One of my first drawings. I was 19, and probably needed help ;-)...
In keeping with that mood, I set out to illustrate Dante’s Inferno, taking the most
horrendous scenes of his voyage in hell. All the characters presented have badly
hurt people and are sentenced for eternity to undergo the pain they have inflicted
during their lives. The latest one (the first I drew actually) represents Ugolino and
Ruggieri. Both of them being traitors, they were placed in the lowest pit of hell. But
because Ruggieri’s treason had caused Ugolino to starve to death in a dungeon
with his sons and grandsons, Dante sentenced him to be eaten alive by his rival for
eternity.
In retrospect, it looks like I have a thing with reptiles.
A drama artist who intended to stage a play by Michel de
Ghelderode commissioned me to design the posters for the
event. No need to say, the producers refused the project...
Much ado for nothing.
The first to serisouly trust my work were Editions Opta in Paris, I
supplied cover and inside illustrations for Fiction, Galaxy and their
luxury collection, Le Club du LIvre d’Anticipation, CLA. When I
started I had absolutely no training at all, I built it all from scratch,
and I must thank Michel Demuth, Opta director, for trusting me and
giving me regular assignments through which I gradually became
more professional.
Incidentally, I found a website that actually documents the various
Opta contributors.
That was a collection of French bawdy songs published by the
Dentist Student Association in Paris. I made some fifty
illustrations for them, most of which should remain invisible. But
this one I enjoyed so much drawing I have to show it. Careful
though, this is adult stuff!
Loneliness to the left, tenderness to the right. That probably
illustrated my state of mind at the time. I could have done with some
help, I realize in hindsight.
At the time I was drawing the
Beauty and the Beast series, I
think I was at the top of my
potential. After seeing my cats
playing I grabbed my brush and
ink and made the one to the left
in a few minutes. Same with
those horses in a forest
clearing, which I drew from
memory on returning home.
The protective male staring at
us to the right, the mare and
her colt. A lovely sight they
were...
