Meet Agnès! Known as ‘Sunshunes,’ she is a 28-year-old artist and fandom member from France.
Describe yourself in three words.
Passionate. Dreamer. Anxious.
How long have you been drawing?
It may not be the most original answer, but I have been drawing since I have been able to hold a pen properly. I started drawing more seriously in high school; it was a safe way for me to express myself. I haven’t stopped since.
Tell us about your process. What’s involved? How much planning is involved with each piece, and how long does it usually take you to do a typical drawing?
I start with a sketch (more or less detailed, depending on the project). For some illustrations, I design mood-boards to have a more solid basis for the ideas and my inspiration. Then comes inking and coloring. That last part is, more often than not, the longest. I am very meticulous and also a perfectionist, so I prefer to take all the time I need to create my illustrations. Some drawings can take me more than a week to complete.
What do find most difficult to draw?
Without a doubt, framing and surroundings. But this year is the year I’ll include more of them in my creations!
How did you get involved in the Shadowhunters fandom?
My friends Davina and Melanie know all about my obsession for details and styling and used it to get me into the fandom. They sent me a screenshot from Harry’s Instagram story showing details of Magnus’ accessories and that was all I needed to become obsessed with Magnus before even watching the pilot!
Tell us a little bit about your coloring book, how did that come about? And how long did it take you to create?
I had already created a coloring book based on the musical Hedwig and the Angry Inch, and it had been such a great experience! Creating a coloring book is totally different from just creating an illustration, there are different parameters to take into account. As a freelance artist, there is nothing more satisfying than holding in your hands something you have made; it’s probably the thing I love the most about my job. As for the time it takes to complete a project, it depends on the layout and the number of illustrations I need to do. But I’d say roughly two to three months. I’m working on the second opus now!
Who is your favorite character to draw and why?
Probably Magnus, because his character offers so many possibilities, be it his hair, his make-up, or his outfits – I really like fashion, maybe a bit too much [laughs]. And I like ‘casting’ him in AUs. At the moment, I’m working on a concept with Magnus as a Wiccan who specializes in flowers and plants.
What is your favorite episode of Shadowhunters and why?
Season 2, Episode 18. This episode is a cry-fest every time I watch it, and I love it. The build-up, the rhythm…and there is a lot of purely aesthetic beauty to the Malec scenes. It touched me deeply, and it gave me a lot of drawing ideas (if only I had the time to do them all).
What has been the best part of your fandom experience so far?
Meeting the cast during cons. All the actors are magical and adorable, and it’s a joy to meet them; all of my conversations with Jade, in particular, were amazing. And all of the other fans I got to meet, some of us have become really close friends. It’s incredible what a show can bring to one’s life!
Unrelated to Shadowhunters, but you have some official merch featured on Computer Games’ website! How did that come about?
Yes, I can’t believe this happened! For those who don’t know, Computer Games is band created by Darren Criss and his brother Chuck. I am a big fan of Darren’s. I have a lot of admiration for him and everything he accomplishes, and he is an inspiration to my work and in my daily life. He and his brother launched an EP and I loved the song so much, I had to draw some fanart for it. They saw it on Instagram and reposted it on their account. Sometime later, I got an email from Darren’s manager offering to buy the copyright for that drawing to use it in their merch. I remember that evening like it was yesterday; it was truly a dream come true! Several months later, they announced the launch of the merch with pictures of Darren wearing a t-shirt with my drawing on it; all I can remember is being in a pool of tears of joy! It was incredible and I really hope I have the chance to meet Darren again if only to thank him for the opportunity.
Like what you see? You can follow Agnès on Twitter, Instagram, and Tumblr.
