HERoes: Marguerite Sauvage

We get a chance to have a pressure free conversation about comics with women in the comics creators community. Their creativity is inspiring to people throughout the fandom who enjoy their work.

They are our HERoes.

From women of might like Misty Knight and Wonder Woman to superhero angels like Marvel’s Angela and Valiant’s Faith, Marguerite Sauvage has ethereally covered the women in comics that has won audience over. There is a grace to her work that immediately grabs your attention and makes you immediately want more. Well, here is your chance for more as Comicosity readers get a chance to find out what Sauvage loves the most about comics, and what her own influences are while working. Plus, be sure to check out the gallery of more stellar artwork below.

faith_002_cover-b_sauvageJessica Boyd: What is your favorite aspect of comics?

Marguerite Sauvage: For as far as I’ve seen from this past 2 years and a half working in the industry I do like the reactivity and the concerns comics creators and publishers are working on. For example the hard work on diverse body positive representation (speaking of this working on Faith is a delight), ethnic diversity, more and better representation of women or LGBT characters, etc…It seems like there is no shame to talk about the failures in representation and of the efforts that are planned to improve it.

Jess: What is your favorite part of creating comics?

MS: Layouts, it’s the most creative part, it’s when you draw and express yourself. Then after I really enjoy colors, it’s stress-less, very instinctive and rewarding.

JB: What issue or series or artist has had the biggest influence on your work?

MS:   Oh, this is a hard question, there’s so many artists from so many various fields that have influenced my work. As a drawing artist I love Toulouse Lautrec, the pre-Raphaelite movement, John Singer Sargent, etc…but also artists coming more from the entertainment field like Moebius or Rumiko Takahashi. I’m also very influenced by movies (Terry Gilliam, Martin Scorsese…) or novels (John Irving, James Ellroy…), music, etc …

JB: What is a typical creative working day for you?

MS: 8 am coffee and breakfast, cat cuddling, then after communicating on the social medias (nowadays a big part of the success as an artist is communication, it’s the rule you have to admit, talent is not enough), then opening Manga Studio and/or Photoshop and start working. I take a break for lunch, and do some activities on the evening, cultural, social or sport, it’s also very important for fueling your creative brain.

tumblr_o9whk6ld0y1qe04zro1_12801-768x1152JB: Musical inspirations? Or do you need quiet to create?

MS: Quiet when writing or doing layout, it request too much concentration. Music on inking and coloring. Lately  I’ve listened to The Divine Comedy, Bat for lashes, Nick Cave, the BO of Stanger Thing (that means a lot of Joy Division), Agnes Obel and Prokofiev, and a lot of podcast about science and society.

JB: Do you feel artists can be “typecast” by comic book genres or stories?

MS: For a reason of graphical coherence and narrative efficiency I guess they are.

JB: What is one of your favorite stories you have ever been part of creating?

MS: So far I enjoy all the stories I’ve work on, but my heart vibrate more when I think of the Sensation Comics Wonder Woman story and the Civil War story: these are two shorts, one about street harassment and the other about grieving, so two themes that touch me.

JB: What role do you think social media plays in comics or the comics industry? How has that changed since you began?

MS: Unfortunately I began in comics not enough long ago to notice a difference. As an illustrator, that I am from 2001, I notice a big difference. When I started I had to take my book and meet the art directors for real, take the train to appointments, etc, and getting a representative was a big part of the success key. Nowadays artists send emails with a PDF or communicate on social medias. Representatives look like being less and less needed, publishers and art directors are more accessible, but they are overwhelmed by direct solicitations. So yes things have change, we need to adapt.

tumblr_nv8q30kbph1u1hhkco1_12801-768x595JB: What is some advice you wish someone had given you before you began working in the comic medium?

MS: Don’t be too much influenced.

JB: What message(s) do you hope people get when experiencing your work?

MS: In this world there’s also happiness and softness.

JB: When it comes to comics, “all I want or dream is …” 

MS: Doing a very graceful, meaningful and contemplative story.

If you would like to check out other works by Marguerite Sauvage please see the gallery below. Plus you can check out www.margueritesauvage.com/ as well as her work currently available on ComiXology.com!

You can also see the latest of what she is posting on Twitter at @S_Marguerite.


 

 

 

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