MARGAUX SAMSON-ABADIE
Margaux Samson-Abadie is a freelance illustrator based in Dordogne, France, who specializes in animal illustrations and wildlife patterns.
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CREATIVE STATEMENT
My interest in wildlife illustration began in childhood. I wasn’t going for anatomical accuracy at the time but my subjects of choice when I was little were bears, cats and swans. Over the years, my expertise in fauna illustration has developed due to my increasing interest in biodiversity and habitat conservation. As an illustrator who specializes in depicting animals and their environments I nurture this focus by documenting myself through various sources such as wildlife documentaries, environmental focused podcasts and scientific literature. What I love most about illustrating wildlife is the ability to intrigue the viewer only with an image: an illustration of an animal is a great entry point for a child (or adult!) to learn more about a species, to learn to care and protect biodiversity and the environment. To create a successful fauna illustration I believe it’s important to have a good balance between physical accuracy and expressivity of the subject. To maintain my skillset, I keep a sketchbook in which I experiment with different mediums and try to draw animals from observation as much as possible.
RECENT CLIENTS
- Wide Eyed Editions
- Firefly Education
- UQ Press
- Resurgence & Ecologist
Q&A
What animal do you most relate to?
Cats I guess—I need their company and calming presence.
What animal is the most fun to draw?
Any animal with a beautiful pattern—fur, feather, skin—is fun to draw: I enjoyed drawing Caribbean reef squids and their changing patterns lately. Also penguins, I love their funny bodies and how they look silly on land and graceful in water.
Which do you prefer: cats or dogs?
Cats—I practically worship them! I love them both as a species and as individuals: they have such different personalities, they can be mysterious, goofy, independent, cuddly but always so cute.