Artist Interview – Christelle Bilodeau
Who are you and what do you do?
My title is Christelle Bilodeau and I am a portrait artist based in Quebec, Canada. I specialize in pencil portraits.
Why do you do what you do?
Drawing is my greatest passion. It is visceral, I have to draw. I pass up it when I skip a working day or two!
What evokes your artwork?
Mainly songs, but cinema is also a significant inspiration. I check out a lot of movies when I’m drawing – it keeps me focused for some explanation.
How and when did you get into artwork?
It all begun when I was a boy or girl. I savored drawing horses and I ultimately took painting lessons when I was 10. I bought fascinated in portraiture when I was 14-15, I started by painting portraits but I finally traded my paint brushes for graphite pencils and I have been enhancing ever given that.
How has your follow altered above time?
I am regularly strengthening and exploring new techniques. In this article are a several examples I utilised to draw on basic white printer paper, I made use of to mix employing my fingers and tissues, and the working day I discovered stumps, my complete life adjusted!
What is your most loved piece of artwork that you’ve made? Why?
My complete favourite will usually be the drawing Paul McCartney autographed. I have enhanced a great deal due to the fact then but this portrait holds a really particular place in my heart. Assembly him was a monumental turning stage in my lifestyle.
What’s the best piece of artwork suggestions you’ve been given?
Prevent comparing your drawings to many others.
What is a single artwork suggestion/approach you can share with us that you discover truly handy?
Get a suitable operate floor (drawing table, easel, and many others.) and a very good chair! You you should not will need a large artwork studio, your operate place can be in the corner of a space. But a focused workspace is a should if you want to be equipped to aim and function for several hours at a time.
Do you have any magic formula recommendations or techniques you use to salvage a piece when you make a blunder?
Get a step again. Wait a working day and go again to your drawing table – it generally helps. You can see items more obviously.
What is your preferred Strathmore paper? Why?
Strathmore Drawing paper, 400 series medium area. The texture is great – not as well clean, not far too rough, perfect for blending graphite, and given that it is not bumpy, you can effortlessly attract straight lines. It is effortless to injury paper with an eraser but this just one is practically unachievable to tear, which is a big additionally.
What artwork products could you not live without?
The basics: pencils and paper! Couldn’t do something without them!
Who are your greatest influences (or who ended up when you began accomplishing art)?
I try out not to assess myself to other graphite portrait artists, but a single of my most loved visible artist is Andy Warhol. He saw splendor in everyone and almost everything. He appreciated the tiniest flaws in each individual individual and that was attractiveness to him. Our functions are wholly diverse but we do share the exact purpose: we want natural beauty to be mirrored in our art.
What’s the most prevalent art-similar question you get from your followers?
How prolonged does it choose to get fantastic at it? Properly, the remedy is, I never know! It may differ, exercise is essential and how rapidly you will increase relies upon on how quite a few hrs a week you’re willing to devote to your enthusiasm.
Web page/social media one-way links:
www.christellebilodeau.com
www.instagram.com/christellebilodeau
www.fb.com/christellebilodeau
www.tiktok.com/@christellebilodeau
www.youtube.com/c/christellebilodeauportraitartist
www.twitter.com/christelleart
