Justin Houle is a technical specialist. His background in graphic and textile design gives him a solid knowledge of techniques, and allows him to combine many of them in his artwork.
When he creates, Justin juggles between marker drawing, painting, silkscreen printing and digital work. A nonconformist, he mixes traditional techniques that imitate engraving to create modern and surrealist designs: “I’m very specific about my research and technical exploration; I take a figurative and surrealist approach.” He explores and surpasses himself on a daily basis: “From canvas to paper to exterior walls, projects are only as big as they are challenging."
For this protean artist, preliminary research is essential and brings depth to his artwork. His design experience leads him to create in a more rational and strategic way: “I’m guided by preliminary technique choices, and desired results are determined during this research.” During his creation process, he enjoys the transition from sketch to final illustration: “A sketch sometimes says a lot more about the creative process than the final result.”
Tools are also central to Justin’s creative process. According to a Quebec proverb: “A bad worker has bad tools.” The same is true for designers, artists or craftsmen, as tools are essential to controlling a project’s creative process and success. For Justin, tools accurately shape expected results: “Mastering tools and appropriate surfaces allow you to create in a regular and controlled way.” His tools are therefore selected according to the techniques he plans on using: “For painting, I work with quality pigments that dry to vibrant, saturated and stable colours. With markers, the working surface is very important, and the process changes from one surface to another. Techniques must be in perfect harmony with the surface, otherwise the process is much harder. For silkscreen printing, it’s a masterful combination of all materials; it’s a set of precise pieces that must be in perfect harmony in a well-arranged space, so that I can create in a coordinated matter.”
His DeSerres experience
“Teaching children how to draw and paint allows me to be in touch with some of the most creative little artists. Children have no filters and can be guided without restriction; creativity is their only limit. It’s a unique phenomenon to see raw art at work, the beauty of creativity in full expansion.”
