This video was unusual for me to make: it was an attempt to integrate art with more academic disciplines, but it was also about getting a chance to collaborate with an artist I admire. I tried something new, but I'm not sure if the format worked. Was the scope too big? Was it interesting to watch? I'd love to hear your thoughts (because I really enjoyed putting this together and hope to continue making vids that are more than just drawing tips).

"he looked like a cat drinking vinegar" I'm obsessed with this description

This is what Christmas must feel like.

I lowkey wanna see a Marie Antoinette version of this... the three versions could be like the gorgeous glutton for luxury items, the simple 'country girl' deluding herself in her personal farmhouse in midst of the Revolution, and the true version who was a misunderstood lonely princess who wanted to live her life regardless of the strict social structure that Versailles thrusted upon her Amazing video btw! I love how dramatic the evil ver is with Louboutin cape

If Robespierre's life was fiction, it would probably be considered an excellent and almost textbook literary tragedy. That it actually happened in real life, how someone who once opposed the death penalty instituted the Terror, how an avowed pacifist eventually presided over what was the largest war in history at the time, how a simple lawyer along with the people of France toppled a thousand year old tyrannical institution in 3 years just to be called tyrant himself, and how at the very end he was robbed of the voice that made his career, is something that's almost too extraordinary to be true. In the end though despite everything I have to go with Napoleon's judgement that he did emerge superior to the throng and essentially saved the revolution from disintegration. Anyone who can steer a nation through a chaotic year like 1793 when France had to fight a European war and civil war at the same time and somehow have the nation emerge even stronger has my grudging respect

I am literally in love with your style of presenting.

As a history major, I come back to this video every so often. Not only do you possess a great style of presenting and teaching, it's one of the most beautiful and expert ways to meld two different content areas. The expert way in which you detail different artists perspectives on a historic figure is so fascinating. You're very well spoken, and well organized. Everything is clean, clear-cut, and your process is very thorough. It makes me feel as though I am watching a master artist crafting something extraordinary. What excitement, what beauty!

Im a teacher, and this level of instruction is incredibly beautiful and interesting. This is history as it should be, can be, ambitiously taught. I aspire to be close

Your "Good" design for him makes him seem like Anna from Frozen. Curious, joyful, ever the optimist. It feels so different when compared to his "Evil" design, which gives off a feeling of being in a dramatic horror novel from the early 1800's. Its like I'm looking at a perfect representation of Jekyll and Hyde. One side looking pure and kind, but underneath is a dark, cruel, murderous personality that only his victims see. I love the representation you use in your art, and your style of art is elegant and beautiful as well. I would love to see this as a TV show.

I'm just so happy that this video now exists yes, the format worked a treat. I'd love to see more like this!

this video is INSANE i feel like i should be paying for this

i love how this video promotes the message that history isn't a one-sided story. it's a complex one full of diverse characters with rich backgrounds and reasons behind their actions that we cannot completely articulate. nobody is truly a villain in history; like you said, it's the most well known but least understood that are portrayed this way. every person has a bad side and a good side. Not only that, but the presence of a "neutral" side allows us to find balance between different elements of our background, experienced and personality while reflecting who we truly are, what we aspire to be, and the things we've done.

I'd love to see these designs in a historical show, basically showing Robespierre starting off as a hero, but becomes the villain as the series goes on

I can't be the only one who after watching this is wondering why animated historical dramas aren't more of a thing?

This video is SO aesthetically pleasing and interesting loved every second of it please make more like this one !!!

I must say, as a history buff and aspiring writer with no sense of fashion, I applaud your ability to seamlessly blend personal psychology and historiography with fashion while keeping it engaging and informative for laymen like myself. This is a masterclass in thought process, collaboration, and execution through and through. Obviously, it’s your channel and you can do what you like, but I’d love to see more profiles of this sort for people ranging from Machiavelli and Shakespeare to Ibn Battuta and Ashoka. Either way, fantastic job!

The Evil Robespierre's cape concealing a rich, royal, red lining actually plays really well into how he's often (mis)characterised by those who see him as The Villain - a man pretending to adhere to progressive ideals, while becoming the very type of despotic leader he had condemned. In a story leaning towards this narrative, this visual element would illustrate his betrayal of the revolution's beliefs. Just a cool thing I noticed

Janelle’s work is so out of this world, I’ve been in love with it ever since the Warm Welcome short film! I’ve never seen people draw characters with such elegance :D

En tant que français passionné par la période révolutionnaire, je ne peux que m'enthousiasmer pour votre projet! Les trois versions de Robespierre sont magnifiques et je trouve que la version neutre est la plus aboutie. Félicitation pour votre travail passionné, votre art est magnifique , ravi que vous le mettiez au service de l'histoire de France!

It's safe to say this is one of the most original and entertaining educational videos on a historical person, fashion and art. As an art historian and a cultural anthropologist I believe this way of presenting and educating to be the future! The whole secret of transmitting knowledge about the past is being able to do it through a modern medium and current understanding which you did perfectly. Please consider making more videos like this one, I am a 100% sure you're onto something...revolutionary! 😉

this video fits my niche perfectly - its got history, historical fashion, character design, animation, pretty much everything im interested in. if i were to make a yt channel i would want to make videos like this. i would love to see this become a series, if you’re interested in making more!

Man, im stunned. this was such a cinematic masterpiece. art, information, audio, editing, just everything was amazing! you are such a blessing and one of my fav content creators. this format is also so creative and fresh, a feast for both intellect and artists. its also great to see an artist who doesnt shy away from putting in the proper research and actually seems to be interested in acquiring knowledge since theres usually this stereotype of artists being bad at school :-p i would LOVE more videos like these!

The way you tell his story, The research, THE ART, MY GOD THE STORYTELLING IN THE ART

I was born and still live in Arras, Robespierre's hometown, (his house is now a museum !) He is such an important yet controversial figure here, and I'm sad that the French don't really have a good understanding of English because your video is so cool and so interesting and it deserves to be shared, especially with the people of Arras! Keep up the good work this is amazing !

We literally NEED more shows, movies, and animations set in the 1700s because that time was such an interesting time with the fashion, art, etc. I would love to see shows that show the daily life of people in that time, the rich, poor, whatever, because theres NOTHING that could make you bored when it comes to fancy gentlemen and ladies with 10 feet tall hair😚

It's interesting that the "neutral" form you settled on is a cool jade colour, an opposite to the hues of red used in both good and evil. It really makes the two sides stand out, yet, look somewhat similar in their colours at least. Cool!

I would make a historic impact if it means getting an aesthetic documentary like this

I always come back to this video, because this video is just absolutely beautiful. Storytelling and art wise, I love the connection between telling Robespierre different lives with art, showing all sides of the story, while bringing history into of this. As a history buff, and an artist, my mouth drops every time I watch this video. It’s just beautifully handcrafted.

i just wanted to say that the art style used here is simply gorgeous it's inspiring me so much i just don't know how to explain props to the artist :D

" and france was undergoing... a rather *violent* identity crisis " just gold. as long as this video- the blending of academics with your storytelling techniques? perfect.

The fact that you posted the video on July 27th is genius (the day he was arrested).

These character designs videos might be the best ones I´ve ever seen in KZfaq. There´s literally no way to explain how these videos make me feel. Not just the talent you have to thoroughly create such stunning characters with loads of details, or your PRECIOUS style, but also the way you explain the whole process with great passion. It reflects the fervor you put into your designs. I wish I could express myself better. Nevertheless, your content inspires me a lot, and I hope I could become as good as you are someday.

This is the kind of videos that should be shown to first time people on KZfaq. To show that this place isn’t as terrible as it seems. This place can hold great beauty and passion if you know where to look. The amount of work that these people put into a single video astounds me. If more people on KZfaq put as much work as you do into your videos KZfaq would be significantly better.

OH THE ANIMATION AT THE END WAS BEAUTIFULL IM IN LOVEE

The art is so beautiful, I love the designs and colors and styles!! The animation made my jaw drop it was amazing to see how smoothly they transitioned, and how the movements reflected the personalities!! I love this video so so much

Je suis française et je dois avouer que la mode de cette epoque est magnifique. Ton style de dessin va bien avec l'univers 😊🇫🇷

I like how almost all of them have sort of bird like vibes, Good is, as you said, like a pidgeon and more innocent. But in Evil I got raven or crow-like vibes, very thin and brooding and an almost beak-like face.

Red was actually a pretty popular and common colour among the lower classes during the 18th century, the warm colour was thought to bring warmth and health to the wearer. If his coat lining was dyed with madder he would have been able to affort it.

I’m genuinely in love with how you meld history and art like this. You’re my favourite to listen to!

I started painting a few weeks ago on a specific portrait, and I never had anything to listen to while painting to give me inspiration, but listening to your videos always gave that. But this one is by far my favourite video( Circe being the second) it's very mesmerising listening to you and I guess it makes my paintings more confident :')

As someone who loves history and is a visual learner this is really interesting to watch. Also love the thumbnail art. ✨❤

The feather- weapon detail was exquisite.

This has become one of my favorite videos on KZfaq, sometimes i am looking for inspiration or just energy to continue drawing, and this video is the answer most of the time, how you can portray character and illustration creation so beautifully, the music, your voice. Everything is so well-made and interesting, constantly waiting for your next upload. Good luck and thank you so much

oh my gosh I just gotta say that final animation blew my mind! I love how you presented the history as well as the art. The aesthetic and feel of the video was very comforting as well as not too distracting and easy to follow. I've seen this video on my recommended many times but I have put it off until now, and I am so glad I watched it now! From a character design perspective, this was very enlightening. I feel inspired to do character designs after having been in a art block for a while ^^ Thank you so much for this video!

Can you imagine how amazing it would be to see someone dressed in clothes like this? I would lose my mind admiring everyone's beauty!

This video and this character remind me of a manga I read called Innocent. The story follows a man from a family of executioners and takes place In France during the time of Marie Antoinette. The ending wasn’t the best but I enjoyed the read and recommend it for anyone who enjoys historical story’s.

This video is informative, understandable, aesthetically pleasing and organized. Finding such a gem is rare on KZfaq these days. Thank you!

I can't describe the sense of peace this whole video brings me. I remember it had appear on my recommended videos years ago, but it never quite catched my eye until one day I gave it a try. The way the stuff it's explained, expressing details about the era, the way you illustrate the process of character design, it's pure talent. This video always accompanies me on days I feel lost.

I absolutely LOVED this video, the approach and choices made to design a character, the history facts and every single bit of information you gave us! as someone who found it impossible to understand and concentrate during history lessons when I was a teen, this was such a pleasure to watch, I felt like you grabbed my attention completely, I would love to see more videos like this in the future! love it!

This is an amazing project!! I've never seen your videos before but combining animation with history like this is something I've never seen. I love how you show the process of your character design and how it's influenced by different historical records. I'm about to go into a BFA in game design and I'm a big history lover, so I'm absolutely fascinated. I might try to explore this a little bit in my own art, it's a gorgeous way to present history and looks like so much fun!

Incredible, honestly. Entertaining, visually pleasing, awesome audio quality- I thoroughly enjoyed this! Not to mention, the animations, which were stunning. I loved the transition between each design.

As french person who's not really into history, you almost make me want to know more about my country. The presentation, your sweet voice, your style, the color you use... it's delightful ! 🌸

It was such a lovely collab experience and seeing the reception makes me so relieved. What better ways to remember 10 Thermidor than seeing people learning its complexity through an untraditional form. Thank you again for reading my way-to-long essays and offering this chance to collaborate. Also, I highly recommend everyone to check out the Further Reading hehe

This video was a masterclass in editing to engage and present a ton of information in style! I'm completely inspired - what a wonderful way to give us history and art! Thank you! x

Truly this is one of the most informative and yet relaxing videos I have seen on here. The fusion of art, fashion, and history really beckons me everytime; the presentation is quite organized and makes linear and other sense. I also admired how you collaborated seamlessly with Jonelle in regards to the renderings, and your voice and music are cherries on the top. Thank you so much for this presentation.

And she strikes again! Gorgeous in every single way, this video just makes me want to pick up my pencil and draw! It's stunningly educational, both in terms of the history surrounding Robespierre and how character design influences the way we look at said character. Combine that with a soothing voice, two very very skilled hands and Louie Zong's incredible sound, and there you go, 15 minutes and 8 seconds of my time fantastically well-spent!

The reveal of the Neutral ✨Main Character✨ Robespierre between the Twisted and Romantic types was so visually pleasing, many thanks! This was so stunning!

Holy crap, finding your channel is like sifting through mud pilled murky water and finding gold. I really love your style and the amount of new ideas I've learn just by watching 15 minutes of your content worth like 2 months of studying. Thank you, and you're getting yourself a new subscriber.

I just wanted to say I love this video! The music is perfect and the audio makes it so enjoyable to watch or even just listen to. I love the graphics and the background of history. I come back to this video again and again because it is so comforting. It was amazing to hear of a man that was so gentle yet so cruel, it reminds us that humans are so complex. Thank you for making such a wonderful video ❤

your way of storytelling is truly a captivating thing, something which you amaze me with every time. as a self-taught artist who's just finding their wings, i learn so much from every one of your videos and appreciate them so much~

Fun fact, my dad used to tell me that our name, Robe, is actually the remain of the Robespierre family, who change their name after the révolution... I am pretty much ashamed of this, since Robespierre was not quite à great person, and i actually went pretty surpised that you talked about him ! Anyway, i love your art obviously, thank you for this superb video ! :)

Damn, this video is amazing! The stunning visuals, the fitting music, the sheer amount of work behind every frame feels so overwhelming that it's almost a shame to watch it just once. Great work, keep it!

This is the first video I have seen by you and I'm absolutely in awe of the quality. These drawings are so incredibly beautiful and teaching history through character design is such a great idea. I can't wait to watch all your videos! What an extremely talented group of artists you have!

the care that goes into everything that you do is so inspiring to me. I feel so lucky, really, to have found your channel. Its truly so much fun experiencing your content. Best wishes from my side, truly wish that your approach takes you places

I would kill to bring back this style of fashion, especially for men

Thank you for this profile on Robespierre. You have done a tremendous work by both introducing a historical character and presenting your (and Janelle's) drawings of him. I appreciate such a format of artistic exposure.

This is literally AMAZING!!!! you're so full of references that make me so excited. It's really cool to see the history of that point

As a French Revolution fan and an artist myself, I must say this is truly amazing! Trough graphic interpretation you make more than a great artistic exercise, this is a very good and accurate portrait of Robespierre's life and personality. Sadly he's massively misunderstood, and this kind of presentation is a great way to discover a honest and nuanced portrait. The neutral version is my favorite as a Robespierre enjoyer, it shows how Robespierre was a complex character, an intellectual and an idealistic fighter, with his own grey areas. Merci!

I'm a historian myself, currently pursuing my masters degree, and I must admit, I have never thought much about the historiography of Robespierre, because to me he seems like such an intuitive figure. Easy, in fact, to understand. His purported honesty and conviction, his reputation as austere yet somehow passionate, may sound like contradictions, but... these are all the qualities of scholar, as I have seen them to be. They are often by turns both excruciatingly dry and still clearly fiery within. This is especially the case for political theorists. Also, how can Robespierre believe so strongly in human rights, argue against the death penalty, and still preside over a reign of terror and thousands upon thousands of executions? How can he be a glimmering pillar of liberalism and also [arguably] history's first modern totalitarian? Well, these are the qualities of a revolutionary. Those who are the most passionate, and the most vulnerable to high minded altruistic love of ideals, as revolutionary political theorists so often are, also tend to be the most vulnerable to feelings of hate. For them the stakes of life are simply too high. Everything matters too much. Robespierre was incorruptible, right? Well, that means he was also uncompromising in his vision. I believe Robespierre thought that the public was too ignorant to realize his vision, and could not be taught to understand. If they would all just go along with his own ideas everyone would be better off, but of course they didn't. During Robespierre's administration, France was beset with internal revolt from the royalists and under attack from all sides by all the other nations of the Europe, which felt threatened by the Revolution. So I suppose Robespierre can be forgiven for feeling as though everyone was against him. So how does an idealistic revolutionary with absolute power, innumerably enemies, and a total unwillingness to compromise purely out of principle work to achieve his dreams? Well, he has to eliminate all of his enemies. All the people who can't be taught to understand, so that one day, everyone will be able to live in peace and harmony. To put it simply, Robespierre was a bleeding heart, wounded emotionally by the harsh realities of his time, and with a hot blooded predisposition to lash out. I always strongly disliked Robespierre as a man. I see the Reign of Terror as unforgiveable, to say nothing of his other unsound policies, which often wreak of obsession and paranoia. Even so, though, I do sometimes think of him [at the risk of sounding pretentious] as a bit of a kindred spirit.

As someone who just had to do a presentation abt art and the French revolution I wanna say It was the best time I had while learning abt what happened then..I really enjoyed reading many documents so I can gather many informations to tell my other classmates ❤

its been years and i always find myself coming back to this video. your design process as well as your style of presentation and level of instruction has helped me tremendously in my own art journey. whenever i feel stumped in my own character designs or writing i always sit down and watch this video. it's like a fresh breath of air for me when i'm stuck and helps me find a reasoning behind my own artistic choices.

Your content is so criminally underrated it’s painful. A gorgeous blend of insightful and original, appealing narrative and charming visuals make this mesmerising.

I absolutely love the fact how big the research for those drawings was. I always feel intimidated by drawings touching hard themes like history, because I'm sure i'll get everything wrong. I'm scared that I don't remember something correctly or my source of information isn't trustworthy. Maby I should sometimes try making art like this and do good research

the art and especially animations always gets me my goodness theyre so gorgeous

I love that you're explaining your thought process!! This is such a cool way to use art in an exploration of history!

This is such a gorgeous, well rounded presentation--rather inspiring! Your knowledge of both artistic and historical language really shines through with each new slide, and I sincerely adored every little moment of detail and care that went into each point. After studying the French Revolution in a college class, I really appreciated your multifaceted approach to Robespierre. He was a seriously complicated man, and representing him in three ways makes a great point about how odd of a human he was. I don't think the scope was too big--rather, I think it was a great overview of a specific person, something like a well written essay that makes the viewer hungry to learn more about the topic. If you like the French Revolution, I highly recommend the book Twelve Who Ruled--it paints some interesting pictures of the figures you discussed! Looking forward to more content like this, it's a fantastic combination of the arts and interesting historical knowledge.

I haven't felt this inspired by an artist and an artists presentation in years. Thank you.

As somebody who loves studying the French Revolution and Napoleonic wars this video is just amazing at teaching and presenting how the populace of France wore their clothing and just how they all had to express using their fashion and the amazing history behind it.

Wow, this was so cool! I love your approach to this, mixing academic and artist influences together!! super awesome, loved it.

this video is such a gem! i love how dynamic your art is, and how it compliments the very mutable perception of robespierre. i don’t actually know much about this period in time, really i only know about the fashion, but your ability to join fashion AND the person as an artist is something that i have always envied as a writer. love this video so much

“You either die a hero or live long enough to see yourself become a villain.” - Something I heard.

This is my first time coming across your channel and I am in LOVE with your art, illustrations, narration, word choice, eloquence, video editing, graphic design, composition and overall aesthetic!!!!

Ever since this came out, I keep rewatching this video every few months. As a history major, I really love how you integrated art with the study, and I find the style so admirably engaging. You have inspired me since to incorporate newer organization styles into my own work, and overall, I have been receiving better notes and scores because of it. I know this was unusual for you, but I look forward to any other similar videos you may make. Plus, your art is truly beautiful here. This video shows wonderful care and a love of research. Thank you for it!

Why this make me so emotional? I really love the way you left his portrayal up to interpretation but also gave light into what he was like, thank you I've always loved Robespierre and his character not because I think has a good person but because he is a great example of how history isn't black and white... some people will view him as an angelic figure who saved France but others will see him as one who doomed France and became everything he hated and both are partially true. Either way great video on a complicated person with absolutely beautiful artwork.

"a cat drinking vinegar" WHEEZE

I absolutely loved this video, this is the first time I've stumbled onto your account, and the video was ungodly satisfying, to watch and to listen, while your art style is wonderful and perfectly portrayed, the voice over formed almost as a casual case study was very pleasant to just listen to, thank you for making this video, and thanks youtube for a half decent algorithm.

WOWOWOW this video is literally so gorgeous! the colors match perfectly and i love the font choices and placements of text. the art is simply beautiful and the styles and animation are so fitting and creative. the music matched so well and the content was incredibly well-researched and presented!

I’m going to shamelessly gush over this as well. I’ve never seen this style of video essay that so seamlessly flows from research to application. It’s truly inspiring! I’d love to see you create more videos this way! Distilling your passion into these illustrations and animations is a very effective way of communicating that appreciation and understanding to the viewer. I love seeing art being used as a means of exploring and understanding the world a little bit more. And your work is simply gorgeous, with a keen eye for design!

This is the most fascinating and well presented videos about art and the creative process I have ever seen. I loved the academic explanations and the reasoning behind your decisions. The explanations made it feel like I knew why every design choice felt a certain way (me being a non-artist was amazing to watch and understand). I really feel like I have a far more concreate understanding of the reasoning behind artistic choices, beyond vague and abstract notions. This video deserves way more attention, and please make more of these!!!

Firstly, I’m in awe with the way you presented this. Next, the whole process of designing and the thoughts put behind it makes this so alluring to listen to. And finally, your calming yet graceful voice. This is such a beautifully crafted video, I’ve learnt so much. Thank you for putting such efforts into this💜

I keep rewatching this months after i adore ur style of presentation to the moon its so gorgeous and flows so well

this video feels like a surgery - so detailed, dedicated and with a huge amount of love and effort put into it. This is my first time watching your videos and I think I have experienced the pure happiness in finding something that's truly precious and one of a kind. :)

I've been interested about french history and their fashion lately. This is really amazing to see

This is seriously the best video I’ve seen in forever!! Beautiful art and actual cited historical sources not to mention the artful presentation and editing!! Chefs kiss indeed! Well done!!

the artstyle in this video IS AMAZINGG, and the video intrigued me, thank you so much for this!

This is amazing! The animation left me speechless, I wasn't ready for it! I think the scope of the video fits pefectly with what you did with your channel 'til now, all your video always have "breath" to them and never feel to condensed or heavy, so it would be interesting to see more longer video if doable

I love love this style of video. It's so calming and all of the art was just lovely

Glad I clicked on this, it was intriguing and offered insight on this absolutely beautiful design-process Something I also really appreciate is that you took inspiration from so many sources, causing this to be very informative as well All presented in an aesthetically edited video Great job!

My eyes they’ve been blessed! Your art is so smooth, it looks like what vanilla smells like! My, would be nice to see it animated.

i always drop whatever i'm doing to watch your videos! i absolutely adore how thorough your creation process is and how you excellently edit your videos (with the perfect choice of music and presentation). every time i watch your videos, i get a boost of inspiration and a reminder of why i love art so much