Colour Me In Malika

At the beginning of 2020, I decided to put my love for all things art and design down on paper. Multiple friends suggested I start a blog, so, with my notebook and pencil at the ready to write/draw ideas and the kids at school, I looked to see what new exhibition I could visit, only to find “Closed due to Covid-19” on all gallery and museum websites. Still, I needed to keep the thirst for knowledge and inspiration flowing. I took to the internet and my books instead. The research led to the French Illustrator Malika Favre. Immediately I fell in love with her style and strong sense of identity.

“I love curves, organic shapes, and very bold reds and blues…”
Adobe Facebook Artist Profile

While Favre’s work takes industry, commercialism, controversy and the complexity of everyday life and simplifies it contextually, she visually brings together solid, bold colours, the clean lines of Pop Art and the monochromatic illusions of the Op Art movement. The result is a humorous, sometimes risqué, visually stunning work of art that portrays an idealistic and beautiful alternative to what we know as the truth.

“I think I have a very feminine approach…”
Creative Boom

Primarily dominated by the female form, her work oozes strength, sex and power. Women are quietly confident in whatever scene she places them in. In all walks of life. In all eras. In all relationships. Her women represent the essence of all women and I think this is why I felt that immediate connection with her work. She portrays the woman I strive to be. A woman who knows herself. Unafraid of venturing into new territory and starting again.

Malika Favre, herself did this. She may have spent her childhood drawing with her painter mother, but she had a very different beginning in contrast to her creative life now. Having grown up with little money, she sought a career in engineering “to be rich”. Quickly realising this was not the path for her transitioned to graphic design and advertising instead. Now, having worked with the likes of The New Yorker, Sephora, Vogue and BAFTA, she’s one of the most influential freelance illustrators in the world.

Having immersed myself in all things Malika Favre over the past few isolated weeks, I am inspired. By her own admission, she believes ‘less is more’ and, in this case, less definitely is more… particularly due to her clever manipulation of space. Her work is a visual orgasm of the senses. Her zest for colour and beauty, her honesty and her career are admirable. More importantly, she starts “working in [her] PJs at 11ish”. A woman after my own heart.

*main image is a free Malika Favre colouring page but as I didn’t have a printer, I had to digitally take part.