BIOGRAPHY

Born in Marseille, Christophe MOREAU is a French artist.

Self-taught, he experimented extensively, using oil paint, pastels and even modeling before returning to the techniques he learned as a child: gouache, watercolor and mainly pencil.

Observation plays a large role in his artistic journey, influenced by the work of Dürer, Vermeer, Ingres, and Seurat. Particularly moved by their drawings and engravings, he has retained a particular attraction to black and white, its subtle rendering and its evocative power. He loves precision and working with light, which plays a central role in his work.

His drawings essentially combine two techniques.

The main one comes from watercolor: like a wash, layer after layer of pencil, it builds up the hues and contrasts with more precision than the painter, thanks to the fineness of the lead. The painting is built up zone by zone.

When the subject requires it, a reverse process is used, similar to sculpture. Large layers of graphite powder are applied to the paper and blended together using a stump. Using different erasers, the artist then sculpts the material to define the shapes and outline the final drawing.

Although working from photographs, Christophe MOREAU brings a personal perspective on reality to each work.

Moreau works exclusively in pencil, creating works that can look unmistakably like photographs. His drawings often require days or even weeks of work to achieve the desired result.