Interview with illustrator Julien Delval
Following the success of his illustrated version of Othello, Julien Delval returns to the world of William Shakespeare to offer us his personal take on one of the British Bard’s finest works: A Midsummer Night’s Dream. The various editions of the book are currently available for pre-order on LiberDistri.com. 📚
For our partner Thomas Olivri (from Geek-Art), this was the perfect opportunity to ask Julien Delval, this master painter of the fantastic, a few questions. Their interview is right below, so sit back, relax, and grab a cup of coffee. Enjoy the read! ☕
👉 As a reminder, this project was funded through a Kickstarter campaign. Just click here to learn more about it.
Interview conducted by Geek-Art
First things first — can you introduce yourself to our readers? Where are you from, where are you based… and what first pulled you into the world of illustration?
I am a painter and illustrator. I am 54 years old. I have been working for many years in the fields of role-playing games, board games, fantasy literature, and comic books. At the same time, I develop my own personal universe through large-scale paintings. I was born in Paris, where I studied at the Decorative Arts school. My parents are authors of children’s books, so there were always many books and images around us. They also knew painters and sculptors, so my environment was very conducive to artistic aspirations. I have always drawn, and from a very young age I knew it would become my profession.
How would you describe your visual style? How did you manage to “find” it, and under what circumstances did you say to yourself, “That’s it — I want to do this for the rest of my life”?
As a child, I drew everything. I quickly became obsessed with comic books, and that’s what I wanted to do at first. Then, near my high school, I discovered a role-playing game shop with its window display filled with fantasy figurines and illustrated books. At the time, I was reading The Lord of the Rings and listening to W. Sheller’s The Empire of Tohol. That’s when I fell in love with fantasy. It took me a while to find the worlds I loved most. It was while illustrating the role-playing game Agone that I started to see some possibilities. Then, having the opportunity (fairly late in my career) to paint whatever I wanted, I flourished in this style that explores classical painting of ruins and landscapes, blending it with fantasy mythology and more modern influences drawn from the imagination.
What’s the one piece of advice you’d give to someone dreaming of becoming an illustrator?
I would tell them to draw a lot, to be patient, and to stay curious. To go see exhibitions. To accept their style and cultivate it. And to learn English !
From your perspective, what is the reality of the job, and what are the toughest parts?
I think the profession has changed quite a bit since my day, with the rise of social media and new artistic platforms. And the disappearance of other platforms, like fanzines, which used to give new artists a chance to get their start. Today, we’re “competing” with the whole world, and you have to be good right from the start.
On a daily basis, it’s a solitary profession; you have to be comfortable with yourself. The hardest part is always getting started. Then the hardest part becomes stopping!
I’m not very fond of administrative tasks, but today, with the internet and various software, it’s easier. It’s a profession of freedom, but also of uncertainty. You need to build a network and know how to diversify.
AI is the hot topic these days, all over conversations and social media. I’ll be honest: Geek-Art does not support generative AI at all, for obvious reasons. But it is really interesting to get the artists’ point of view. How do you feel about it?
A vast subject. It is an extremely powerful tool that must absolutely be regulated, limited, and controlled. In some fields it may be useful, but in art I remain very skeptical. I fear that small jobs for young illustrators will be handed over to it for economic reasons, discouraging them. My greatest concern is its astronomical demand for energy and water, which may come at the expense of the poorest. Its only advantage is that it will force us to develop our human side, to find ways to share artistic practice among ourselves, to create real, living art.
If you had to pick a single favorite piece from your portfolio, which would it be, and why?
Probably The People of the Acanthus. It brings together all my influences well: classical art, fantastical creatures, and plant ornamentation. It just lacks an architectural element!
What keeps your creative spark alive? What inspires you the most?
I’ve already mentioned them, but today it’s mainly classical and Romantic painting.
I love painters such as Turner, Brueghel, Delacroix, Rubens, Tiepolo, Hubert Robert, Church… and I discover new ones every day. Since childhood, I’ve been nourished by comic books (Tardi, Druillet, Franquin, Uderzo) and by cinema, all catalyzed by music and poetry.
Finally, can you tell us more about the Kickstarter campaign for A Midsummer Night’s Dream? What is your relationship with Shakespeare as an artist? How did you approach the project?
We had already launched, with Caurette editions, a crowdfunding campaign in 2022 for the illustrated version of Othello. It was planned that I would create more to build a kind of collection. It took a bit longer than expected to launch this second book. Using Kickstarter allows us to offer high-quality production. Choosing A Midsummer Night’s Dream came naturally to me, as I love fairy worlds and imagination. The next one will be The Tempest, also full of fantastical creatures.
Shakespeare has been illustrated many times; the most notable versions are by Rackham and Dulac. I love these illustrators, and I wanted, humbly, to follow in their footsteps. I first discovered Shakespeare’s plays through cinema. Kenneth Branagh’s adaptations are delightful. Baz Luhrmann’s Romeo and Juliet is also very enjoyable : the text is so magnificent ! Then I had the chance to attend open-air performances in the gardens of Cambridge colleges : a real delight.
To illustrate A Midsummer Night’s Dream, I started by reading the text and noting all the scenes that evoke an image for me. Then I produced multiple sketches before deciding which illustrations I will create. Using a lot of documentation, I began designing costumes and creatures, and then the painting work began.
I wanted to recapture the “vibe” I had in my painting The People of the Acanthus. My layered composition style works well for theatrical settings. Line drawings are added to bring the final book layout to life. Franck Achard, with whom I work closely, once again did a remarkable job. My great pleasure in this type of project is being the initiator and being completely free in the creative process, under the supportive guidance of Caurette editions, who handle editing, production, and distribution.
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