Passionate about drawing and metro maps, Alexis Carlier mixed his two passions to develop his own universe.
-
Alexis Carlier
Alexis Carlier's work always revolves around the city's metro or tram map.
After Paris, Lille, Marseille, the young illustrator has just taken a bite of Rennes.
His success is such on the networks that the cards of the young man are now sold in the form of posters and communities - Saint-Etienne, Grand Paris - solicit him for orders.
He still struggles to consider himself an illustrator.
“I only did plastic arts option in high school but it stops there,” he says.
It remains more of a hobby even if it takes more and more time.
"On social networks, Alexis Carlier, alias Alcatela, however begins to make a name for himself with his drawings" of real and utopian cities ".
A year ago, he even had the right to his little quarter of an hour of glory with a tweet from the mayor of Paris Anne Hidalgo saluting his magnificent map of the Paris metro.
200 hours of work later, my Paris card is finished 😚 @ClientsRATP do you like?
pic.twitter.com/VAsYuAFkWf
- Alcatela (@Alexismouss) February 8, 2020
It is also the public transport networks of the cities that inspire the young artist from Lyon, now based in the capital.
“I am fascinated by the metro maps that I collect,” he says.
When I arrive in a new city, it's the first thing I take a picture of.
"From this consuming interest in transport, Alexis Carlier made a profession of it since after having worked at RATP, he recently joined IDF Mobilités, the transport union in Ile-de-France.
The young man, aged 24, has also drawn since he was very young and therefore naturally mixed these two passions to develop his own universe.
About fifteen cities already sketched
His first achievement dates back to 2018 when he was a student at Sciences-Po Toulouse.
His plan of the pink city immediately caught the eye of the manager of a stationery company who ordered several from him.
Since then, Alcatela has sketched around fifteen cities in France and abroad, including Lille, Paris, Marseille, Tokyo, Sydney and Rennes, its latest achievement.
To celebrate the arrival of the second metro line, Alcatela recently designed a map of Rennes.
- Alexis Carlier
"I only do cities that I know and where I have been walking around because I draw from my head," says the artist.
He himself recognizes that his line "is not very complicated" and that his city maps are "fairly minimalist and not necessarily representative of reality, especially at scale".
On the other hand, his drawings always follow the same logic.
"I first draw the metro or tram lines with the name of the stations, it's my framework, and then I compose around", explains the illustrator.
Local authorities are now ordering him
Although he does not know all the cities he draws inside out, his maps are very detailed and full of small details.
To do this, he calls on his community on social networks.
“People tell me the must-see places or cool addresses in their city and I add them,” continues Alcatela.
The plan of the city of Lille drawn by Alcatela.
- Alexis Carlier
The success is such on the networks that the cards of the young man are now sold in the form of posters.
And orders are pouring in from all sides.
Seduced by his work, several communities such as Saint-Etienne or Greater Paris thus asked him to place an order.
What to leave a little perplexed the young man.
"I'm enjoying it and so much the better because it may not last long but I really didn't expect it to be so popular," he smiles.
Reindeer
In Rennes, Pauline uses thousands of small dots to bring her incredible drawings to life
Lyon
Native of Croix-Rousse, Audrey Apruzzese, pen in hand, sublime Lyon, her inexhaustible source of inspiration
Subway
Public transport
Transport
Art
Drawing
Designer
Culture