Laure Drou
Immerse yourself in a world of vivid colors and the cozy warmth of daily life. Artist Laure Drou, with her unique wax pastel illustrations, welcomes us into a space where cooking and still life blend into a harmonious mix of color and texture. From her early, color-focused art lessons to her sunny days in Marseille, Laure’s experience demonstrates the power of instinct and the beauty found in simple objects. This interview reveals the stories behind her compelling compositions, her deep connection with color, and her recent book project celebrating the resilience of the black bee. Get ready to be inspired by her passionate approach to art and the joy she finds in turning ordinary moments into extraordinary visual feasts.
Hello Laure, how are you? Can you tell us a bit about yourself, who you are, where you’re based, and what you do?
Hello! I’m doing great, thank you. I’m an illustrator and I recently moved to Marseille. My work is very much about the culinary world. I also love still life. My images are very colorful and warm. I draw exclusively in wax pastels.
You started taking drawing classes at an early age. What memories do you have of that time, and which artists or illustrators particularly marked you at the time ?
I started drawing lessons when I was 6. I did a lot of watercolor, and my teacher wanted us to tame color without being afraid of it. She had us copy paintings by great masters like Turner, Monet or Odilon Redon. I remember staring at these images for hours, fascinated. I have a strong souvenir of Turner’s foggy skies.
Your learning was centered around color. Can you tell us more about your relationship with color and how it influences your work today?
Thanks to this education, I’ve never been afraid to use color. I have an instinctive relationship with it. I draw realistically, but I'm not afraid to change the color of certain elements to make the composition more striking. I create my own ranges, letting myself go. You shouldn’t be afraid to try combinations. Sometimes I’ll change a color completely during the course of a drawing because the whole thing just wasn’t working.
I took a scientific color course at art school, but I didn’t really like it. I work much more by feeling when choosing my colors.
Did your experience in Argentina have a significant impact on your artistic practice? What colors, what atmospheres did you bring back from this stay?
I lived in Argentina for 4 years. They were incredible years of immersion in another culture. I studied for a master’s degree in cultural management and then worked with an artist for a year. During those 4 years, I think I really needed to accumulate experience, to live it fully without taking the time to settle down. I didn’t draw that much.
But I did travel a lot in the country, and I saw some amazing landscapes that still nourish me today. I keep in my mental library the red ochre of Salta’s earth and the blinding white of the salt desert on the Bolivian border
Your time in the bookstore and at the Klindoeil shop was decisive. What marked you the most in these experiences?
I spent a year working in a bookshop and five years at the Klin d’œil boutique. Thanks to this experience, I was able to meet lots of creative people, many of them became friends. It made me realize that drawing could become a career and not just a hobby.
So, alongside my work in the boutique, I began to develop my own personal style. The founders of Klin d’œil also encouraged me to show my work, and I designed several posters for exhibitions. This gave me confidence and led to my first professional commissions.
What attracted you to Marseille? How does this new environment influence your work?
The sun! The light is really incredible here. My boyfriend and I had been wanting to leave Paris for a while. We often came here on weekends to get some sun. So when it came to choosing where to live after Paris, we followed our instincts, even though we didn’t know anyone there.
I feel that living by the sea is starting to influence my work. The special blue of the Mediterranean sea and the golden light at the end of the day are showing up more and more in my drawings. I’m also drawing more fish. I love going to the fish market in the old port in the morning to observe the day’s catch, discovering lots of new species.
Why did you choose to focus on still lifes? What elements of theses compositions particularly attract you?
I like to draw still lifes because I find that simple objects can reveal a lot about ourselves. For me, it’s a kind of portrait. They are moments in life that tell a story. I also take great pleasure in drawing fruit and flowers. Their texture and shape are a delight to draw!
How do you design your compositions? Is there a particular method you follow?
When I worked at the Klin d’œil boutique, we used to do a lot of ceramic exhibitions. We always used flowers to set up the vases and animate the store. This created some very inspiring compositions. I’ve kept this taste for staging.
To create my images, I often start with a strong central object, around which I add elements that match its color or shape.
Can you tell us about your recent book collaboration with Justine Nerini?
We published our first book with Justine in November. It’s an illustrated documentary about a beekeeper who raises black bee queens in Savoie. The book retraces Kelly Duqueine’s journey to save the black bee, which was almost extinct in France. She denounces intensive beekeeping, which abuses bees and impoverishes the environment. The book argues for a return to sustainable agriculture in harmony with the living world.
It’s a 110-page book that I drew entirely by hand. It was a very shaping experience. It took me out of my comfort zone, and I drew a lot of landscapes, something I hadn’t really done before.
What are your favorite techniques? Do you use digital tools or do you prefer traditional drawing?
I draw exclusively in wax pastels. I discovered this technique 5 years ago and fell in love with it! I used colored pencils a lot before, but the advantage of wax pastels is that they’re very soft, so you can cover a lot of surface area much more quickly. They’re also very pigmented, so the colors are vibrant and can easily be blended to create new shades or gradations.
I don’t work on tablets or digital. I’ve tried several times, but nothing beats the feeling of drawing on paper. Also, I find that with digital, the fact of being able to go back so easily kills the spontaneity of a first sketch. When working on paper, there are happy accidents and you have to know how to readapt your drawing. When you arrive at the final result, it’s even more satisfying because you’ve managed to master your paper and your composition.
How would you define your style? What are the elements that characterize it?
I think my style is a bit naive, warm and familiar. There’s always a lot of color, it’s joyful. These are bits and pieces of everyday life that caught my eye. They often take place in the kitchen, as it’s the heart of the home.
What are your current artistic goals and future projects?
At the moment I'm working on a series of large-scale drawings about the market. I now have a big art studio, so I’m taking advantage of this change of scale in my drawings too. I’d really like to do a solo show.
I’m also planning to work with restaurants, as the world of cooking continues to fascinate me.
Laure Drou @laure_drou
www.lauredrou.com
Find the book “Reines des pics” here