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01.02.22

PEOPLE OF BEHAVIOUR

Maïlys Garcia

Maïlys Garcia is a concept artist on an unannounced project.

Tell us a little about yourself, what do you do at Behaviour, where do you come from, what is your artistic journey?

I’ve been happily working as a concept artist on a crazy project (^v^)  since last February at Behaviour!

I am originally from Saint-Cyr-Sur-Mer in the south of France and have been passionate about drawing ever since I could hold a pencil in my hand. I studied animation at Marie Curie (Marseille), the EMCA in Angoulême and then at L’École des Gobelins in Paris. I specialized in illustration and concept art before embarking on my great adventure to Canada seven years ago.

I worked over the years in concept art for the animation industry, then in matte painting in animation and for VFX. I went through several studios like MPC and Rodeo FX where I had the pleasure of working on Game of Thrones and Fantastic Beasts, among others. I then accepted a position in concept art and then as a matte painting supervisor on the last Sponge Bob (Paramount).

After these years of intense and technical work, I decided to reconnect with my passion for drawing and I had the pleasure of illustrating my first children’s book, ” La petite Reine au nez Rouge” by Frédérick Wolfe, which was published in February 2021 by Quebec America. A second book, “Pareils… ou Presque” by Marie-Claude Audet, is coming out February 15!

I’ve now been at Behaviour for about a year. My work here is creative and artistic and it’s letting me discover the world of video games. It fits nicely with my passion for illustration and lets me make both young and old dream by mixing traditional painting techniques with digital.

The BIG question – why do you draw??

I started in my high chair when I wasn’t even 3 years old and just kept going! 😊

What attracts you to the Inktober challenge?

The personal challenge of drawing daily for 31 days! It’s so, so difficult! I’m not a very disciplined person, so once a year it gives me a boost to challenge myself like this!

Can you tell us about your approach and the work you worked on during the Inktober? Did you have a goal? Was there a theme?

This year I decided to participate digitally in Inktober, for lack of time, because I am faster with this medium but also to continue streaming from time to time on Twitch. There is a theme imposed per day (this is the essence of the challenge) and to spice up the challenge, I decided to make the 31 drawings on the same canvas. As a result, the drawing evolved every day and gradually grew to form a single final illustration. It was nice because on Twitch those who came to watch could see the illustration advance live almost every day in October and give ideas, share and even participate in the finalization of the project! Twitch is really a super interesting communication tool and the Art community is generally nice and caring.

Congratulations on your recent profile by Adobe – that’s quite an honor! How did it feel to have Adobe say they want to profile your work?

Moved and stressed haha! It was the first time I did an interview, and a live one at that. I’m quite emotional in life so it was quite a challenge. It went really well and, in the end, I realized that I love sharing my knowledge and my background with other people, especially if it can help students who have questions or give some tips and tricks to enthusiasts.

What is life like for an artist at Behaviour? How do you perceive the relationship between video games and your art? Are there any advantages? Challenges? Fun?

Is it OK for me say it’s the dream? (◍•ᴗ•◍)❤ 

In all honesty, compared to what I’ve experienced, I’ve found a place in a studio that respects its artists, encourages personal development in all its forms and recognizes daily work. The world of video games is brand new to me and I realize that it is an incredible world of passionate people who love to share their knowledge and where the possibilities for creation are endless. There are challenges and fun every day!

Maïlys Garcia
Concept Artist