Dorothée
Today we are traveling straight to Berlin to meet a very talented artist, Dorothée Hilbert, who juggles between street art, incredible portraits and sketches with the Slate.
I. Meet Dorothée
Tell us a bit about yourself as an artist. What is your background?
My name is Dorothée Hilbert and I was born in 1985 in Thuringe, in central Germany. Following various studies, I lived all over Saxony and Lower Saxony before landing in Berlin. This is where I found my new home.
Creation has been part of my everyday life ever since I could hold a pen. I started being recognized for my drawings at school and got a few awards for it. I was always motivated to try out new techniques, to improve and to “train” my eye. Thanks to my family and friends’ support, my hobby is now my dream job. I earn a living by producing pieces for digital and print media.
Where do you find inspiration for your artwork?
I find interesting people everywhere. I generally get inspired by their actions or their looks. And thanks to the street art scene in Berlin, I have been able to test out and discover so many things. And of course, internet and social media have given me access to a bunch of ideas!
What are your favorite drawings tools?
At the moment, I tend to draw on cardboard: from Amazon packaging or supermarket boxes. I absolutely love this material for its raw aspect, its color and its character. I like to use black and white watercolor pencils in addition to Fineliners and Sketchmarkers to give depth to my drawings.
Who are your favorite artists and why?
My first idol was not really famous. It was my art teacher at school. She led the path to creation and gave me lots of tips while giving the necessary freedom regarding the finality of work. She really boosted me on various projects. She’s the person I can thank for becoming a media creator for print and digital — while keeping art as a hobby. She’s basically an exceptional woman with endless creativity. Otherwise, I was obsessed with Albrecht Dürer and Salvador Dali when I was a kid.
Nowadays, I’m attracted to a much different kind of artists. I am lucky to live in Berlin and get to discover new masterpieces on city walls on a daily basis. They are internationally renowned artists like Herakut who impress me for their emotionally filled drawings and their technique. I love the contrast between Hera’s rough strokes and Akut’s love for detail for example. This combination is something that never ceases to inspire me.
Artists like Etam Cru are famous for their unusual, creative and colorful drawings. I too cannot stop staring at them. It’s inexplicable, just like a drug.
What piece of work are you most proud of?
There are a few drawings I love and that I will never sell.
I am especially proud of an order I worked on at the end of 2016 for a company called “LILALU”. They organize vacation programs for children every year in Munich. For the 2017 edition, I had to create an illustration about “Time Travel”. It is now on their website, on their Facebook page and was printed on the front cover of the program as well as on a few posters.
We see that you create a lot of wonderful portraits. Is it your favorite subject?
More than anything else! Capturing mimics, emotions and gestures as well as reflections in the eyes or on the skin is simply wonderful. Every human being is different and possesses his or her own unique charm.
What are your goals as an artist?
My goal is to find my own style and earn a certain recognition. I would also like to be able to dedicate my time more exclusively to art and production without constraint.
II. Dorothée & the Slate : the beginning of a great friendship
How did you discover the Slate?
The first time I saw the Slate was on a friend’s Facebook post. I immediately followed you on Facebook. I dreamed of having one! Then my parents offered me the Christmas Pack for Christmas and five minutes later, a good friend of mine was offering me the same thing — I couldn’t believe it!
Tell us about your experience with the Slate. How has it changed your creative process?
I am still in the testing phase and getting used to my Slate. We are getting to know each other. But our friendship is growing everyday! At the moment, the video feature is what fascinates me the most. As I love to document my drawing process, the timelapse feature is ideal.
What improvements would you love to make on the Slate?
An even longer battery life would be a plus as I like to take it everywhere with me. I would also love to have other Ring sizes to be able to use it with more drawing tools. In terms of handling, maybe improving opacity settings from the Slate itself and adding pressure.
I would also love to be able to choose the color, structure and clarity of the background paper in the app. The videos always get saved in landscape mode in the iPad app, being able to rotate the video would be quite practical. And finally, a higher file resolution would be great!
What is it about drawing that you love the most?
It relaxes me and I find serenity in seeing the result of my drawing. I find myself in a certain “flow”. It is something we find in dancing or music — we just let go. Free from our worries, from our needs, from our “urgent” matters.
What are you currently working on and what are your upcoming projects?
I do not have current projects, as I am waiting for brighter days to be able to draw outside. I can’t wait to see what Spring and Summer will bring!
To dive into Dorothée’s world, let’s head to Berlin on Instagram, Facebook or her website:
