AURELIEN HECKLER

Children's Illustrator

Interview

Who or what made you want to become an illustrator?

I've been drawing since I was a kid, and I really wanted to continue and make a career out of it when I discovered a certain number of comic strips: Disney magazines, superhero comics, the Smurfs, Tintin, Spirou...

Where do you currently live and where did you grow up?

I was born and raised in France! Then I started discovering other European countries because I'm interested in the richness of different peoples: their heritage, their nature, their language, their civilization...
Today, I'm living in Bulgaria for a while. I've become very mobile, as I now work mainly on a standalone graphics tablet.

Which books from your own childhood really stand out?

There is one book.
"Le Schtroumpfissime", ("King Smurf" in english) a Smurfs comic book. for children. So it's aimed at children, but there's a very adult and political background behind it. It's the story of a Smurf who, in Papa Smurf's absence, ends up taking power and becoming a tyrant! A very intelligent children's comic.

Describe your working technique and how you came to perfect it.

I've made a lot of progress.
I used to pencil on paper, then ink with a pen or brush and Indian ink, before scanning my work and coloring it on the computer. I've also used watercolors on certain projects.

I then switched to a method that allowed me to be faster, more efficient and more precise: penciling in blue, then ironing (still in ink), on an A3 format. The blue instantly eliminated the pencil when the work was scanned.
Color was then applied by computer.

Today, techniques have evolved. I now work directly on a graphics tablet with screen, for pencilling, inking and coloring. However, I still regularly produce pencil sketches on paper!

Do you offer more than one style, if so – talk us through the different approaches and the audience you are targeting for each.

I sometimes like to venture into different styles, as I adapt quite easily to the customer's expectations.
For example, I'm used to drawing with outlines, but I also like to do illustrations without inking outlines, or with or with softened contours, relying solely on color and textural effects.
In my opinion, some drawings are better suited to being immersive and self-sufficient, while others need to be simpler, because they're there to support a narrative.

Which 4 words would you use to describe your illustration portfolio?

Dynamic, animated, colorful, lively.

Outline your dream project.

I haven't yet had the opportunity to illustrate board games. It's something I'd love to do!

Have you visited any schools to speak or hold workshops?

I have done many workshops for children to present my publications, my characters, my books...

These encounters have always been enriching. I've also worked with children with social difficulties and various disabilities: I realized that drawing and storytelling (for comics, for example) could help them in their lives, in an approach close to art therapy.

What advice would you offer someone just starting out as a children’s illustrator?

You're bound to encounter difficulties, but you must persevere and believe in yourself, while listening to the advice of professionals.

Develop rich worlds, and draw inspiration from the work done in animation, because they know how to give characters dynamism.

And above all, try to develop your skills in various illustration-related fields, such as graphic design, because you may need them.

What’s the best piece of advice anyone has ever given you?

This isn't really advice, but a well-known comic book writer once said to me and my scriptwriter: "don't be discouraged, it took me about 8 years to make a living from my work".

What makes a good children’s book?

There's no special secret: you absolutely must have a good story, and if possible one that's very well written. With that in mind, among traditional fairy tales, I prefer Andersen's tales.

What are some of your favourite subjects to draw?

Without hesitation, anything to do with nature and biodiversity.

Animals feature heavily in children’s books – do you have a pet?

I love animals and wildlife, and it's always a pleasure for me to draw them. It's become a specialty!
I've had several cats, but unfortunately I don't have any at the moment :)