Claire Prouvost - Meet the artist

I'm Claire Prouvost, a French illustrator based in Dublin. I come from Southern France and have been living and working in Dublin for the past 4 years. I have a minimal, bold and colourful illustration style, and I love to draw portraits and women inspired by the cubist movement.

Have you always wanted to be an illustrator ? What studies did you follow ?

I didn't actually! I used to hate illustration when I was in college. We've had a few illustration workshop, and I always thought it wasn't for me. It was related to children's book illustration and to a certain style in my mind, and I discovered much later how ignorant I was about that field! I have an Applied Art leaving certificate, and then I went to college to study product design for 4 years, before deciding that it wasn't for me and that I wanted to give graphic design a go. Then, I did a Masters in Graphic Design, editorial and communication beside Toulouse, with a few internships in Ireland just before settling in Dublin when I got offered a job. 

 

What’s your favorite art supply ?

Gouache! and some nice paper (drool)

Do you prefer digital or gouache ?

I like both! I kinda need a lot of experimenting in gouache to keep my style fresh and then I can confidently draw digitally.

What do you prefer to draw ?

Women portraits, hands, abstract shapes.

What was your first job as an illustrator? and your favourite experience as an illustrator ?

My first job was to illustrate a series of illustration for Paulette.

Your style is beautiful. When did you find it ? Was it easy ?

I would say I started to find the premises my style two years ago, and I have been developing it since (and I am still working on it!) It was easy or hard, I was not necessarily looking for it because, as I said before, I didn't know I wanted to be an illustrator. I joined a sketch club in work because I always loved drawing and wanted to draw more for myself, and it naturally evolved from there.

Which illustration are you most proud of ?

Hard to say... Probably a series that I did a few months back for The Wrap Life.

Do you have a daily routine?

Not really. I still work as a graphic designer 3 days a week, so my days are pretty normal, getting up at 8am, cycling to work for 9.30 am. Working till 6 pm then home and trying to draw and catch up with social medias and illustration stuff afterwards. The other two days working for myself are pretty similar, I'm just working on my own projects (that includes weekends and holidays too ;) ) I try to squeeze some sports (yoga, hiking, running) and meditation as often as possible.

What's your favorite illustrators ?

Amber Vittoria, Gosia Herba, Laura Berger, Hiley Tippmann, Kelly Anna

Future projects to come ?

Lots of mural work, some nice editorial and commercial projects, some more collaborative work with my visual art collective Epoch (including 2 exhibitions, one fundraiser, and more murals)

You can find Claire's work on her website, her Instagram, her Behance, her shop

Claire's tools:

- Gouache
- The ipad Pro
- The apple pencil

See you every Saturday for a new interview. Next interview will be on Saturday, 2nd November with the lovely Alma.

©Lucile Farroni - 2019