In the first of our Community Success Story features, we’re shining the spotlight on talented Belgian Illustrator Philippe Debongnie.
Can you tell us a little bit about your background and how you got started as an illustrator?
My passion for images goes back a long way. I have always been fascinated by books and more particularly picture books. I love the way the images interact with the text and I love the way there is always more to it than just words and images. Mixing images with text somehow always opens up space for the imagination and I love to wander in that space (“Little blue and little yellow” is a long time favorite in that sense).
It is not like I was always drawing, it is more like I was always thinking up stories and ways to render them not only with words, but also with images trying to open up as much space for the reader’s imagination as possible. And not surprisingly, most of my images either contain text or are meant as a story in themselves.
Now, when time came to choose my studies, I sincerely hesitated between medicine and illustration, the last one ended up to be my final choice. I studied illustration for four years and then worked as a graphic designer for a long time. I am now going back to my first love, illustration and I am happy with the way things turn out but every now and than I still question myself as to whether I made the right choice.
What hurdles and challenges have held you back in the past?
Lack of self-confidence for the most part. Not knowing exactly how to go at it. As I said, I love working with images but I am not the kind to doodle all the time and to draw great characters from the top of my mind on a napkin just like that. Not me. And so I did not see myself as a real illustrator since I could not do what others seemed to do effortlessly. I could not picture myself in the illustration world as I imagined it. Finding what really excited me about illustration, about images, about picture books took me a long time. I’d say I am not there yet, but I am already half-way there and I am on the right track. I can feel it. Things are starting to happen, I am starting to really like what I do and feeling excited about what is still to come.
How did you overcome these? And what happened when you did?
Doing stuff. Getting in touch with other illustrators. Showing and promoting my work. And all the while I keep reflecting on how this or that piece feels to me, how fluid was the process in creating it, how well (or not) it is received by the people I show it to. Again, it really all comes down to self-confidence. And doing stuff. Good work, bad work, it still is work and it’ll still lead you somewhere as long as you keep at it. Patience is also a big part of this process. No practical tips here. I am not good at giving practical tips, some people do that very well, I don’t.
What role has zero2illo played in your illustration career so far?
Almost three years ago, I had my first child. At the time, I was working as a graphic designer full time. The birth of my girl somehow made me question my job and the way I was living my life (a very common thing I hear). I felt like I wanted to draw more, to go back to what really brought me in this field in the first place. I started following a few illustration blogs and right at that time, the zero2illo 12 week challenge started. I immediately felt it was a good opportunity for me to get down to business, to take matters in my own hands and to see what or how I could change the way I handled my (nonexistent at the time) illustration career.
The 12 weeks challenge helped me in fitting all the pieces of the puzzle together. I had always been working on some illustration project now and then but never before had I placed all of those different ideas and projects in a bigger perspective. Zero2illo gave me the blueprint on how to make things work as a whole and not as different projects at different times. Taking those 12 weeks to think about my illustration career, how to go at it, what to do about it was the first step towards living a more satisfying professional life. Since then, I keep following the blog for new tips on how to run my business.
Two other blogs here, which also helped me a lot on the way were Escape From Illustration Island and Skinny Artists.
Any tips for illustrators who are just getting started or want to take things to the next level?
Do not try to fit where you don’t fit. Do not do things because you think you should or you ought to. Do what feels right to you and try to find a place doing what you like. It might take a longer time to get there but I guarantee it is much more gratifying.
To see more of Philippe’s work, check out his website and blog. If you’re also a Jazz fan, Philippe runs a brilliant site called Jazz & Draw combining two of his passions, Jazz music and drawing, that is well worth checking out.
If zero2illo has helped you in your career and you’d like to be interviewed for a future spotlight, get in touch. You don’t have to have ‘made it’ in the Illustration world, we think it’s important to celebrate any success in moving your career forward, however small.