3DTotal: You mention in your profile that you did a lot of work before embarking on an artistic path. What was it that eventually convinced you that you were ready for a career change?
Jean-Francois: I was not sure of that, but it was a feeling I had that my progress had begun to show something. I felt more confident with my art and noticed that my style begun to emerge. But also, to do
jobs that you really hate helps you a lot when you want to progress.

3DTotal: I notice that you worked for Delphine Software and then more recently Quantic Dream. What was your experience like in the games industry?
Jean-Francois: I learned a lot, almost all I know of the software I use now came from this period.
Because I worked on backgrounds, character textures and 3D models, I learned how to work with materials, to use Photoshop, Painter, Maya, and other 3D software packages. Games were a great experience, more from a technical than a creative point of view, but that helped me a lot.

 
  3DTotal: What sort of technical skills did you learn and have they helped your 2D work as a result?
Jean-Francois: When I used to create textures, I learned a lot about Photoshop and the layers’
mode; it was a great way to add density and variety very easily to my work. I also had to work very quickly,
so I learned almost all the principal shortcuts of
the software I used and this is really a “must do” if you want to work fast, and to be really in-tune with
the software you use. It was really great for
me and still helps me now to give more
density and substance to my 2D paintings.

3DTotal: Do you use any of your 3D skills now at all as a way of preparing for 2D projects, maybe to help with perspective or working out lighting for example?
Jean-Francois: Yes sometimes. When I worked on comics and illustrations I used 3D software to help me for the perspective and the creation of some buildings and structures. This is a quick way to build the bases for the background of a scene.
3DTotal: How important is working on paper with regards to your digital process?
Jean-Francois: Working on paper is really important for me; this is the foundation of my future work. But sometimes I use CG software and work directly on the screen for my studies. Paper or screen - there’s no difference for me - what is important is the research and basic structure for your project.

3DTotal: You seem to work across a number of different areas, including concept art and book illustration. Which would you say have been your favourite projects to date, and why?
Jean-Francois: My work on Apostasy and M; two comics I worked on. It was really interesting to work on these projects because I like to tell a story through my drawings, which is something I cannot do or cannot develop enough with concepts or even covers and illustrations. With comics you can develop your characters, backgrounds - everything you want. This is the media I prefer to work in.
   
 

3DTotal: Could you give us a brief outline as to what the stories are about and the types of characters involved and if you have considered working on a graphic novel at all?
Jean-Francois: Apostasy was “a sci-fi/fantasy adventure that follows a nomadic warrior in his journey to protect an Emperor’s daughter until her 16th birthday, at which time she will inherit a god-like entity”. Unfortunately I had to stop this production because I had no news from the scenarist, but it was really fun for me to work on this project. With regard to M, it is a project I’m actually still working on so I cannot say much about the story now - sorry. But I can say something about the universe and background which is a mix between the X-files and Silence of the Lambs; a mix between fantasy and horror. It is really fantastic for me to work on this story from Samuel Bournazel, the scenarist. I’m also working on the scenario and visuals on a future graphic novel named Memories, which is something more personal, with my own universe and story; a story of a samurai’s revenge in a really dark world. With this story I want to develop the theme I like; the cowardice of men, honour, death and tragic love. I really like Shakespeare’s stories and themes as they feel so true, even now.
   
 
 
 
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