11 Illustrator Colin Maisonpierre Under The Spotlight

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Colin Maisonpierre is a Great Illustrator /Graphic Designer located in San Francisco. He likes to mix different medias and had his work published in magazines, books and online journals. Let's have a chat with him!

1.Welcome to Think Smart Designs,Colin. We’re glad to have you on board! Tell us a little bit about you and your illustration career up to this point?

Hopefully I’m just scratching the surface of my illustration career. I moved to San Francisco about 3 years ago, and since I have been here, I have been getting more and more serious about my art / illustration career. I have been lucky enough to land some cool gigs, have my work in numerous shows, and published in magazines, books, and online journals around the Bay Area.

2.Your work is a perfect fusion of colors and surrealism. When did you first realize you loved to draw?

Why thank you. I have been drawing ever since I stopped pissing my diapers. It has been a constant throughout my life.

3.What media do you use or programs? and what about illustration that you love so much?

I typically use watercolor, pen and ink, colored pencils, graphite, and sometimes oil pastels, boogers, bug guts, and mud. (just kidding about the oil pastels). If I am illustrations digitally, Adobe Illustrator is the way to go. I have dabbled some with digital painting using Adobe Photoshop and a Wacom Tablet. Generally I am more comfortable using traditional methods. I love seeing my stupid weird ideas come to life on paper.

4.What/who are your major influences?

Every art teacher I have ever had definitely has shaped me in some way. More recently I have discovered artists like Alex Pardee, and Nate Van Dyke. Its dudes like this that keep me going.

5.You have very strong and powerful illustrations. Have you ever thought of working with comics?

I have definitely thought about it.,. but that’s about it. If there were only more hours in the day.

6.Is illustration your main obsession or have you worked in some other fields such as graphic design or tattoo?

My degree is actually in Graphic Design. For me personally, Graphic Design is my bread and butter. It pays the bills. And in SF, those bills are no joke. As for tattoos, I have not given any, but I have received a few.

7.Do you think it's difficult to find your own identity as a illustrator? Why or why not?

Hell yeah its difficult. Its easy to copy other peoples technique or style, but its another thing to be inspired by it and develop your own. This is a never-ending process. I learn something new every day about my own art.

8.Is their any big projects you are currently working on that we could look out for?

Just picking up gigs here and there. I am always working on various personal projects, and trying to get as much art into shows and publications as possible. I currently have art up at D-Structure, and Lower Haters, both located in the Haight district of San Francisco. I also have some work hanging in Sun Gallery in Hayward, CA.

9.Thanks for taking the time to be interviewed on Think Smart , any last tips for up and coming artists?

I still consider myself to be an up and coming artist, however I will be glad to dish out some things that I have learned thus far. Draw every day, be persistent, be patient, drink beer, don’t watch fox news, and when your up to your nose in BS, keep your mouth shut.

10. Where can we find you online?

My blog is where I post most of my new art, and some in-progress stuff.

http://colinmaisonpierredoesart.blogspot.com/

My website has mostly graphic design work, with some illustration as well.

www.colinmaisonpierre.com

I also post all of my work on my facebook page, so look me up. I am fairly sure I am the only Colin Maisonpierre on facebook, and I will be glad to accept your friend request. The more friends, the better. Take care folks.