ALEXANDRE ROCHE
TEiriz - Tell us a little bit about yourself. When did you start to work with illustrations and how this path led you to board games?
AR - I am 36 years old and i live in La Rochelle, France. I studied in arts college where i learned to drawn. After that i worked in advertising agency and i learned the graphic design. I'm in freelance since 2005. I started illustrations for game board at this date when my wife introduce me to the "world" of game board. My first gameboard was "Nefertiti". The authors are Guillaume Montiage, Jacques Bariot and thomas Cauet.
TEiriz - How many games have you done the artwork for, and in which projects are you working right now?
AR - 9 games. You can see most of them on mys website: www.alexandre-roche.com
Right now, i don't have project. I've just finished "Inca Empire", "Troyes" and "Piedpipper". Now, i plan my travel to Essen game fair.
TEiriz - Your style varies from the more “serious” or to the more cartoonish, how do you coordinate the line of work for the different styles of board games?
AR - The style depend of what my customers want. I like change style so it's not difficult for me to change it. It's a challenge ;-)
I must say that my way to adress drawning is specific. For me, styles of drawning and painting are a combination of colours, shapes, lines, dot etc... so i choose what i thing it's better for editors, players… and me!
TEiriz - Besides board games, do you do illustrations for any other media?
AR - Yes for advertising, magazine or web but it's a very small part of my job now.
TEiriz - where do you get your inspiration and how do you do the research for your drawings?
AR - My inspiration come from the life around me and artistics discipline.
For my research : web, book (i read a lot) and other gameboards.
TEiriz - How do you credit the success of a game to its illustrations? How important they are to the success of a game?
AR - I think illustrations are important for the success of a game.
But the more important is the design of the game. Because players are very expert now ;-)
And advertising and retail sector! A success is a combination of these differents sides.
TEiriz - Which are your favorite games and your favorite games designers?
AR - I like most of the game, but i played a lot to "The Setlers of Catane", "Carcassonne", "Viva Topo!", "Time's up!", "Caylus", "Nefertiti", Carson City", "Puerto Rico". I feel sorry to say, i know not much games designers. But in France i like Bruno Cathala, Ludovic Maublanc. Switzerland: Sébastien Pauchon, Germany: Claus teuber, Belgium: Xavier Georges, USA: Alan R. moon and Alan D. Ernstein for Inca Empire, a very good game!
TEiriz - Do you think that board games can be use for an education purpose?
AR - Yes, but i think it's more important to have fun when we play. And learn with fun too ;-)
TEiriz - What you know about Portugal? Have you ever visited Portugal?
AR - Yes, i visited Portugal when i was young (10 years old) with my parents in a camping car. It was a lovely trip! I remember chicken and fish on barbecue with salt only, delicious! Portuguese are very nice! When i will have money and time, i will travel another time to Portugal!
TEiriz - Thanks for taking the time to answer our questions, and we hope to see many more of your artwork in the future.
AR - Thank you too for you're interest to my work.