Gilles Rainville illustration

The creation of life is a miracle every creature experiences. From plants, to insects, to animals, to us, this cycle is inevitable and beautiful. Embryo is a representation of the interconnectivity and interdependance of life within nature.  This design was inspired by my previous work In Utero  https://gillesrainville.blogspot.com/2017/05/cycle-in-utero.html Enjoy! The term Mama Bear, for me, has always meant a mother at her most caring, protective and fearsome. That's why I chose grizzly bears as my subject. The roots were chosen as a symbol for the interconnectivety of life that surrounds us all.   I started by doing a quick sketch of my idea. Here are the photos I referenced for this piece. After choosing my references, my design changed. I probably should have drawn a new sketch but instead I dove right into the piece. I started by gesturing in the basic forms, making sure that I had the right ...

As part of the Cycle series, the chosen pieces were designed to represent three cycles that effect nature. The first was Life and Death. The second was Respect and Responsibility. Desintegration is part of the third, which is Cause and Effect. Climate change is effecting nature in ways that could have a catastrophic effect on our species. Sir David says we face "irreversible damage to the natural world and the collapse of our societies". from the BBC article:  Climate change: Sir David Attenborough warns of 'catastrophe' Ironically, in large part, we are the cause. "... there is a strong, credible body of evidence, based on multiple lines of research, documenting that climate is changing and that these changes are in large part caused by human activities. While much remains to be learned, the core phenomenon, scientific questions, and hypotheses have been examined thoroughly and have stood firm in the face of serious scientific debate and careful ev...

This is the first piece in the series where I included a human figure. I wanted to explore our role within nature. While we are part of the animal kingdom, because of how we have evolved and since we affect nature on a much grander scale than any other species, I believe our role is of much greater importance. Therefore, we have an equally greater responsibility towards it. This piece started with yet another abandoned idea. That of animals being reborn from a man of roots. To start, I researched some root textures, took out my how to draw human anatomy books, took a different point of view, and started drawing a new man of roots. I work by drawing gestural three-dimensional shapes first representing the basic form of the different parts of the body, then adding the detail over these shapes to complete a sketch of the composition before adding colour. I always keep perspective, three-dimensional form, and the dynamic rhythm of my lines in mind while I draw.   ...