Marina Byk, artist from Grand Pic Saint-Loup, combines photography and ballpoint drawing in sensitive and poetic works. Self-taught in photography and passionate about light, she enhances textures and urban landscapes. Each stroke reveals a story where chance and precision converge.
To begin with, can you tell us who you are as an artist and as a person? What is your background?
I was born in Lorraine in 1973, in a family that passed on the taste for drawing and manual activities. After studying visual arts, I turned to interior decoration, attracted by materials, objects laden with history, and color harmonies.
Self-taught in photography, I blend photography and painting to explore textures and light. For 12 years, I have also been a freelance artist, which led me to discover ballpoint drawing. Based on my photos, I transcribe urban atmospheres and portraits with precision and sensitivity.
Why the choice of the Bic pen? What are the technical challenges associated with this tool?
I started drawing with a ballpoint pen on film sets, where long waits pushed me to sketch the sets. Encouraged by those around me, it gave me confidence and got me out of my studio. I mainly draw from my photos, often urban ones, especially from Marseille where I lived for 7 years.
The ballpoint pen imposes strong constraints: impossible to erase, so I often make a preliminary pencil drawing for complex works, but I also draw directly for more spontaneous creations, which I call “letting go.” You need to work flat for the ink to flow well, and be careful of smudges while moving from left to right, as I am right-handed.
A little anecdote I often tell during my openings: with the ballpoint pen, you cannot erase. One day, on a drawing of Marseille, I made a little blot on the immaculate sky, which I wanted to keep white, without clouds. Ultimately, I transformed this blot into a seagull, which fit well with Marseille. I often tell this for laughs, fortunately specifying that it was not a big blot, because in Marseille, there are no condors! There you go, a little trick to divert an error.
How has your perspective on your own work evolved since your beginnings?
I have been drawing with a ballpoint pen for nearly 12 years, and I am proud to have been able to draw in public, facing criticism. I have greatly evolved my technique, particularly mastering shades of gray with the pen through very light gestures.
In recent years, I am leaning towards more letting go by inventing my images. Although recognized for my technique, I am encouraged to create more, which I do by exploring more abstract, personal drawings, appreciated by purists and lovers of more introspective art.
What is your creative process?
I often create from images that inspire me, particularly by reproducing photos, such as bokeh, this technical background blur that is very challenging to master with a ballpoint pen, requiring a lot of patience and precision. My A3 drawings often take between 70 and 90 hours of work, with precise grids to respect complex perspectives, particularly in representations like those of Marseille.
To lighten this rigor, I also practice letting go: I draw directly with the pen without a preliminary drawing, without seeking perfect resemblance, which allows me more freedom and expression. This method, which I have been developing for about two years, reflects a personal evolution, where I move from strict control to more softness and emotions. My letting go drawings frequently express deep feelings, such as wounds or fears, while carrying a symbolic dimension towards elevation and wisdom.
