Meet youlie | Illustrator from 8:40 a.m. to 5:20 p.m.

We had the good fortune of connecting with youlie and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi youlie, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
I worked for 13 years in different advertising agencies. 13 years of fun and lightness developing friendships, teamwork, work done with joy and good mood, and above all my creativity.
13 years old and 3 children. Then, came the famous questioning about the meaning of my life, of my values… I realized that my job was in total dissonance with my ecological and political convictions.
I drew more and more with my children, I remembered that I had always wanted to do that. I had forgotten, stupidly!
I have been an illustrator for 8 years now. Good, I’m 8 years old in my head !

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I’m not apart from anyone at all, I’m a perfectly ordinary girl: I live in the suburbs in an ugly town that I love. Picking up my food supplies at the drive-through always gives me so much tickling in my stomach… and my ultimate passion in life: highlighting my to-do lists in my diary. And if by drawing my daily life I can make people love the banality, then I am happy.

I work from home as an illustrator.
That way when a child has a stomach bug, I no longer have to on shit myself to tell my boss that I have to take a day off for a sick child.

As I write these words, my daughter is coloring MY sketches on MY desk, my son is on MY phone, I have a basket of laundry that prevents me from reaching my number keyboard, so I always haven’t done my accounting.

But I can draw in my pyjamas all day while listening to podcasts or go for a run at midday without anyone to warn.

Being an artist-author also means not having a regular salary, doubting all the time… But for me it’s a driving force. And the freedom it gives me is worthless.

I like to think that drawing books for children helps develop their imagination, new ideas, their sense of humor, perhaps a future love of literature or drawing?
I think the same thing about books aimed at adults actually.

I don’t care if I’m successful. I even have a big doubt when I see the amount of royalties I receive ha ha ha! The most important thing is that my family is proud of me, that I’m proud of myself. And have my to do list of the day highlighted obviously!

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Let’s stay in Seine-et-Marne. Paris is too touristy.

Monday: We’ll start by going to Papa Jacques Place Jacques Amyot at Melun to get a cheese platter with Truffle Brie and good wine chosen by Simon & Charlotte. Then we’ll digest it all with a trip on the Seine on a Stand Up Paddle.

Tuesday: Let’s go do some climbing at Rocher Canon in the Forêt de Fontainebleau. While we are there we can continue with a visit to the Château de Fontainebleau.

Wednesday: Do you like castles? Let’s go to Vaux le Vicomte, then to Blandy les Tours.

Thursday: We’re going to stay quiet at home, we’re having a barbecue with all our friends from the street: Sarah, Ez, Fabieux, Caro, JD, Marjo, Gui, Nath, Jérôme, Blandine, Math, Will, Pat, Jess & Jé.

Friday: Let’s go to Barbizon in the footsteps of the Impressionists. And take the opportunity to do an Urban Sketching session with my dad.

Saturday: A short jog on the towpath to discover “Les Affolantes” : the maddening houses from the beginning of the 20th century with architecture as crazy as its years. And we end up having brunch at the swimming pool. 64 Quai Maréchal Joffre at Melun. We will then go shopping at Poulette 3 Rue Jacques Amyot.

Sunday: We clean the henhouse, we make an omelette and we take a nap under the maple tree. Afterwards we might play tarot, and a game of Mario kart until no time!

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
My dad Philippe. Who taught me how to tie my shoelaces. And to draw. My mom Brigitte. Who taught me how to make apple crumbles. And to draw.
My little brother Antony. Who taught me how to pass the water world in Mario Bross 3. And to think.
My husband Julien. Who taught me not to care. And to send invoices.
My daughter Suzanne. Who taught me how to be a mother. And that I loved to draw.
My son Axel. Who taught me to set limits. And buying V-Bucks.
My daughter Celeste. Who told me that I was going to die, one day. And to love life.

Website: youliedessine.com

Instagram: instagram.com/youliegram

Image Credits
I have prepared a little comic book for you to introduce myself. Each box is numbered in reading order 🙂 illustration: ©youlie