Dominique Laurine
Thank you for your interest in my story! As you probably can guess, I'm Dominique Laurine, a Dutch animal artist, born in the 'Burgundian south' of The Netherlands in the autumn of '92. And, the face behind all of this.
Since I was young, I was always drawing animals, especially horses. This continued over the years and eventually, I was accepted art the Art Academy in Breda, but I rather consider myself as self-taught since I've learned the skills and all kinds of specific techniques all by myself over the years.
My art style can be described as modern-classic clean fine art, anatomical correct and true to nature. It's modern-classic and traditional and always with warmer colour palettes. In the eyes of art experts, watercolor is the most difficult medium to work with because water does whatever it wants and it's unforgiving for mistakes. But, I wouldn't be Dutch if I can't control water, right?;)
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WHY DIFFERENT ART STYLES?
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Why different art styles? Not even that long ago I asked myself the same question, as I never did quite understand why I always switched or 'wanted to', especially when I saw others always very committed to their 'one style'. But, it's the variation that gives me energy. One moment I just absolutely adore the coziness of a chalet in the Alps while a few minutes later, I dream about a summer evening in the countryside of Italy. Or, strolling through the lavender fields of the Provence and enjoy the Spanish city vibes of Seville in July.
So, why should I limit myself in art when you can perfectly combine those styles, all focused on the same theme? All of the mediums (oil, watercolour, gouache, pencil & ink) have their own unique charm and it’s super refreshing, for yourself, to see and discover what you can create with it. And, when the colder seasons arrive, I more inspired to do woodland animals, as well painting exotic wildlife during the summer days.
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THE REAL VALUE OF ART
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When investing in an artwork, you don't invest in a piece that's been made in a couple of days. You will receive years of dedication, experience and practise, years of frustration and euforic moments when you finally reach the result you are looking for and working towards. That is the real value of art, not the amount of working hours. You literally invest in a piece of the soul of the artist, made for you.
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MY LOVE FOR NATURE & THE FOREST
As soon as I could walk, my parents took me and my twin brother to the forest almost every day with our Golden Retrievers. And, later on with horses: I even started horsen riding when I was 6 years old. This is why I absolutely adore nature in all of its seasons. From freshly mowed grass on a summer morning to the smell of burning wood at the fireplace during winter with a misty, spooky weather type: nature is always fascinating in its own way.
When I go for a stroll in the early morning in the forest and I hear a green woodpecker or when spotting a roe deer, I'm directly inspired to put it on paper. This is why I'm very attracted to the woodlands, also because of the classic look of forest animals. Although I do love the city, I can't imagine a life without the woodlands and nature in general.