5 Minutes with SPHERE Illustrator, Tom Haugomat

American landscapes are a major source of inspiration for me and... When I travelled through California, I was struck by how vast and disproportionate everything felt compared to Europe. That sense of openness stayed with me. Even if this SPHERE cover scene is quiet and domestic, it carries something of that scale, that stillness you find in American nature. The horizon, the light, the migrating birds, they all reflect that.

My pieces have been described as inspired by the “rose-tinted spectacles of the past”, but in this cover design... I don't think I was aiming for a specific era, it’s more about a state of mind. There’s nostalgia, yes, but not for a precise decade. It’s that feeling of pausing and reflecting, of watching the seasons change through the window. The muted tones, the soft light, the stillness. They evoke a sense of time suspended.

The unique wraparound format of SPHERE really allowed me to... let the scene breathe. You can move from the interior space; this minimalist, almost Japanese-inspired living room; to the vast outdoors. That continuity between inside and outside was essential. It gives the viewer the feeling that they’re standing behind the man, sharing his view, maybe even his thoughts.

When I started out, my drawings were... very minimal, with lots of white space, few colours and very controlled. Over time I’ve become more naturalistic. I draw faster and more from observation. I also like it when things feel a bit rough, textured and alive. That roughness gives the image its movement and energy.

I began in animation, co-directing with my friend Bruno Mangyoku, but... after a while I wanted to find my own voice, a more personal way of expressing things. That’s how I came to illustration, first through editorial work and then picture books. I sometimes miss the sound and rhythm of film, but I love telling quieter, more contemplative stories now.

If I had to choose one artist to collaborate with, dead or alive, I think it would be... Ryuichi Sakamoto. His way of working - between music, sound, space, and emotion was incredibly open and generous. He managed to blur the boundaries between disciplines in a very poetic way. I would have loved to find a project where our worlds could meet: image and sound in dialogue, something quiet and contemplative.

I use art to escape from the hustle and bustle of Paris life, but when I need a physical break from the city I... take the car with my partner and kids, and we travel across France with a rooftop tent. We camp by lakes, in forests, or visit friends along the way. France has such a variety of landscapes, and I paint every day during those trips. Being outside for weeks recharges me completely. When I get back to Paris, I have new ideas, new colours in my head. It’s my way of filling the tank again.

My favourite part of the creative process is... that first moment when the image starts to appear. When the colours begin to take shape on the page. I draw directly in colour, so I see the piece come alive right away. That’s the most satisfying part, when the idea finally takes a visual form, and you can feel it working.

In my studio, I listen to... Nils Frahm, some of Flavien Berger’s albums, and Plantasia by Mort Garson, which is probably my all-time favourite. I like music that sets a mood rather than takes up space.

Growing up in Paris, the environments that inspired my creativity were... the Louvre, Beaubourg, the Musée en Herbe and small art-house cinemas. But what really shaped me wasn’t just the city, it was spending summers in the Alps. The mountains were both fascinating and a little frightening. That contrast between awe and unease, nature and structure, I think that tension still lives in my work today.

My favourite cosy spots in Paris are... in the east, around the Canal Saint-Martin, especially in autumn when the trees turn yellow. And now that I live in Montreuil, just outside the city, I’ve also grown very attached to it. It’s a lively place with a rich cultural scene, full of small cafés, studios and parks.

Right now, I’m working on... a children’s book based on a beautiful story about two kids who see the world in completely different ways. It takes place during a school trip to the forest, so there’s a lot of nature to draw: trees, light, textures, all the things I love.

handsomefrank.com/illustrators/tom-haugomat