The Call of the Wild.
As well as being the title of a famous novel, these words suggests the close connection we ought to have with nature.
An ancestral bond that would be much stronger were it not put to the test by the countless pointless and digital ‘connections’ that get in the way every day.
However, despite the noise, there are moments that bring this deep bond back to the surface.
When lockdown was imposed a few years ago, it forced a lot of people to slow down, and allowed them to focus their energy internally and silently restore contact with themselves.
During this period, Laurine asked her dad to write a few poems on forest life; on the daily routines of its inhabitants both large and small.
This provided the inspiration for the magnificent illustrations that today accompany those poems in a self-published book, now printed and ready to leaf through.
A book that stemmed from a human story, but that brings us back to the inscrutable and eternal dynamics of nature.
A book that embodies human aspirations and creativity and the reassuring and fascinating appeal of trees, branches and tireless animals.
In this article, we take a closer look at Laurine, her world and the passions she transposed onto paper.
Enjoy.
Who are you? Tell us about yourself, what you get up to in life, and your dreams, aspirations and talents. A short but faithful portrait!
I’m Laurine, a french creator, illustrator, and graphic designer. I draw my inspiration from nature, the forest, and its animals, and I also enjoy working with wood. In 2019, I founded “Atelier du MordArt” to share and showcase my creations.
Before telling us how your idea was born, can you explain to our readers what you produced using our printing services?
This year, I published my very first book, inspired by poems about the forest. I had it printed with PIXARTPRINTING, and I’m thrilled with the final result, both in terms of quality and the way the illustrations turned out.
Let’s go back to the moment it all began. When did you come up with the idea for this design? Did you stumble across it by chance? Tell us a bit about how you devised the concept.
During the Covid lockdown, I asked my father to write ten poems about the forest… and he gave me a complete notebook of drafts. I then decided to turn it into an illustrated collection with watercolor. Thanks to my skills in graphic design and layout, I was able to create the book entirely from start to finish.
Once you had found the right idea, you had to set an objective. What did you want to achieve with your idea?
I wanted to bring to life small, everyday stories of nature and pay tribute to our forests and their inhabitants. To show that, in nature, life swings between tragic moments and wonderful ones, and that it is this contrast that makes it so beautiful.
With the idea for the design and the aim you wanted to achieve sorted, all you had to do was create it! How did you do it? What were the design phases and how many were there? Tell us about the process that brought your idea to life and made it ready for printing.
I first selected the poems and organized them in order using layout software. Then, I created the various illustrations, which was the most time-consuming part. Gradually, I integrated them into the file and assembled the book step by step, adjusting the graphic style to achieve a result as close as possible to what I had envisioned.
It’s time to print! How did you use print-on-demand to produce your design? Which materials did you choose? And why did you choose these materials and this printing technique?
As with all my projects, I compared many online printing services before making my choice. I was impressed by your selection of papers, particularly a highly textured one that perfectly preserves the illustrations and is ideal for art books. I chose a hardcover with a gold spot varnish, and the result is absolutely stunning. I’m really delighted with it.
Now it’s time to make the most of the products you created. How did it feel to see them finally printed?
Unboxing the book was an emotional moment — I was really afraid the colors wouldn’t turn out the way I hoped. But I was pleasantly surprised by the result. The paper’s texture is truly unique, very tactile, and it almost feels like touching the original illustrations. Everyone who flips through it is first intrigued, then completely charmed. The final look fits perfectly with the book’s natural theme.
This is only the start! What other projects do you have planned for the future? Can you share them with us?
I’m of course continuing my custom work in drawing, painting, and pyrography. I’ve also recently added some lovely puzzles to my shop. At the same time, I’m working on a second book, although I haven’t revealed the theme yet — the forest will once again play a central role, as it’s truly my universe. I’d also love to expand into textile products, such as printed kitchen towels or even t-shirts.
IG: https://www.instagram.com/atelierdumordart/
FB: https://www.facebook.com/atelierdumordart/
Website: https://laurinelopez.com/