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I Quit My Job As A Baker To Become An Illustrator

I’m a French illustrator who quit his career as a baker, and left a work domain with lots of opportunities to take a leap of faith and try and work in what I’m most passionate about.

I’ve always been passionate about art. I used to spend hours and hours in my room drawing, I wouldn’t listen to my teachers and kept drawing in class, and I’d bring my tools everywhere I’d go. I used to only work in black and white, but I started going with colours when I bought a second-hand graphic tablet. I’m enjoying the process of discovering new brushes, techniques and forms of art, and I believe that I’ve made some progress even if I’m far from a lot of artists that publish their work out there. But I want to believe that my creatures and little monsters can make other people happy too!

However, as many of us know, art isn’t an easy way to make a living. So I first went and studied bakery and pastery instead when I was 17, which I enjoyed for a while too of course, just to make sure I’d have a job, no matter what. I’ve spent almost 10 years as a baker in France and in Tokyo, Japan, and still kept drawing whenever I’d have the time. I even went to an art school while working, but never actually took that leap that would make me happier.

The world being locked down, I used this time and started working on personal projects again. I can only wish to drag more visibility to my work and get constructive feedback to tell me how to get better. Times have been hard and there has been a lot of doubt, but I hope that with time and motivation (which isn’t that easy to find when you’re working from home!), I can make a living out my work.

Today, I can’t actually imagine going back to a job I do not enjoy as much. I’ve been able to start small projects as a professional, such as logos or personified illustrations, but also bigger projects like posters for cultural events in my region.

I got my artist name, Oni, from my passion for Japan and my 3 years living in Tokyo. I would absolutely love to be trusted to illustrate a whole set of a boardgame for examples, or books for kids. I love working with imagination and suggest stories through characters and settings, which the viewer can interprate however they want.

I took a leap of faith 7 months ago, and even though times have been hard and my motivation has taken more than a few hits at some points, I think I’ll persist in this path for the time being. I hope you’ll enjoy what I make, and can give me positive or constructive feedback!

@oni_work

-Oni

More info: oni-work.com