See your daydreams come to life in Carole Maillard’s candy floss-coloured illustrations

Creative expression can often be a portal to self reflection, and for the illustrator Carole Maillard it was through drawing that she realised that while she may not be “good with words”, or striking up conversations, it didn’t mean she couldn’t forge deep and meaningful connections. Her works predominantly focus on bonds between women and daily life, often using text to create atmosphere or tell a story. Sometimes these stories draw from Carole’s personal relationships and experiences while some draw from overheard, or even fantasised conversations.

When describing her style Carole centres on its whimsical nature; its pastel palettes, “shaky lines”. This daydream-like effect is achieved through a blend of digital and analogue techniques, like soft pastels, watercolour, and graphite. In amongst a whole host of influences, Carole highlights fashion illustrators from the 1920s and 70s like Georges Barbier and Antonio Lopez as being figures she looks up to, for their detailed depiction of clothing and “delicate but strong” portrayal of women. Their presence is legible in Carole’s work, with her carefully composed, intricate outfits and quietly confident characters.