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Be it the grassy highlands, vast deserts, flowery meadows or snowy hills, the path you forge always leads to the centre of your dreams.
Round of applause for the first artist to grace our art kit artist collaboration twice — Sibylline Meynet!
To date, the French illustrator has collaborated with Mossery seven times, creating our full four seasonal covers collection, art prints, and the best-selling artist-curated First Edition Gouache Art Kit.
Now refreshed and restyled, we’re happy to finally introduce Sibylline’s Second Edition Gouache Art Kit with brand new packaging, workbook, guidebook and set of merchandise!
Read on to discover the illustrator’s insightful journey behind creating her second edition kit, artistic inspirations, personal advice for aspiring artists, and more—
Hi, Sibylline! Welcome back again, and thank you for making time for this interview. How was your break over the summer?
Hi, thanks for having me again! Well, I didn’t really have a proper break this summer. I worked a lot and left for a week in September for my honeymoon. I tried to rest and not look at my phone too much. It was nice to leave work at home for a few days!
We’re so excited about the release of your second edition Gouache Art Kit! Tell us about your journey through creating the kit! How different is the process this time around?
This time was different because I knew how the final product would look. So it was easier in a way, and a bit challenging too because I wanted to create a workbook that’s a bit more complete and complicated than the first one by adding more detailed elements.
With a completely new set of illustrations in both the second edition’s Practice Workbook and Guidebook, what kind of experience do you hope our users will have upon using the latest kit?
I really want the kit to be a fun way to learn how to paint with Holbein Acryla Gouache. For the first edition’s guidebook, I avoided mixing the colours too much to make it easier for beginners.
For the new one, I did my usual colour palettes and mixed a bunch of colours for almost every single element. So if people want to recreate my own colour palette, that will be an extra challenge too!
In the Guidebook, you’ve detailed the steps of painting with gouache clearly and meticulously. As a self-taught artist, how did you come to develop your current creative process?
When I made the first guidebook, I had no idea what my process was, and what it was based on. It’s only when I tried to teach myself how to paint like me step by step, that I understood there was an actual process behind my works. This was something I never noticed before I worked on the guidebook!
Let’s talk about your seasonal covers collection! With Winter Hares completing the full cycle, how does it feel to see all four covers finally lining up together?
It feels great! I never thought I’d do 4 covers for Mossery. I have always wanted to make a cover for Mossery and now I’ve made 4, which is amazing. It was a great exercise. I had fun with the colours and compositions, and I learned a lot while doing them.
Your covers exude a similar air of anticipation yet they each carry a distinctive flavour. Could you tell us more about your inspiration behind each cover?
Autumn Foxes is based on an idea I had in 2019. I wanted to create a mysterious and calm atmosphere with pastel colours.
Spring Collies was heavily based on Mossery’s suggestion for the spring design. They helped me with the composition and the overall idea.
Summer Lynx was a challenge for me because everything that I drew on this cover was a first for me. I never drew lynxes or a canyon before, and the palette I used was a bit of a challenge too!
Winter Hares might be my personal favourite. It’s simple and cute — and that’s what I wanted to do. The thing I liked the most about this cover is the colour palette, because a cold palette with a pop of red is something that always works for me!
What I like about the covers is that you get to decide who are the characters on this cover. Perhaps, witches and their familiars?
The women of your illustrations are often shown to carry themselves with confidence and grace. With that, what kind of message do you hope to convey to people who view your art?
Since I was a kid, women have always been my biggest inspiration. I just draw them the way I see them, and probably the way I want to be too. If people can see themselves in the characters I create, that’d be the best compliment and makes my heart very happy.
Congratulations on the launch of your new artbook, Rêverie! We heard that all your signed copies are sold out. That's amazing! What motivated you to create a book detailing your process and journey as an artist?
I own a few artbooks published by 3DTotal and was honoured when they asked me to make my very first book with them!
I get so many questions about my works, techniques, inspirations and style on a daily basis so I thought it would be great to have a big book answering these questions.
Do you have any advice that might be helpful for young artists who struggle to develop their own artistic style?
Of course, I have noticed that people are very interested in finding their own style quickly. But the advice I’d give them is to practice and observe before wanting to find their style. Style will come with practice and patience.
I believe someone’s style is personal and a result of years and years of experience, failure, influence, and understanding of their surroundings. I know it’s not a fun answer but that's what worked for me! And don’t forget that style also changes and evolves with time, and changing is not a bad thing.
Trivia question! If you were to travel the world by foot, which magical animal companion would you pick to follow you and why?
Probably my dog, Marty. I’d make him a magical living compass dog, and he’d be guiding us to the nicest lakes to swim and the loveliest spots to camp!
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Sibylline Meynet is an illustrator who loves to paint nature and adventurous women. Find out more about talented French Illustrator on her Instagram here and her website here.
Our new Sibylline Meynet Second Edition Gouache Art Kit is available now and shipping worldwide! Grab yours today and try your hand at Gouache with Sibylline, while stocks last!
We hope you’ll enjoy the illustrator’s curated art kit as much as we do.
Don’t forget to tag us with your unboxing clip @mosseryco on Instagram, we’d love to see them!
