessons but more in a free style mode than learning to draw. Plus with the art history courses I discovered amazing drawers, and so I became ashamed of my drawing level… so I slowly quitted having pretension in drawing and putted that aside!
Photos of the employees welcome workbook designed to be able to add or remove easily over time.
Now I realize that I learned a lot with the help of passion and with error as my driving forces!
We must never forget that since childhood, we learn through these two engines: by trying (again and again) and — so — by passion/desire.
Of course, as I mentioned, my drawings were not really good but they were somehow fun and relevant because firstly I had to find ways to illustrate administrative concepts that I did not understand at all and secondly I had a fresh mind with no real fear to stop me doing it!
I also had the support of my friend Ingrid who where in charge of the Internal Communication publications and with who we were aligned in the passion and on the fun to do these illustrations. Thanks to her!
So here some illustrations I did for the Welcome Book of the County
Because it was administrative and HR vocabulary I meanly didn't understood, I decided to play with the words of the titles I had to illustrate.
I'll try to translate them in the captions when possible.
I'll try to translate them in the captions when possible.
"Histoire du département" — History of the Seine-Maritime County
"La communication interne" — The council buildings were a tower and a building with an arc shape
"Position hors cadre" — EN: "Cadre" in French means "Frame" but also "Executive Manager" so it's like "Positioned of Frame"
"Mise à disposition" — In French it sounds like a knight at the disposal of his lord
"La notation" — The rating of the Employees and in France we had a TV show named "L'École des fans" where kids were singing. At the end of the show they were gently rated by artists and received all toys at the end.
"La rémunération" — The compensation
"Les principes généraux" — In French it sounds like "General advices"
"Les congés annuels" — Annual holidays
"Les congés maladie" — Sick leave
"Le détachement" — In French it sounds like "spiritual detachment"
"Accident de travail" — Work accident
"Le congé parental" — Parental leave
"L'action médicale" — Medical examination for work certificate
"Le sport"
"La crèche administrative" — in French "crèche" means "nursery" but it could also means "crib" like "Christmas crib"
Here some illustrations I did for the "Echos 76" Council Magazine
"L'accueil du Conseil Général" — Welcome on board of the Council
"Calendrier des vacances scolaires" — "School holidays calendar", on the left a first idea and on the right the printed version
"Escalade" — External activity available for employees and here "climbing"
"La vaccination" — Vaccination: "Get out of there, you're surrounded!"
"Demande de travail à temps partiel" — "Part-time work request"
"Recherche d'un titre pour le magazine" — "Searching a title for the magazine": "If I'm not finding anything, I will have at least perfected my free throw"
"L'inventaire" — "Inventory"
"Remplacement de la base de données Paradox par Access" — Replacing Paradox database by Access database
"Bilan social de l'année" — "Annual social report": That's a report with a lot of numbers so I'll fall asleep by reading it and it refers to a French TV show for kids named "Bonne nuit les petits" where the sandman helps to put the little ones to sleep
"La documentation" — "Documentation department": "The plans of the security systems were not returned to us, but here are those of the ventilation systems…"
"Avis de naissance" — "Birth notice"
Unpublished drawings
Some of these drawing below were not selected for different reasons, that could be for the message, a details of the drawing… and some were just drew to make my friend Ingrid laugh… see the last one!
"L'accueil" — Reception "No no, here it's not home, it's the council building"
"Départ à la retraite" —
"Changement de carrière" — Career evolution
"Le départ" — Leaving the company
"Congé parental" — Parental leave. I tried a too complex angle so it was refused!
"Formation et concours" — Training and examination
"La communication interne" — "Internal communication", of course it was not meant to be publish ;)
And That's all folks!
Now drawing is just something I like to do when I need to do a joke to a friend or to illustrate slides…
The fact is: I have a lot of passions (design, drawing, photo, martial arts…) on top of enjoying a social life and I learned it's not possible to be engaged in each one at 100%. It's only possible sequentially and your other passions will for sure be frustrated during that time, so I have chosen to focus on my passion for Design and time to time I have to draw something and it's always a fresh air.
So I'm still in love with drawing but more on watching beautiful drawings than doing it myself… except when I want it!