Alexis Grasset

Describing himself as a 2D visual artist, illustrator, printmaker, and zine lover, Alexis Grasset is passionate about illustration, print, books, and screen printing. The French artist draws both traditionally and digitally, printing for personal and collective projects including editorial, exhibitions, festivals, and more. Alongside his work with the printing press and illustration, Alexis also runs screen printing workshops.

He first took drawing lessons as a teenager, and quickly fell in love with the process; “I knew I wanted to do it professionally, despite not knowing where exactly it would bring me”. After high school, Alexis did two years of preparatory studies for art schools in Paris, and in 2011 got accepted at the decorative art school of Strasbourg in France (known as the Haute École des Arts du Rhin). It was here that he really started to get into illustration, screen printing, and zines. During his studies, Alexis partook in an Erasmus exchange in Bristol at the University of the West of England, where he got to meet Jon McNaught, who taught lithography printing. He graduated after five years of studies in Strasbourg, and stayed an other year at the school as a screen printing instructor. Alexis then left Strasbourg for Nantes, where he started his professional life as an illustrator and illustration teacher in two graphic design schools.

“My work process includes a lot of shape and composition inventories in order to have a list of elements to work with,” describes the artist. He then creates a few sketches to put together elements and ideas, and once he has got something he is happy with Alexis then draws a detailed sketch that he scans and colourises digitally (or occasionally paints). “I try to keep balance between flat colours, shapes, and textures. Sometimes I am more in a experimental mood to get myself out of my comfort zone and test new things,” says Alexis.

In terms of historical references within his work, Alexis is fascinated with old still life paintings and curiosity cabinets from the XVI to the XIV’s century. He looks to the surreal movement with artists such as Magritte or Dali, and loves to explore old book markets for inspiration. Alexis also tells us that a big reference within his work is Kubrick’s monolith from 2001 A Space Odyssey; “I’m fascinated by the contrast between natural and artificial”.

On the more modern side of 2D art, Alexis admires the work of painter Ivan Seal, the photographer Charles Freger, and visual artists like Michiel Schuurman, David Jien, the Berlin duo Zebu, Tim Lahan, and Will Harvey.

Recently, Alexis has collaborated with a group friends, creating their own studio where they can work, print, and build. Projéta is still in construction, but the collective are excited to keep growing and experimenting.

For now, Alexis tells us; “I really want to concentrate on graphic novel projects that I can present and get published, that would really be the next step. I’ve started to do murals so I’m going to try to develop that activity. And I would also really like to start tattooing. All of this while continuing printmaking of course!”

www.alexisgrasset.com
@alexis_grasset

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