We had a chat to Léopoldine and Thomas from Dimanche Studio, they tell us all about how their passion for design and illustration began. This passion was the driving factor for the two of then to launch PAPIER Magazine, an amazing magazine showcasing illustration from around the world.
What are some of your earliest creative memories and what lead you into design?
Léopoldine: I was drawing a lot when I was a kid, I was copying my sister’s drawings and my father’s sleeves collection. But I could not say this was a passion. I even stoped drawing between the age of 8 and 18. I joined an art school after graduating from high school because I g0t admitted and that is when I discovered I liked it!
Thomas: According to my mother, my passion was to draw knights and medieval fights. Growing up, I copied a lot—more Avril Lavigne and Scarlett Johansson than knights, but I guess this is still Art.
When I was in junior high, Art was my favourite subject along with sports! I always drew but this was a passion among others, I never thought I would work in the artistic field.
Where did you study and what were some of your first jobs?
Léopoldine: I first studied at Olivier de Serres and then at Penninghen, two Parisian schools. I created Dimanche Studio right after I graduated! The professional experiences I had were internships during my studies.
Thomas: After graduating high school, I got into law school where I graduated with a Masters Degree in Law in International affairs. But I did not enjoy the job. I then decided with my parents support, to enrol in an artistic preparatory class. I went through my first year at ECV Aix, and this was a real revelation and the best year of my studies. After that I decided to try entering Penninghen as a second year student and this is where, in third year, I met Léopoldine. I also spent 6 months at ESA St Luc, Belgium. I did some internships in advertising and fashion and we created the studio right after graduating.
Tell us a bit about yourself and the studio that you work for.
Léopoldine: I am 25 years old. I really enjoy drawing, particularly sportsman and football players. I created —with Thomas— Dimanche Studio, a creative studio which combines visual identity, photography and illustration. Within the scope of the studio, we created PAPIER Magazine, a magazine dedicated to worldwide illustration. I am also an illustrator, I draw for newspapers, brands and for myself. My next project would be to release a comic book of my travel writings.
Thomas: I am 30 years old now and loving it! I am passionate about many things, which kind of complicated the decision for my studies. I love cinema, swimming—I've swam since I was a kid—and drawing of course. I am co-founder of Dimanche Studio and PAPIER Magazine, and I make a living from my passion. I am also a part time Art director for My Little Paris video center.
Any passion projects you would like to share?
Léopoldine: PAPIER is Dimanche Studio’s baby, we thought it through point by point and we followed each step of the production. We are going to launch in September 2017 the issue number 3, in collaboration with a French publishing house and we work hard to make the project grow on many aspects. We are currently building a website dedicated to PAPIER where one be able to find PAPIER news, published illustrators’ interviews, and an online gallery with published work for sale. Besides, we are also working on organising more and more events to promote illustration (conventions, exhibitions).
Thomas: PAPIER Magazine is of course a big pride. With Leopoldine, we form a team in which things are fluid and decisions are naturally taken. PAPIER is the result of this passion and harmony. Personally, this year I release my first full-length feature film: IMMERGÉES, a documentary about the French team of synchronised swimming and a portrait of two young women and their amazing fate.
What has been your highlights since you started out?
Léopoldine: Dimanche Studio is really young and every good news is like a highlight: a client we sign a good deal with, a library contacting us to sell PAPIER, a blog wishing to interview us!
Thomas: There is indeed no small victory! Good news seems to arrive when we need it, so we work as hard as we can to give us the best possible odds.
Whats the big goal in the next five years?
The big goal would be to make PAPIER grow via our new website and PAPIER worldwide exportation. For now, PAPIER is on sale in more that 10 countries and we hope to have more!
If in 5 years PAPIER could be a reference in terms of illustration, we would be extremely happy. Our ambition is to promote illustration and introduce today talents. If we could successfully create an illustration fest as this is the case for the « Fête du graphisme », this would be a huge satisfaction!
