3DTotal: Yes this shows in a lot of your images.  The background textures and graphical elements really work well.  What software packages do you prefer to work with?  And do you think you are continually developing and evolving your style with these packages?
Loïc: And the nominees are: Maya, ZBrush and Photoshop.  I’d love to use Painter but so far I can’t find the courage to test the 100K brushes there are in it.  Shame on me!  I’ve been using Photoshop for 14 years now; my use of it has changed a lot since the beginning.  And I think that every year or so, I tend to shift my style a bit, in order not to rely on what could become a bunch of lame tricks.  Since last year I’ve been experimenting with silkscreen prints.  Because of that I’ve created a new palette of tools, specific brushes, and a brand new style.  Technical limitations can be a very good thing: fresh air!
    3DTotal: You specialise in characters, but one of your images that really caught my eye is the Devils Workshop.  Can you tell us a bit more about this piece?  Do you study architecture at all, or favour any particular styles?
Loïc: This one belongs to a series called “Nuits Américaines”.  I started by walking down the streets of my town, taking pictures.  At home, I picked up some to do illustrations from.  I did the same as mentioned before: noise, texture, collage, etc…  Then paint, paint, paint!  All the photos were taken during the day, and transposed into night lighting.  This is why it’s called Nuits Américaines, like the old cinema trick.

3DTotal: I’m very impressed and would like to try and do some art like this myself! Do you have any tips to the type of photos you need or what areas of the process to concentrate on the most?
Loïc: Hmmm … you have to take global shots as well as close-ups!  You have to pick up many different angles, as this way you can combine them and create strange perspectives.  You should avoid a clear sky since it creates sharp shadows.  Shadows are easy to create but boring to remove.  Now, for the rest, it’s a matter of style and goals.
3DTotal: I find it hard to determine which elements of many of your images are 3D and which are 2D.  Can you tell us a bit more about your techniques and maybe a secret or two in achieving such a consistent finish when mixing media, as you do?
Loïc: The thing is, I’m dead scared with the white page and I don’t like my drawing so much.  So I’m using 3D characters as a starting point, and/or photos (background mostly).  Then I do touch ups and collages to compose the picture.  Then I paste a lot of textures on top because I hate clean images.  Then I clean up by over-painting

Basically, it’s a bit of nonsense, but it works for me. When I was a student, I learned graphic design and types.  I was fascinated by David Carson’s works and the principles of intuition.  One should react on his work and leave room for accidents to happen and new paths to explore.  That’s what I’m doing: I start with an intention, and I end up with… a picture, when I’m lucky.  Whatever I do, I use simple tools, organic sources that I do and scan from time to time, and complex layer work.

3DTotal: What can we expect to see from you next, Loïc?
Loïc: I’m planning a crazy animation with the digital double I made for my tattoo project.
    
 
I think I’ll also work on the design of my other arm (referring to the tattoo again). I’ll make a bunch of new illustrations in collaboration with my silkscreen dude in order to do prints and artworks for exhibitions and also to feed my online shop; more clothing too, and a secret project in this field that I cannot mention yet.  I’ll also probably start a comic book with my fella, Bolino, for the end of 2008 if I can find time.  And… work for a living, of course.  Feed the cats; watch my garden grow.  Find a wife; have kids?  Run as a candidate for the next elections…

Things have changed since we last talked together. Thanks to the Longmen’s fall images, I was contacted by a company called Luma Pictures. After a quick jump/meeting/test in their facilities in Venice CA, I had a job proposal as a conceptual designer/character artist. I’ve packed things up and here I am, since April, living in LA and working on movies. It’s a very interesting experience, I’m surrounded by many talented people and it’s refreshing. I’ve not changed that much though, so I still am a bear, I still lock myself during weekends to work on personal projects, illustrations, etc. I’ve pushed the tattoo a bit farther too, few days ago, and my back is now painful as can be but filled with some crazy ink. I’ll be part of an exhibition in Santa Monica in October too and I’m planning to work on a new book project soon.

3DTotal: Sounds brilliant!  We wish you the best of luck with everything, Loïc! Just keep on impressing
and inspiring us with your crazy ideas and fantastic images and we will be happy.
Loïc: Thanks to you for this interview and for taking take the time to target your questions. Cheers