Tenzin Tsémé, illustrator based in Sainte-Marie-la-Mer - France
An illustrator in the Pyrénées-Orientales
Welcome tothe world of Tenzin Tsémé, an illustrator based in Sainte-Marie-la-Mer, near Perpignan, in the Pyrénées-Orientales. A world populated by improbable cities, villages suspended in mid-air, imaginary architecture and places that sometimes seem as though they might once have existed somewhere.
Using ink, felt-tip pens and splashes of colour, Tenzin Tsémé builds up her drawings, house by house, line by line. Villes et villages imaginaires, illustrations détaillées, formats carrés, affiches illustrées et créations abstraites create series that combine precision of line, freedom of form and a taste for travel.
Some works spring entirely from the imagination. Others begin with a real place, a house or a photograph provided to the artist. Explore the collections, works in progress, available works and commissioned illustrations.
Illustrations by Tenzin Tsémé
Between imaginary towns and villages, square-format compositions and abstract works, Tenzin Tsémé’s illustrations explore universes where architecture, line and colour meet.
Created using ink and felt-tip pens, with touches of colour varying from one series to another, these works play with detail, form and imagination. Each collection has its own rhythm, ranging from meticulous black-and-white drawings to more free-flowing compositions.
Villes et villages - Formats carrés - Abstractions - Affiches illustrées
Custom illustrations
Your house, your street, your village or your town
Using your photos, Tenzin Tsémé creates an original, bespoke illustration for you, capturing the spirit of the place and the emotions it evokes in you.
Family homes, favourite streets, village courtyards or urban landscapes: every commission is created with care, in a style combining delicate lines with black and white or colour. Prints of your commissioned illustration can also be ordered for yourself or as gifts.
The artist and her creative journey
Illustrator in the Pyrénées-Orientales
Tenzin Tsémé’s creative journey has developed gradually through drawing, illustration and writing. Self-taught as an illustrator, she has spent several years developing a highly personal world in which imaginary architecture, houses, towns and villages play a central role. imaginary architectures, houses, towns and villages play a central role.
Her work often stems from a detail she has noticed whilst travelling – an architectural feature, an atmosphere, or simply an imagined form. These fragments then become new compositions, without seeking to faithfully reproduce an existing place. Drawing then becomes a way of inventing places that might exist, but which cannot be found on any map.
Based in Sainte-Marie-la-Mer for 10 years now, situated between the Mediterranean and the Pyrenees, she is now pursuing this research through a number of interrelated practices: illustration and writing, with the same taste for imaginary worlds, details and stories that everyone can project onto a work.
Explore the shop
Original artworks and fine art prints to bring a piece of Tenzin Tsémé’s world into your home.
The shop brings together a selection of original illustrations and fine art prints. Each original is a unique piece, drawn and signed by Tenzin Tsémé. Selected works are also available as fine art prints, allowing you to choose the format that suits you best. The original works are one-off pieces, drawn and signed by Tenzin Tsémé. Some creations are also available as fine art prints so you can choose the size that suits you.
New works are added to the shop regularly, as new series and pieces are created in the studio. Members of the Cercle illustré can discover them 24 hours before they go on public sale..
Tenzin Tsémé, illustrator in Sainte-Marie-la-Mer,
between the Mediterranean and the Pyrénées France
The Illustrated Circle, the link between us
The Illustrated Circle is an invitation to step a little further into Tenzin Tsémé's universe and discover what goes on behind the scenes before a work is completed and presented to the public.
Cercle illustré is an invitation to step a little further into Tenzin Tsémé’s world and discover what happens behind the scenes before a work is completed and revealed.
In the studio, an illustration may begin with a few lines, the idea of a village, an architectural detail glimpsed somewhere, or simply a combination of colours. Cercle illustré is where these creative stages are shared: works in progress, research, studies, details, inspiration and new series. works in progress, research, studies, details, inspirations and new series.
It is also here that the upcoming collections and certain workshop news will be unveiled, in step with the creations, without systematic or superfluous mailings.
Members of Cercle illustré enjoy exclusive access to new works 24 hours before they go on public sale, giving them the opportunity to discover each release before anyone else, so that you have time to get a sneak preview of them.
Cercle illustré also holds a few surprises: from time to time, a member will be selected at random to receive a fine art print of an illustration by Tenzin Tsémé..
Step into the studio and join Cercle illustré.
FAQ – Tenzin Tsémé
Who is Tenzin Tseme?
Tenzin Tsémé is an illustrator based in Sainte-Marie-la-Mer, near Perpignan, in the Pyrénées-Orientales. She creates imaginary towns and villages, detailed illustrations, square formats and abstract works, in black and white or in colour.
Can I buy Tenzin Tsémé's works?
Yes. The shop displays the works currently available along with their characteristics: dimensions, technique and type of work. Depending on the creations, you can purchase either an original work or a fine art print.
What is the difference between an original and a fine art print?
An original artwork is a unique piece created directly by the artist. A fine art print is a high-quality reproduction produced from the original artwork. When an illustration is available in several formats or versions, this is clearly indicated on its product page.
Can I order a custom illustration?
Yes. Tenzin Tsémé creats personalised illustrations from your photographs whether they show a family home, a street, a village, a town or another place that holds special meaning for you. Rather than reproducing the photograph exactly, she reinterprets the place in her own distinctive graphic style.
How can I discover new works before they go on sale?
The Cercle Illustré offers a behind-the-scenes look at the studio, works in progress and new creations. Members also enjoy exclusive access to new works 24 hours before they go on public sale, giving them the opportunity to discover each release before anyone else.
Where does Tenzin Tsémé work?
Tenzin Tsémé works in Sainte-Marie-la-Mer, on the Mediterranean coast near Perpignan. Set between the Mediterranean and Pyrenees this environment is part of her everyday creative life, even though the places depicted in her work often travel far beyond the region.