JULY ~ Inspiration month

I would like to dedicate the month of July to the important personalities of the illustration industry. It's all about discovering illustrators and artists that have been a great source of inspiration for many. To kick off Inspiration Month I would like to start at the beginning; with the Cartoonist Bill Watterson.

When I was a little girl I was an avid comic book reader (thanks to my older brother's vast collection of comic books). One of my favorites was Calvin and Hobbes illustrated by an American cartoonist Bill Watterson. I would spend my entire afternoons reading over and over the entire collection. For many years Calvin and Hobbes was (and still is) one of my fondest childhood memories.

However, it wasn't till a few years ago that I started to look closely (with a professional eye) at the artwork behind the comic strip. I realized that Calvin and Hobbes was not just a wonderfully cheeky childhood favorite of mine, but a strong source of inspiration. The effective simplicity of the lines and the beautifully watercolor backgrounds are nothing short of a masterpiece in my opinion!

Bill Watterson is a fantastic cartoonist and I encourage those who are interested in important figures of the illustration industry to check out his biography and works.

COLOURS ~ a dreamlike state



Candy Land ~ 2005





KIWIKO ~ children's illustrations

Kiwiko and the dragon

Kiwiko and the Dragon is a promotional children's book created in 2006 when I was employed for the graphic design firm Kiwiko Communications.

Kiwiko and the Dragon is a story about a little kiwi bird that travels the world discovering strange new places and makes friends with bizarre creatures, creating a vast network of resources that metaphorically represent the professional relationships we hoped to develop with our clients.

Our target for this project was the editing industry, primarily children books. However, fate being what it is the project fell-threw, so I would like to share with the world Kiwiko in the hopes that he gets a little time in the lime-light! Because I think he is soooo cute and would have loved a little friend like him as a little girl.

SKETCHING ~ a stress releaser



Sketch - 2006

 Sketching is for artists a stress releaser; it's a diary, psychiatrist, a best friend or mom. It's where you can express all and every emotion with simple lines and textures. Often it helps to practice and sharpen your skills, sometimes discovering techniques that you can apply to your art work. I highly recommend keeping a sketch book with you at all times, especially for moments where you really don't know what to do with yourself. Sketch, sketch, sketch! You never know what may result from it.

Illustrator ~ my favorite computer medium

Here are some of Studio Charlebois' favorite digital art. Produced in 2006 for Kiwiko Communications of Ottawa, Ont.

Kitty Cat Kitty Cat ~ I love you

This is our cat Yoshi, a calm and zen felline that loves to be loved. His intellegent eyes watch you as you work around the house. He is the king of the place and doesn't let you forget it. Still an energetic hunter at the age of 12 he is one of my dearest friends; and this is why he so humbly deserves to be immortalizied in pen and ink.