Born in Beirut, DAVID HABCHY is an illustrator and animator with a different aesthetic. With a great balance of technical training to base his creativity on, David is one of those artists that captures your interest with just one look at his work. We were lucky enough to be able to interview David and see what the difference is between Lebanon and the United Kingdom, what his new collaborations are, and what other illustrators catch his eye.

Tell us a little bit about you, where you were born, your family…

I was born in Beirut, Lebanon, but I moved several homes during the war.  I constantly visited my grandparents and a few of my friends in the village.

“When I grow up, I want to be…” Did you always want to become an illustrator and animator?

I never thought of what I wanted to be when I was young.  My only interest was to live every moment and tell it over and over again, until I discovered a visual approach of expression; illustration and animation.

How did your time at university go?

The major I chose “Computer Graphics and Animation” was relatively new; and somehow risky.  I spent most of my university years in the drawing studio and art courses I was not enrolled in.  In a way, I created a program of my own.

Would you say it is necessary to be formally trained to make it as an illustrator and animator?

I believe an illustrator/animator should not only be trained technically, but must also know how to use this knowledge and build on it to reach his ambition.

I see you did a short book course at Central St Martins? How does the English education system compare with back in Lebanon?

I found that, compared to Lebanon, the English education system is quite straightforward.  The system has few expectations from the student, and criticism is always constructive.  However in Lebanon, a student is always expected to master everything perfectly.  This creates competition between the students, and I admire this in a way because I believe it helps them improve.

I checked out your blog klekeesh.blogspot.com and I see you are a very busy man! You finished not long ago your first children’s illustration book “Haltabees”. What attracted you to working with poet RANIA ZAGHIR?

There are many talented illustrators in Lebanon, but not too many interesting children’s books that provoke a child’s imagination. RANIA ZAGHIR is an author and an independent publisher who challenged the system and created a purely imaginative story for children.  I was intrigued by the story and wanted to support it with my illustrations.

“Hibr.me” is a large-scale independent & citizen media outlet in Lebanon. What is your involvement with this large-scale blog and collective?

Hibr is a collective Lebanese newspaper where people can express their thoughts in a different media. My contribution to the first issue was a couple of illustrations from my blog to share with the readers.

Do you follow politics and is it something that informs your practice as a designer?

I have no television at home, so I put my mother in charge of emergency calls in case politicians in my country decide to play.

How did you come about collaborating on the Lebanese hip-hop rap band Ashekman’s video for their new song “7itan 3am te7kineh”?

I had worked on a project with MOHAMED KABBANI, one of the singers in Ashekman, earlier, so he contacted me for the video clip.  I worked on the clip with ALAIN NASNAS, founder of the BAN (Beirut Animation Network).

What computer software do you use and what is your animating process like?

Usually, I don’t have a specific process, because every project is a case study. I use the digital tablet wacom for digital illustration on Adobe Photoshop, Adobe After Effects for 2D animation and 3D studio max for 3D animation.

Do you keep an eye out for any fellow designers’ work out there? Who do you particularly like?

I follow a lot of fellow designers’ work but there’s a blog that makes the process easier: kootoob.blogspot.com because it updates me with all the news concerning illustration and animation in Lebanon.

What is the Lebanese illustration and animation scene like? How does it compare with the UK scene?

The illustration and animation scene in Lebanon is fresh and booming so it is a good time to experiment because everyone is watching. In the UK, you are a fish in a sea so you have to work hard to prove yourself.

Who influenced you in terms of developing your work and what do you take inspiration from?

I was always inspired by the poetry of my friend SOHA AWWAD.  I am very enthused by oriental music and old Lebanese houses or abandoned places and people. Lebanon is rich in characters, emotions and memories.

What is a typical day in the life of DAVID HABCHY like?

I wake up very early, around 4:30 am, to illustrate, animate and eat vegetables. At night, I visit Beirut, mostly Hamra when all the traffic is gone and the streets are quiet…

Written by Valerie Pezeron

Images courtesy of David Habchy

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