Benoit Bedrossian (FR)

Benoit Bedrossian (FR)

First french to be interviewed in english on the blog, I really have to thanx Benoit for this effort and tell him, how i'm impressed by his skills :) For our readers from around the world, this english interview is a truly excellent opportunity to know more about France. If you are wondering who is that Eddie Mitchell between Metallica, Korn, Converge, Mogwai, Sigur Ros, Mastodon, Slayer, Neurosis, Isis, etc...this mean you are still not familiar enough with France. Let Benoit teach you the basics....

Hello, of course as every Crewk interview, first question: what are we listening to when we come to visit you?

Haha, an awful lot of different things! It could feel like Russian roulette for a new comer! I think I listen to all kind of music (rock, hip-hop, trip-hop, electro, classic, jazz, experimental, noise, dub, French classic, disco, funk,...) but I have a preference for rock and its variant (metal, hardcore, punk, post-rock, post-punk, post-hardcore, death, grunge,...)

Can you tell us more about yourself, who are you, where are you from, what do you do?

Hmmm, well I'm French, I’m a drawer, I guess like many other. I'm 26, 27 before I know it... I live in the Paris suburb and I work in the cartoon movie industry. My dream is to become a comic book author!

When did you start drawing?

I start drawing once I was able to carry a pen.

Did you follow any course or did you improve by drawing in the margins of your schoolbooks?

The second choice. I improved by drawing in the margins of my schoolbooks, but also on my friend’s schoolbooks, my school table, on the wallpaper at my parents,... Anywhere I could spot a room to do it actually.

Today are you living from your art, or do you do something else for a living ?

I'm not yet living from my own art, but I’m trying hard. It is difficult in France. I'm currently mainly working in the cartoon movie industry but also in all sorts of jobs where I can practice my art (graphism for advertizing, design, movies, etc...).

Are you collaborating with magazines/fanzines, regularly?

Sadly not... I would, but nobody is really willing to use my drawings or comics books. They say it is too hard for the public.

Where does your influence come from? Is there any artists/graphists you particularly like, what are your influences?

It will be a similar answer as for music: very eclectic influences. I watch 2 or 3 movies per day, read 1 comics book every day and read 1 or 2 books per months...

If you want some names... : Bilal, Cronenberg, Moebius, Schiele, Topor, Bataille, Sade, Hugo, Mignola, Yuzna, Kent Williams, Templesmith, Mcfarlane, Kubrick, Pasolini, Redon, Doré, Bosch, Beksinski, ...

What are the principal steps in your work ?

Hmm, thinking about a good idea, drawing a few drafts and finalize with the color and the layout.

Do you do everything by hand or on computer?

It is half and half. In my current job, all my employers want to deal with computer file at the end of the day, never a hard copy. So I took as an habit to work on computer. Most of the time I draw by hand and after I colorize on computer and make the layout. Still sometimes I do everything on my computer, and sometimes all by hand.

How long does it take you to do a poster?

Top Secret!

You have a very distinctive style, are you doing only what you feel like or if tomorrow somebody asks you an oil painting with horses running out of water with a sunset backdrop, is it a problem or are you up for it ?

Thanks for the compliment.

Yes it is a problem, because that would be boring to me. But I have to practice on any kind of technics or styles if somebody ask for it, and in cartoon movies it is often asked for. So I can, but... perform shit, you know?

For which band have you already worked for?

An awful lot... In 5 years I have done more than 100 posters, on each of them there is between 3 or 4 bands, so it makes a lot.

I only did it for local bands, I think. (Psykup, Pittbulls In The Nursery, Hell's Kitchen, Tetsuo, Revok, Brainwash, Geste, Parween, Sofy Major, Membrane, Object, Royal Mcbee Corporation, Already Salted, Les Maries Salopes, Koloskopia, Anorak, Platane, Brume Retina,...)

For which band would you love to work?

Same answer, an awful lot^^

Metallica, Korn, Converge, Mogwai, Sigur Ros, Mastodon, Slayer, Neurosis, Isis, Bjork, Keziah Jones, Tom Mcrae, Dillinger Escape Plan, Envy, Charles Aznavour, High Tone, Dälek, MF Doom, Eels, Fink, Eddy Mitchell, Chris Isaak, Portishead, ...

Do you choose the artists yourself?

No I don't, they choose me.

What is the most difficult part in designing a poster ?

I think it is the many information they want to add on the poster (like place where the band are from, kind of music, website,...) more than their band’s name. It takes a big place on the board, because it can be drawn with an artistic style, so I have to write it very readable. At the final it encroaches on the bands names and the illustration...

Do you think you are part of a "Graphic Scene", if so who else ?

I don't think so... In France, nobody knows me, at least I’m not aware of it. Some names like Tanxxx, Brian Cougar, Synckop, Rica, Jüül, Albane Dyn, I am Sailor,... are popular, not mine.

A bit of self-promotion, take advantage of it, it's free, where can we see your work , on the web or in real life?

I have some blogs, yes.

http://beuhart.blogspot.com/

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Beuh-Art/154364297929074

http://www.dailymotion.com/beuhart#videoId=xl57dh (for my movies)

But you can also see my work on streets for the gigs or in garbages.

The best praise you received lately?

In my workplace, it was something like « beau travail » (good job), « bravo », « merci ». Only my friends are truly congratulating me (and my proud mother of course).

What can we wish you for the future?

You can wish me to become an author in comic books and movies… so I could live of my art and pay back my friends all the beers they pay me.

Thanks for answering my questions and see you soon on the website !!

Thank you a lot. It was a pleasure to be interviewed. Thank you again.

....and, as Benoit is truly a nice guy, see (on the right) the little gift he made for us, lucky CrewK readers ;)