Sandrine Biography
Drawing has always been very much a part of her life. Born in Quimper in 1969,
Sandrine�s imagination has always been fired by the great Celtic legends and
other Breton tales. The old streets of Locronan and her passion for fantasy
films (Dark Crystal, Legend etc.) inspired her to attend drawing lessons once a
week for six months. Following the advice of a leading Breton poster artist (Le
Kernec), she enrolled at a Parisian art school after obtaining her secondary
school-leaver�s certificate.
It was at the E.S.A.G graphic arts college (also known as the Met de Penninghen
workshop) that her apprenticeship really began.She skipped the second year (note
that she was already full of promise) and attended very intensive, advanced
classes for the next three years. She in no way regrets the time and effort she
invested, since the knowledge she acquired contributed greatly to her subsequent
success.
Upon leaving art school, she worked on the finishing touches of her "press
book". But, at this early stage, it�s extremely unusual for an artist to have
developed his or her own individual "style". They tend to be excellent
practitioners, but have yet to find true expression for their imagination.She,
therefore, continued to work on improving her talents and spent a year building
the foundations of something more individual and personal to show to publishers.
A strip cartoon project then followed. It represented a year�s work, but never
came to fruition! The final result was 4 or 5 colour-separated plates kicking
about in boxes. Some time later, she worked on another strip cartoon project
with Marc Bati (which led to her meeting Bruno Bellamy � a true friend). Three
or four plates later (that is, several months), and the project came to a
halt... Apparently, it simply was not the right moment for Sandrine to get into
strip cartoons!
She wanted to explore other horizons and, at the time, worked only with
acrylics. She then discovered the world of the press. The journal "Tilt"
initially, with whom she worked only briefly because it subsequently folded
(through no fault of her own!!). A lightning stop at Ubi Soft for a computer
game cover (1993). New destination and encounter with the publishing company
Deno�l. Her first cover design! The year was 93-94.
In 1994, she began to acquire her own unique style and approached a number of
publishers. In the same year, she made contact with the publishers Gr�nd, and a
project got under way for the illustration of a children�s adventure book. Four
others were to follow. She branched into watercolour work with her second book.
At the same time, she illustrated covers for role-playing games (RPG�s) and
collectors� cards (Magic type) and contributed to the journals Casus Belli and
Dragon Magazine.
By 1996-97, she was working with Mnemos, illustrating two covers for works by
Mathieu Gaborit. 1997-98 �J'ai Lu� appeared in her world. Big collection. �It is
a genuine pleasure to be able to draw for this publisher - like some kind of
consecration...� After that, she worked with Gr�nd until 1999, and wrote and
illustrated two albums ("La Cit� aux 100 Myst�res" and "La Vall�e aux 100
Prodiges"). Her fourth (just the illustrations) came out in 1999 - "La Colline
aux 100 F�es".
Since 2000, she has taken the big leap into the �ultimate� medium - oil.
All her energy is now devoted to picture
painting.
All her work (book covers, etc.) is now done in oil on canvas. It demands more
time, but the result is clear .
Jean Biography
Jean-Yves Kervevan attended the Ecole des Beaux-Arts (art school) in Paris,
where he studied under the master sculptor Jeanclos. He started out producing
portraits and illustrations for the French press (L'Express, Le Figaro Magazine,
Parole et Musique, L'Encyclop�die Universelle and Science et Vie Junior).
From 1989 onwards, he turned to illustrating science-fiction and fantasy
literature (published by Deno�l, J'ai Lu, Presses de la Cit�, Press Pocket,
Milan Presse, Hachette, etc.). His favourite authors then were S.King, R.
Matheson, O.S. Card, S.Brussolo and S.Wul.
In 1997, Soleil Editions published a collection of illustrations under the
title "Ange Ecarlate" (Scarlet Angel), offering a broad spectrum of his
work, which was simultaneously poetic and dark. He received the "Vision du Futur"
award in 1998. A year later, his work was exhibited at the "Goutte d'Or" gallery
in Paris. In 2000, a number of his works appeared alongside those of artists
such as Giger, Beksinski and Fuchs on the site of the American "Morpheus"
contemporary masters gallery. "La Maison d'Ailleurs", the Swiss "museum of
science fiction, utopia and extraordinary journeys", bought two of his pieces.
The same year also saw him working with the American company, Berckey
Publishing. He received the 2001 "Art et Fact" award and was simultaneously
shown at the Utopiales de Nantes (European festival of fantasy and science
fiction). He then began working with Idyllis, for whom he produced figurines and
sculptures. In 2003, he participated in the collective anthology "Terra
Incognita - Images from Elsewhere", published by Nestiveqnen.
Although he continues to work as an illustrator (for example, in 2003, he began
working with Mnemos, Nestiveqnen and Randomhouse (American sci-fi publisher),
sculpture seems to be his favourite medium of artistic expression at present.
Through it, he is able to materialise his fascination for the interplay of
matter and texture, giving rein to his perpetually keen imagination.
Amano Biography
Yoshitaka Amano was born in Shizuoka City, Japan, in 1952. In 1967, he joined
the animation studio Tatsunoko Productions, where he worked on character design
for such popular animated television series as Gatchaman (The Battle of the
Planets), The Adventures of Hutch The Honeybee and The Time Bokan series. In
1981, he launched into life as an illustrator. Some of his work appeared in
Twilight Worlds, a sci-fi magazine published by Hayakawa Publishing Corporation.
In 1982, he turned freelance, designing covers for novels and
magazines. In 1983, Amano won recognition with an "Art" category Seiun Award,
presented by the Japanese science fiction association. He went on to win it for
the next four years. 1984 � publication of the book �Maten� by the company
Asashi Sonorama. Many other fine books were to follow. 1987 - Amano was involved
in concept illustration, specifically with the video game Final Fantasy
(Square). He also worked on the design of subsequent editions of the game. 1989
- the Hiten exhibition was organised in Tokyo. 1990 - Amano designed the set and
costumes for Tamasaburo Bando�s play �Nayotake� (Nissei Theatre). 1991 � start
of lithographic production in Japan. 1992 - Amano produced his first stained
glass for the Kimie Imura Fairy Art Museum (Fukushima, Japan). 1994 - first
lithographic exhibition held in Tokyo and Osaka.
1995 - started lithographic production for Maeght in Paris. 1996 -
began producing lithographs for Solo Press in New York. 1997 - he founded the
Greene Street Work Shop in New York and a �Think like Amano� exhibition was
organised, again in New York. 1998 - �Think like Amano� exhibition held in
Tokyo�s Uenonomori Museum of Art. Exhibition at the Brussels International
Festival of Fantastic Film. Premiere of "1001 Nights", his first 3D/2D animated
short film, at the time of the Los Angeles Philharmonic April Concert. He also
designed a number of bronze statues for the Mokurei Bridge commemoration in
Kanayama (Fukushima, Japan).
1999 - "Hero" exhibition organised at the Angel Orensanz Foundation in
New York. "The Sandman: The Dream Hunters", written by Neil Gaiman and
illustrated by Yoshitaka Amano, was published by DC Comics in the States. 2000 -
�Sandman: Yume no kariudo� was published by Interbooks (Japan). �The Sandman:
The Dream Hunters� was published by Norma Editorial (Spain) �The Sandman: The
Dream Hunters� was nominated for the Hugo Awards and received an Eisner Award.
Amano was guest of honour at the Dragon Con convention and received the Dragon
Con Award and Julie Award.
2001 - �The Sandman: Os Cacadores de Sonhos� was published by Conrad
Livro (Brazil). Amano got down to work on the �Hero� multi-genre project.
"Elektra Wolverine: The Redeemer", written by Greg Rucka and illustrated by
Yoshitaka Amano, was published by Marvel Comics. 2002 - Amano�s works shown in
New York, London, Paris, Lyons and Cavalaire (south of France).
Click here to return to the statues that they artistically mastered...
