Everyday Heart: The Art of Pascal Campion

 

A boy carefully walks the trunk of a fallen tree, his father inches away, hand held out, invisibly guiding his son — there in case of a misstep to catch the boy’s fall. The image is called ‘The Talk.’ The description from artist Pascal Campion is in the form of dialogue and reads —

-Watch your step Colin.. that’s a big and slippery tree.
-Is it dead?
-Yup
-Why did it die?
-I don’t know.. maybe because it was old.
-Does everything die ?
-Yes
-Why?
-It’s just the way things are.
-Daddy.. are YOU going to die?
-Someday, yes.
-I don’t want you to die..EVER!!
-…. I’m going to be around for a long long long time.
-Promise?
-Pinky swear
-..Daddy?
-Yes?
-Am I going to die?
-…..

We might not all be parents but we have all been kids and as you get older and potentially wiser, you understand that invisible hand guiding you, not expecting you to fall but there just in case you do. ‘The Talk‘ is a static image that depicts a difficult yet common event in an unabashedly heartwarming and uncomplicated manner. Throughout Campion’s portfolio of work shines these everyday moments of life and love, of friendship and family.

As a visual development artist for the likes of DreamWorks Animation, Disney, Cartoon Network, and Paramount Pictures  Campion is called upon to create a blueprint for the visual identity of an animated project. This identity has to break down how characters move in their environment, how the color and design fosters the emotional core of the narrative. In each of Campion’s images there is clarity — we see love and joy, romance and happiness. This is where Campion’s illustrations take flight, as agents of sentiment and heart.