Location : Dublin, Ireland
Profession / passion : Illustrator
Instagram : @claire.prouvost

One Day is an ongoing project sparked by the Covid-19. In the days of isolation we would like to focus on what we do best; bringing people together. Read more about the project here.
We will be posting one new day of someones life every day until we run out of contributors. See our instagram stories to experience these peoples One Day in action.

How has the current situation affected how you work?
It could be a lot worse, I can't complain. So far a few projects have been postponed or cancelled.
I was supposed to teach a workshop in Madrid this week, it has been postponed to the end of the year, and I am waiting to hear about other public events of that kind. I mainly work on my own on commissioned illustrations in collaboration with clients around the world, and most of the projects are still going ahead. I also have some inquiries and new work coming in, which is promising. Unfortunately, I also had to close my online shop where I was selling prints, as we can't send anything outside of Ireland and the UK.

What is the story behind your profession/ passion?
I've always loved drawing, ever since I was a little girl. I'm lucky that my dad has taught me many techniques throughout my childhood, we even had a painting studio at home, and we would spend weekends drawing, just the two of us.
At 15-years-old, I chose to follow a creative career and got into a high school in France that was offering an Applied Art option with the general curriculum (Bac STI Arts Appliqués). Those three years taught me a lot about drawing and design. It made it easier to choose a creative path at university, opening my mind to the world of architecture, fashion design, graphic design, product design. Then, I went on to study product design, because I didn't know what I wanted to do.

After four years and a lot of technical drawing, I realised it wasn't for me. I switched to graphic design for my Master's degree (fun-fact: we had an illustration module which I used to hate) and went on to get some work experience abroad, in Dublin, where I still live today.

I was hired as a graphic designer and, in the co-working space I was based, we had a 'sketch-club' where we would draw each other, once a week. That's where my love for drawing kicked back in, and also where I heard about the 100 Day Challenge on Instagram, which I joined in 2018. From the daily gouaches paintings I was posting, people started to reach out to me for work. And that's how I became an illustrator!

Analog or digital?
Such a hard question! I do both. But for client work, I work digitally. And for myself, I paint with gouache or acrilycs and use inks all the time.

Have you actively chosen to live in the city/town you live in?
Yes I did! After college I moved to Dublin in order to start the job of my dream ( at the time) as a graphic designer in the place I previously interned in. I was lucky to be surrounded by lovely and talented people that boosted my confidence and taught me a lot.

How do you relax?
I will take the 'evening off'. Clearing up my desk for the next day of work. Then cooking myself something, I see it as an important part of letting go of the day and using my hands. Then I will pick up a book or watch a series in my cosy room, spray some aromatherapy spray and lighting a candle. And having a lovely cup of herbal tea and turning the light off early-ish.

If you were forced to sit still for one month straight without pursuing your current
profession, how would you spend your time?
Meditating and reading, in my back garden if it is sunny.

One Day : Claire Prouvost - Illustrator