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Name: Fabrice Lavollay
Place of birth: France
Black Cat: Hi Fabrice, please introduce yourself. Could you tell us where you’re from and how you got started in the field?
Fabrice Lavollay: I've begun to work as graphic designer and illustrator in 1995 after studies illustration at St-Luc Art Academy (Brussels). I made numerous front-covers for novels, magazines and cd's and became Art Director for Sciences Fictions Magazine during early 2000's. These days, I decide to devote myself to a more personal and artistic work.
B.C.: What made you first start doing digital paintings? If you can recall what did your first digital painting look like, and what is the most important thing you have learned since then?
F.L.: Yes, it's funny but I remember it. It was in 2001. Before 2001 I used to work only with traditional media (Acrylic painting mostly) in my illustration work. One day, I was really busy and a publisher asked me, on a very short deadline, a front cover for the short stories anthology "Twice Bitte" curated by Poppy Z. Brite. I was a huge fan of PZB and I could not refuse this work although I did not have time then. I decided to try to work directly with graphic programs hoping to spare time. In fact I did not spare any time but I had so much fun and a freedom feeling, I decided to continue to use and develop these techniques in my artistic work. Now I realize that this opened the way for me to many different techniques. Graphic softwares are often only a stage in the creation process and certainly an important tool, but they are just a tool… No matter the used media, the important thing is the personal control we have on it and the freedom of creation it offers.
B.C.: Give us a visual of your work area. What are your tools of the trade?
F.L.: Now, I'm working most of the time as an illustrator in the independent music industry. I create posters, t-shirts and of course album's artwork for bands. I also develop more and more work for shows in galleries and personal projects.
B.C.: Please walk us through the typical process of making one of your digital paintings. Do you start out by sketching them? Or do you start directly in Photoshop?
F.L.: Indeed, I'm often sketching them and then I try to find the ways that suit the most to finalize the image… Most of the elements of my pictures come from different medias (Photography, drawings, 3d elements, digital and traditional painting… etc…) that I mix and transform until I am satisfied by the result.
B.C.: “Krank″ is a brilliant digital painting with some unique realistic visuals. Please talk a little about the process of creating it and how you came up with this concept.
F.L.: Krank is a special project for the four artists group show which took place in September at the You Art Gallery at Liège (Belgium). The crazy theme of this project was the organ "Liver". As I didn't want the meaning of my picture to be too evident, I decided to use elements which contradict themselves. What I love the most in art are the pieces that get my attention, then intrigue me and finally let me participate to give it a meaning.… I try to provoke the same reaction with my own art.
B.C.: What aspect of your digital paintings do you really focus on the most? Is it realism, colors, or something else? And why do you focus on this aspect more than anything?
F.L.: I think composition, light, colors and substances are the most important things, cause it's that what attracts people's attention.
B.C.: Even the best designers practice frequently and learn new things, so where exactly do you go to read tutorials or articles that help you find inspiration for your paintings?
F.L.: Sometimes on the web…but I just read it to learn how the softwares and their tools work and then I prefer to find out by myself how to use it in my work.
On the other hand, I find inspiration in many other great artists I discover through the web: shows, books, museums, record covers and magazines. I am persuaded that the more I see different things, the more I enrich my own work.
B.C.: What are your plans for the future? ..and where will we see your art?
F.L.: I'm working now on some new cd's artworks and on new personal pieces for exhibitions . I don't have any important show confirmed now but that will happen soon!
B.C.: Thanks Fabrice…your art is amazing!
F.L.: You're welcome, thank you!
xLegion gallery: Fabrice Lavollay
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