Interview #31: The art of Ampreh
Marion Perez, aka Ampreh, shares her deep insights on being a comic book artist
Hello art community!!! Today's interview is about building a career in the comics industry and what role art school plays in it.
For those just finding me - I’m Madalina, an artist and illustrator who loves discovering and talking to many fellow artists. I now share these conversations through monthly interviews available to read for everyone :)
Marion Perez (aka ampreh) is a French freelance illustrator with a strong passion for comic books. She is particularly inspired by the fantasy genre, which is a recurring theme in her drawings. Her style is bold, fun and rich in detail. I love the textures she achieves through sketchy lines and a good dose of hatching. Let's get to know her better!
✎ Hi Marion and thank you for joining forArtists. How would you describe your artistic journey that led you to where you are today?
Hello and thank you for the invitation!
My artistic journey is made up of both intentional decisions and a lot of chance.
I started drawing at the age of 8, by coincidence, because all my friends drew and I wanted to fit in. Later, I discovered mangas and roleplaying games (by SMS), which enabled me to create stories with my friends at a time when you had to send each text message for credit. I have stacks of books archiving my first stories and sketchbooks filled with my first characters. I used to draw little comic strips in my diaries every year. On Sundays after church, my friends and I would get together to continue our stories and text roleplaying. At the time, all this was just a hobby for me, even though I claimed I wanted to become a mangaka.
In high school I studied to be an interpreter to have a “stable future” that would reassure everyone, but along the way I decided to go into art, because it made me really happy to be able to create something. That's when I realized that everything else, except storytelling, seemed bland and uninteresting. After I got my BAC (French baccalaureate), I tried to attend a FAC, a general art college, which my mother preferred, again with a view to not getting lost in the professional world without resources. But I dropped out after two weeks, because it was not my calling (sorry, mom!). Again, I wanted to tell stories. Not to become a teacher or work in a museum. That wasn’t for me.
That's when we found a private school for comics and illustration in the neighboring town. Application was through an interview with the director himself. I showed my humble old portfolio, gave all the reasons why drawing was my life, and within half an hour I was enrolled into the next school year. Three years of study later, I was already starting my very first (small) contract! Although I didn't wait for my final diploma to start working, because even back then I'd already started taking commissions on social networks. To this day, I still cannot see myself doing anything else!
✎ What would you suggest to beginner artists who are struggling to decide whether or not to attend an art school?
I'm tempted to say that it's not school that makes an artist. You can learn very well on your own. Personally, I was self-taught before I spent “only” three intense years at a comics school. On the other hand, I can't deny that those three years, however small they may seem in the midst of two decades of self-taught practice, were very useful in giving me a solid foundation in composition and storytelling.
Think of art school as a booster on a foundation you already have with (sometimes) a state-recognized diploma at the end of it. Even if it's rarely significant. Don't expect the school to miraculously “teach” you to draw in such a short space of time if you're starting from scratch, or to find you a job!
School is there to make you stronger, faster, and to give you a piece of paper with “diploma” written on it. Keep this in mind. Like many other disciplines, the real learning takes place on your own, with a lot of practice and many years.
✎ What aspects and lessons would be hard for you to tackle if you had not attended a comics school?
Clearly, composing a comic page properly. I've been drawing pages for fun since I was a kid, but never for a second did I think to space out my panels and draw my bubbles before placing the characters. All these kinds of details that seem so trivial, yet...! The legal aspect also helps me a lot, when it comes to reading contracts. And the character design courses have clearly helped me to explore a lot of things.
✎ How do you search for work as a freelance artist? And what has been the best and worst experience so far?
Honestly I'm lucky enough not to have to look for work. Ever since I got my SIRET number, which allows me to work as a freelance artist in France, I've always received offers here and there thanks to social media or the networks I've created. But I still treasure the memory of the last year I was a student, when my best friend and I were exploring the stands of comic book publishers at the annual Angoulême Festival. It was while showing off my little student portfolio that I got my very first contract, and I think it was the best work experience, probably because it was my very first. It will always be special! I think what I love most about it is knowing that they haven't forgotten me five years later.
Another vivid memory was my very first appearance in Spirou mag, a magazine I used to read as a child! I think if my childhood self saw me in a Spirou today, she'd be jumping for joy (haha). I've also been able to work on other illustrations and articles, most notably for RIOT Games' Runeterra, Imagine FX, Noir d'Absinthe editions, Deviantart, and others, whether as a guest or for complete projects!
As for the worst? There are some commissions that are less pleasant to do than others. You can't always have fun at work after all! But the ultimate worst experience was a contract cancelled recently, after two years' work on a complete comic book ready for publication this year. The author I was working with caused the breach of contract; without going into details, the matter was serious enough to nip the project in the bud immediately to preserve the reputation of the publishing house as well as my own. It was quite a shock for me and the editors. But I'm back on my feet, and I'm already planning another project!
✎ I'm sure you often get asked about your art style. But what do you think has played a key role in honing your current style, in terms of life experiences and artists influence?
I think that's one of the questions I get asked most often, haha. My answer won't change: it's laziness that has influenced my style, quite sincerely.
I opted for something more “me” when I was in my last year of comics school, where the standards were high for clean work. But my inexperience made me think that clean = perfect. That every painting, every proportion, every inking had to be well done. In reality, all I was asked to do was to make something that held together, that was coherent.
As long as the visual narrative works, one style is no better than another. I've already seen a number of animated films, and read a number of comics with what's known as the “dirty lines” style; like “Le chat du Rabin”, “Aya de Yopougon” or “Tom-Tom et Nana” to name just a few popular ones here in France. I wouldn't say I drew my inspiration from them, but they clearly got the ball rolling for me. If these people can tell stories by drawing like this, then I can too.
As I was saying, comics school was quite demanding and we had a lot of work to do. I realized that I didn't like two things in life: math and spending time drawing realism. Whether it was for the characters or the backgrounds. Little by little, I started trying to do things a little more “my way”, like a child testing his limits with his parents, but with my teachers. And when I saw that my grades weren't slipping but, on the contrary, improving, I felt validated and encouraged on this path. At least I could be myself and have fun.
Of course, at the very beginning you can sense that my line is shy as I explore the possibilities. But even today, my journey isn't over! Every drawing is a challenge I give myself! The end of an apprenticeship stops only at death (yes, I'm quoting a video game character here).
✎ What are your go-to art tools and brushes?
I like grainy things. That allow you to feel the texture of the tool.
In digital, I find there's nothing better than pencil, chalk and charcoal brushes. I blame a scanner that at the time refused to digitize my drawings properly. So I decided to reproduce this authentic, papery effect myself. I often use watercolor for the colors, as I used to do with traditional.
As for traditional, although I used to love watercolor, today I always use chalk! My next goal is to tackle my worst enemy, gouache and acrylic paint.
✎ Can you walk us through your artistic process and choices for one of your illustrations?
Why not! Here's a closer look at the illustration I did for HUION. I had to test the new tablet, so I chose to do something in my comfort zone. Since my character was an alchemist, I wanted to make a kind of potion store, with a speech bubble like “Greetings, adventurer.”
In the end, the speech bubble was removed, as I preferred a simple presentation illustration. I like pretty frames, I try not to overuse them on all my drawings, but I admit it's my easy solution, haha. Oh, and for the left side, in the absence of speech bubble I preferred to use the space with this disproportionately tall candle, which I really like. It's not a weird alchemist's table for nothing.
Next came the part I rushed through as quickly as possible before I got bored, the color. In this case, I had the whole color scheme in mind, but I usually find the colors to apply on the spot, without any preparation. I always start with the character. I know that many people prefer to start with the background for the lighting moods, but I personally chose not to bother with all that. It's the set that adapts to the character.
I like to dwell on the face, and the redness it can contain. Especially the cheeks and nose, sometimes the eyelids. It's the only attention I pay to the skin (along with fingertips and the folds of elbows and knees). It's almost impossible for me not to do a color design without adding some on the lineart itself. It adds so much more warmth.
This is the part where I freewheel, adding whatever comes to mind and nothing is planned in advance, just like the color. I'm so picky that I sometimes spend more time on the final details than all the previous steps. That's not what I'd recommend, because this step sometimes takes a lot of my time, as I keep trying until I find a balance I'm happy with.
✎ What part of the process do you enjoy the most?
The inking part, that's what I like best. It allows me to relax and let my hand roam freely over the tablet/paper. I can spend more hours doing the inking/lineart than the color - in fact to be honest I don't think I like the color stage, haha. If I listened to myself I'd probably do almost everything in black and white.
✎ How would you describe an ordinary day-in your life?
There's nothing really exciting. Honestly, I would say that the most exciting part of my day is when I go into the kitchen to get something to eat. I love eating!
Apart from that, I wake up when my body decides it's not sleepy anymore, often mid-morning. I don't like reading e-mails, so sometimes I force myself to do it immediately. Otherwise, at the end of the day. As I already know what my task for the day is, I get to work or, if the day is free, I play a few video games.
In the afternoon I go back to drawing, and around five o'clock I stop and go back to my games (I'm a big gamer). I finish with a bit of roleplaying with friends, and go to bed between one and two a.m., ready for the same routine the next day. Of course, it all depends on the day, but I think it's safe to say that this is a typical schedule!
✎ What are your goals in 2025?
That's a very good question. After spending two years on an aborted project, I feel pretty empty. I guess I don't want to put too much pressure on myself to not be disappointed again... So taking it easy, I'd like to make prints in 2025, like, for real. And write a story from A to Z!
✎ What is the question you receive most often in your dms?
Well, “hi, do you do commissions?” haha. I'm not going to count it, it's kind of the core of my business. So let's just say I'm often asked for my brushes! But I've already answered that! ;)
☆☆ To support Ampreh's work you can visit her social media and website.
Loved this Interview Madalina, your interesting questions and Ampreh honest answers!