An artist who makes hundreds of thousands per year selling his pieces to the stars has revealed that regular people “hate it.”
When Lewis Rossignol found a passion for drawing as a child, he didn’t expect to turn it into a lucrative career producing artwork for celebrities across the globe.
Now, the 44-year-old has worked with Tyler, The Creator on an album cover, Malcolm in the Middle star, Frankie Muniz, on a personalised portrait of the show and Bryan Cranston.
While he can make up to $15,000 (USD) (£11,000) a pop and claims that some prints have gone for six figures before, not everyone is a fan of the artist’s style – with many calling him “unskilled.”
“Generally, all of the negative comments are along the lines of: ‘Looks like a toddler made this’ or claiming a small child could easily do it – something ignorant,” Lewis told NeedToKnow.co.uk.
“They’re trolls looking for a reaction and it’s almost someone who has never really accomplished or been successful [in life].
“It makes me chuckle and I honestly don’t care how people react to my work, as long as they’re reacting – no reaction is the worst insult of all.”
Lewis, who suffers with tourettes syndrome, finds drawing helps to calm his tics when they’re bad, along with finding joy in the smell and texture of different art forms.
Growing up, he graduated with a degree in Art and Design, before getting his first paid opportunity with a local magazine editor.
Now, his portfolio stretches much further and his artwork is often displayed in galleries across the country – which has grabbed the aforementioned celebrities’ attention.
He said: “I was contacted through an Instagram message after [they saw] my work.
“I didn’t even see Tyler, The Creator’s message until weeks later and he messaged me a few times before I got back to him.
“I almost missed out on a big opportunity, but working with him was huge and I was so grateful.
“I am a massive Malcolm in the Middle fan, so finding out that Frankie Muniz enjoyed my work was a thrill.
“It’s also great to see someone whose work you love feel the same way about yours.
“Drew Taggart gave me the opportunity to create a really large piece for his home and some other people who follow my art are Channing Tatum and Mike Dirnt from Green Day.
“[I’ve also worked with] Cartoon Network and Adult Swim.”
In one clip, posted on TikTok, which has racked up 5.5 million views and over 448,000 likes, he reveals the process.
He begins with drawing various lines on a piece of paper, before colouring the design in.
Finally, he shares the finished product; an abstract cartoon of a man driving a green Chevrolet.
Users have flocked to the comments to share their reactions, with many left with mixed thoughts.
“I let him cook and I regret it,” one person said.
Juan added: “It’s giving left hand energy.”
“Why so many likes? Did I miss something?” another person commented.
Pedro said: “People don’t understand that it takes skill to draw like a child.”
“Why did I trust the process?” added Bonnie.
Oliver said: “Didn’t look promising but it turned out great.”
The artist shares his work online to engage with his audience better and despite the insults, he continues to make a well-earned income.
Lewis, from Maine, US, added: “Depending on the size, small prints go for $500 (USD) (£400) and paintings for a [minimum] of $4,000 (USD) (£3,000).
“I honestly don’t know how much I’ve made, but I think drawing helps me zone out and get out of my own head.
“Creating art has done more for my mental health than any medicine or therapy ever could.
“My process videos seem to be divisive as people either really like it or hate it, but the negativity only drives me further.
“Everybody doing anything cool or different will have haters.”
