“Hip Hop is definitely where I found most of my inspiration. I love drawing the iconic artists who inspire me. And the community is amazing as well: Hip Hop heads love to see their favorite artists portrayed, most of the artists are amazed by art… it’s a really cool movement.”
Mr. Noast is an amazing self-taught artist who has a flair for drawing. Mr. Noast is mostly a hip-hop illustrator, which he describes as his second passion. This is what Mr. Noast has to say when we sat down for an interview-
You’re a self-taught artist- how did you teach yourself how to draw so wonderfully?
Thank you very much for the compliment! I think it’s all about time, hard work and determination. It’s kind of cliché but there are no secrets: I’ve been drawing every day since I’m a kid. The more you practice the more you improve. I really feel that I have a lot more to learn and to improve though. I love drawing, it’s more than a passion, it’s a lifestyle, and as long as I keep on drawing, I’ll push my art forward.
You mostly a hip-hop illustrator. Why stick to this subject?
Hip Hop is my second passion. It’s an incredible culture, so rich and huge, with many different aspects. The whole aesthetic of hip-hop is dope : clothes, jewelry, visuals… Hip Hop is definitely where I found most of my inspiration. I love drawing the iconic artists who inspire me. And the community is amazing as well: Hip Hop heads love to see their favorite artists portrayed, most of the artists are amazed by art… it’s a really cool movement.
You show us the process of your drawings. Why do you choose this approach on your Instagram?
I think the ‘work in progress’ process is an interesting approach. A lot of people love to see a drawing step by step, and I’m one of them. You literally can see the drawing slowly coming to life, from the sketch to the final detailed piece. I can show people which tools I’m using or which part I focus on at the beginning of the drawing process. At the end if you take a look at the many ‘WIP’ pictures of a drawing, you realize all the work that was done before getting the complete artwork.
Why do you stick to mostly pencil drawings?
I’ve always used graphite pencils, so it’s kind of natural for me. I’ve also tried watercolor and pastel for some landscapes art. I like graphite because the large range of hardnesses allows me to make shades and contrasts perfectly. Moreover I like black & white because it allows emotions and feelings to stand out in very intense way. I believe that black & white photographies are the best. I try to recreate the intensity and the life’s sparkle seized by a photographer, and I think pencil drawings are an incredible medium for such a purpose.
Is there any other type of art you’d like to try in the future?
Sure. I have so many ideas to make my art evolve. I’m used to only work on portraits but I would also like to focus on my own photographs as reference for my future drawings. I want to keep exploring the hip hop universe but I’d also like to widen my artistic references. That’s why I plan to experiment new tools and types of drawing, especially colored illustrations with ink and felt pen. I’m immensely inspired by artists like Bernard Rollins (@bnardartwork), Terrance Whitlow (@terrance_unchained)… I’m really looking forward to try new things!
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