The French edition of Vice shares an office with a “creative company” called Surface to Air (we call them Surface to Gay behind their backs). But one good thing about them is that they employ the most beautiful, feminine creature ever to walk the earth. Her name is Charlotte Delarue, and she is an artiste. It’s too bad this issue is all illustrated because a picture of Charlotte would show you barbarians in other countries what French charm is all about. Oh well. C’est la vie and shit like that.
Charlotte’s work focuses on the sweet, the cute, and the adorable. Let’s talk with her now. (You can’t hear it, but her voice sounds like a magic fairy bell.)
Vice: Do all these strange and pretty little things that you draw come from the imagination that is inside your brain that is inside your beautiful little head?
Charlotte Delarue: No. I mostly work from pictures I find on the internet. It could be an old image, like the one with the two bears and the girl. It has a cute 1970s erotic edge. Then I print it on tracing paper and I fill in the blanks.
Oh, so you cheat. Well, who cares? You’re still really pretty. So how much time does this take?
It depends on the quality of the picture. If it’s good quality, there isn’t much contrast so it takes me a few hours. If it’s a really small picture, which is often the case with the ones I find on the internet, it can take days.
The guys from the office wanted me to tell you that you smell good.
Really? Who told you to say that?
Mathieu.
He’s cute.
He also wanted to know if you use a no. 2 pencil.
Ha. I don’t really know what I use, actually. I have a lot of mechanical pencils—anything with soft lead is good. But I’m also starting to paint oil portraits in a fan-art style. I work from a photo and I use paint I found in a dollar store.
You know, I just love watching you work. It’s so relaxing. Especially on days when I have a horrible hangover, like today. Does it relax you too?
Yes, it’s very soothing. It’s only reproduction, you know. It’s not like I have to invent something. So it’s very relaxing, yeah.
Do you stick your tongue out like kids do when they draw?
Maybe I still do, I’m not too sure.
No, I don’t think you do, you just kind of curl up your nose like that. It’s supercute. You know, for us you are the new Brigitte Bardot. Except nicer and smarter. We want there to be a sculpture of you in all the town halls in France.
Anonymous, on Dec 11, 2008 wrote: hmm... her name is charlotte, she’s french, she’s hot, and she smells good. we haven’t developed scratch and sniff screens yet have we?
Anonymous, on Dec 11, 2008 wrote: Il fallait bien sūr lire : "But one good thing about them is that they employ the most beautiful, feminine creature ever to walk the earth, just after Lubna. Her name is Charlotte Delarue"
Anonymous, on Dec 10, 2008 wrote: most of the good artists in this issue probably used a photo as a reference anyways. to me tracing is just lines, this is something more than that.
Anonymous, on Dec 10, 2008 wrote: little bo peep with grizzly bear... mmm...
Anonymous, on Dec 9, 2008 wrote: mechanical pencils are great for illustrations. with some experimentation you can find the perfect leads, and you really have lots of control with them. i’m not sure why more people don’t use them.
Anonymous, on Dec 9, 2008 wrote: couldn’t agree more with the hair. beautifully done.
Anonymous, on Dec 9, 2008 wrote: to anyone that wants to bitch about the tracing aspect, i’d like to see you do this as well as she does. not likely.
Anonymous, on Dec 8, 2008 wrote: if the last one is a self portrait please marry me.
cocaine, on Dec 8, 2008 wrote: couldn’t you show a pic of her on your blog, at least?
Anonymous, on Dec 8, 2008 wrote: Good grief, tracing or no, these are still amazing. Fur and hair are ridiculous pains in the ass and she did them perfectly.
bored barista, on Dec 8, 2008 wrote: delarue... i like that last name. makes me think of warm soup. mmm.
Anonymous, on Dec 8, 2008 wrote: i’d really like one of those rabbit masks, where do you find such an amazing thing?
Anonymous, on Dec 8, 2008 wrote: and i mean when i’m drawing them by the way
v
v
v
v
Anonymous, on Dec 8, 2008 wrote: the hands on the first one are really well done. hands are always what gives me the most trouble with people.
Anonymous, on Dec 8, 2008 wrote: are these like 8.5 x 11? just a guess since she said she prints them first. i’d like her to do one that’s huge, like 5’ x 5’
Anonymous, on Dec 8, 2008 wrote: i wish i could see the photo where she got the bears and topless girl image. it’s probably all warm and fuzzy looking and would look incredible framed in my apartment.
Anonymous, on Dec 8, 2008 wrote: girls that smell nice just make you want to like them even if they’re not that hot. that can be the factor that on a drunken night can take things from friend to the oh my god we just had sex.
Anonymous, on Dec 8, 2008 wrote: damn. i found one facebook pic but it’s too small to see anything. she’s probably better looking in my head anyway.
Anonymous, on Dec 8, 2008 wrote: i think the tracing would have bothered me more ten years ago but so much now isn’t completely original. photoshop and other programs have guaranteed this for the foreseeable future.
poozer, on Dec 8, 2008 wrote: this is a perfect example of ends over means, which is a good debate in the art world, i think. i love the end product here, but is it less enjoyable knowing that the images are copied? what do you think? i can get over that, myself, but i can certainly understand how some would have qualms with it.
queefer sutherland, on Dec 8, 2008 wrote: you sure it wasn’t a guy who interviewed her? it’s kind of creepy but i guess that’s the french for ya
Anonymous, on Dec 8, 2008 wrote: it appears pleasant but i have an issue with how she gets there. i mean i guess appropriate guys in the 80s made it so you can just steal shit and get away with it... but tracing? seems a little robotic
Anonymous, on Dec 8, 2008 wrote: trying to google and can’t find a picture of her. anyone else have luck?
Anonymous, on Dec 8, 2008 wrote: maybe the third drawing with the bears is her
Anonymous, on Dec 8, 2008 wrote: that rabbit-man drawing is creeeeppyy
Anonymous, on Dec 8, 2008 wrote: you cockteasers, show us a pic why don’t ya. break your little rule just once
