Planchettes – Exhibition | Meeting with Tizieu
Tizieu is a big kid who puts his dreams on to white paper. At the sound of the rain on my Velux, I try to understand the answers that he has given me. A lost cause (or almost). Out of the visual field, his imagination is vast and curious, perched on the beautiful passions that are shaking his mind. He observes the world whilst interpreting his own world. A sponge soaked with new techniques, images, sounds and hearts. He wants to see, try and learn everything about his art to proudly prove that identity is a bad thing.
Meeting with one of the artists of the “Planchettes” exhibition.
Hi Tizieu ! Where are you at the precise moment of reading this ?
Hey man! Right now I’m in my office. I’m juggling between social networks, my work, your questions and the desire to go and hangout outside!
How did it all began ? Were you born with a pencil in your mouth? Tell me everything!
I was born with a pencil in my mouth would you believe ! As far as I can remember, I ‘ve always drawn to keep busy and occupy my time … Well, I did also like building weapons with rolls of cardboard HAHA . The culture of DIY!
Just after high school I looked for something in the creative sector. Visual Arts as a second option with professional communication with the view of completing a Visual Communication Diploma ( Graphic Design today ). Like many young people, I needed something set in stone to develop. Alongside my Diploma, graffiti became a very important part of my creative life. Instead of bumming around during my free time, we had an activity: creation and sharing. The result is there today, some are typographers, graphic designers, photographers, colorists, illustrators . I think we all learned a lot in this period.
A hipster-chameleon, an knight-octopus, a biker-lizard, a burger both yucky and appetizing at the same time, some hyperactive figures, an absolutely delirious dream … What do you do to maintain the relationship with your imagination? Is it uncontrollable or do you manage sometimes to tame it?
Oh it’s all very controllable ! I often start with a basic idea, which then develops on paper. But before that I can spend hours reflecting. In the car, on foot, in a cafe, it turns around and around in my head … Just until that magic moment and then I ‘m ready! Before drawing the character or scene, I have to feel like it talks to me, making me want to know more and look at it for a long time. I want this to be my friend and so there is certainly a time for taming!
At the moment I have a set of oil paints which is waiting for only one thing…to start painting! Although it’s pressure as I know nothing about oil paint the idea came to me very quickly, I can really imagine the character, but I can not see it in it’s conceptual environment, so it’s blocked. I hope you do not think I’m crazy, but that’s how I see things. There is a time when the idea comes and another time when it then comes to life.
The colors are missing from your illustrations. Why have you done everything in black and white? What are the shades that you particularly like ?
Ha , well not really. I don’t do everything in black and white. At one point, I used graphite, another ink and sometimes the color, well, you will see. Ok I will give you THE classic answer : black and white is effective, the finish is powerful blah blah blah . Part of my work is also an excuse to explore and master various techniques. In 2 years we will maybe look at my work and say, this guy has passed through the gray, ink, dot, digital, oil, lino, vecto, construction of objects in wood, volume in salt dough ( huhu ), etc. .
My goal is to be technically efficient. It can be disruptive on more than one level, but I do not hide from this. It’s just exciting to learn new things, and in addition, it allows me to add to the range of skills that I offer to my clients. The second part of my professional work is training / teaching, that explains maybe the desire to study and dissect a whole bunch of things.
Freelance has never been so costly and it has never been so hard to live ones passion . What do you think ?
Yep it’s very hard. There are a lot of people about. To live your passion has become a luxury. But in life, we must have that luxury! Or at least try. I have two things going on that make me a living. Fortunately they are two things that I love. The most annoying thing is not to plan ahead further than 6-12 months. I intentionally skipped the lets feel sorry for ourselves question, because inevitably, I don’t have anything cool to say, but why mope?!?!
Inevitable question # 1: what influences you the most?
I take the time to look at things in the street, life moments, a good movie … the classics! So, I no longer really look at what makes this or that artist. When you’re younger, you drown very quickly in the flow of images that are available to us via the media. Music is also a factor in the creation and motivation.
What environment do you like to draw in?
Well, here it is: alone, at home, with or without music, it depends on the project.
The girl with her board on your Olow “planchette”, where did she come from?
Well, I work a lot from a photo. I came across this model that was spot on with what I wanted to make on my board: wood, a cool chick (because I rarely draw them) and an impacting graphics processing in black and white (see above HAHA).
Inevitable question # 2: projects, collaborations desires , wishes …
There are a few projects: drawings in a clip, custom objects sold on a large scale, illustrations for the 70th anniversary of the landing, vecto for an Apple application, toys, etc. . I work with the things I prefer and for the challenge of collaborations. So for the level of desire or wish… do not hesitate to contact me.
A little challenge to finish with. Could you give me the name of an unknown artist (music, illustrator, photographer … whatever !) That could well be my next subject for Olow .
Because the family (from the heart) is very important to me, I would say my buddy Soap.
You can see some of his work here : http://heysoap.tumblr.com or there https://vimeo.com/heysoap/. Self-taught and passionate, it’s all good!
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Find all the works and news of Tizieu on his Official website and on his Facebook.
Interview by © Julien Catala
