Meet illustrator Frédéric Forest. With a minimalistic aesthetic, countless collaborations with big (fashion) brands and many people having his drawings tattooed on their bodies, we can say that the French artist Frederic Forest is here to stay. Looking at his current status, it is almost unimaginable that he started with selling his own paintings on the streets of New York. Who is this man behind the minimalistic lines, amazing paintings and a clientele all around the world? Find out below.
Cover photo:© Frederic Forest, Resting #4
Illustrator Frédéric Forest: how it all started
It all started at the streets of New York City, where -then not so famous- illustrator Frédéric Forest sold his drawings years ago. Back then he could only have dreamed about being a famous and loved illustrator. He couldn’t believe that these drawings formed the start of a successful career: he is now hailed for his thin-lined pieces, often depicting the female body.
He’s been drawing since he was a child and decided to study product design after graduating from high school, since he wanted to draw with ‘a bigger purpose’. Once graduated, he worked for several fashion brands and teamed up with Clémentine Giaconia, with whom he owns a design studio. Forest and Gianconia started as design consultants for big luxury brands and form a highly demanded design duo now.
Drawings
If you ask Forest whether he prefers designing or drawing, he doesn’t have a clear answer. He sees drawing as a very personal thing. According to himself, he owes his fame to Instagram, since his drawings got highly exposed at the platform.
Inspiration
As an illustrator, Frédéric Forest gets his inspiration from everything in daily life: from a smell, reading a good book or watching a fashion show: everything can form inspiration for his work.
Growing up in a feminine family has inspired him as well. It strengthened his relationship with the female body and made him more confident to draw it.
Female shapes, attitudes and appearances have always mesmerized him and therefore many of his drawings contain female bodies. He likes to depict them as they appear to him, not as he thinks they should be.
We like this way of thinking and find his work very interesting and inspiring. According to us, this humble man and artist is here to stay.
www.fredericforest.com
@fredericforest
Do you like illustrations? We bet you’ll also like the stories about Toma Vagner and Allison Filice. Despite that their illustrations are completely different, they both have their own, unique style as well.
