Rive Gauche

Bringing together the outstanding Photoshop skills of Frank Neidhardt with Marcel Laverdet’s extraordinary CGI talent, Rive Gauche is a Parisian illustration studio that specialises in turning dreams into reality. From fairy tale princesses to talking frogs, and from volcanoes exploding with flowers to ultra-realistic rainforest scenes, Frank and Marcel not only create engaging characters and immersive settings, but they do it with dramatic flair, captivating the viewer while powerfully communicating their client’s message.

The beauty of working with Rive Gauche is that although the work comes with a photo-quality finish, no photoshoot is required. The angles, lighting and colours can all be adjusted quickly and easily to perfect the final image. A whole range of styles is accommodated, and with decades of experience between them, Frank and Marcel have the ideas and expertise needed to take creative briefs to another level. Influences include Gustav Doré, Drew Struzan, Frank Frazetta, Alfred Hitchcock and Martin Scorsese.

Approach

“Our approach is cinematic,” says Frank. “We ask ourselves the same questions a storyteller would, then try to set up our artwork like a director would set up a movie set, choosing the frame, lens and depth. Then we create it in 3D and with Photoshop.”

Styles

Photo realism and three-dimensional cartoons are the two main styles Rive Gauche works in, but flexibility is key. Using their complementary skillsets, Frank and Marcel will arrive at the right style for their client’s project.

Client list

Some of Rive Gauche’s clients include Kellogg’s, Der Spiegel, Le Figaro, l’Express, RTL Group, Bertelsmann, Sat1ProSieben, Hachette, Bayard Presse and Glencoe Publishing.