Nicolas Lesaffre is a Hong Kong based French Digital artist, Animation director and Art Toy & IP creator.
His art spans a variety of media, including digital art, animation, IP creation and installation of large-scale sculptures.
Born and raised in France, Nicolas Debuted his career in feature film working on the first animated film by Luc Besson in 2004. Since then, Nicolas pursued a successful career as a commercial artist for global brands and clients and has been actively engaged to merge animation and cartoon style into the advertising market as an animation Director and Character Designer over the last 20 years in Europe, North America and Asia.
Brimming with unique design and character animation, the surreal scenes he creates are saturated with eye-catching elements and attention-grabbing characters that will assure you you’re seeing something new and unique.
Over the years Nicolas has created a colorful palette of films, illustration, projection mapping, augmented reality, and IP creation in Paris, London, Los Angeles and for 12 years in Hong Kong.
Hug the K
By Nicolas Lesaffre
While his body language is very friendly and welcoming, even to the point of opening his arms to hug you, he has a set of razor sharp teeth that is opening into a grin.
It makes you wonder if he indeed is genuinely happy to meet you or are you simply his dinner?
Advise: Never be afraid of a Hug ! Nicolas has over a hundred collaborations with brands such as Gucci, Lacoste, Louis Vuitton, Wechat, Nissan, Hasbro, HSBC, BNP, VW, American Express, Mc Donald's, Hong Kong Land, Hong Kong Tourism Board, Singapore Tourism Board ...
Nicolas’s artwork has been awarded and showcased in many international film festivals and Museums such as the Hong Kong Palace Museum, Cannes Lions Festival, Annecy International Animation Film Festival, Stuttgart International Festival of Animated Film, Australian International Animation Festival …
AWARDS
2024 Hong Kong ICT : Gold award - "Ouigo"
2023 Hong Kong ICT : Merit award - “FII”
2021: Finalist at the "Trophées des Français de Hong Kong"
2020 Hong Kong ICT : Bronze award short film WUEN
2019 Hong Kong ICT : Gold award - "Wear your beautiful life"
2019 MARKies Awards Hong Kong: bronze, silver and gold wards OPTICAL 88
2019 ASP create Hong Kong- Silver award- short film WUEN
2019 Digicon6 Asia Award - short film GOING APE
2014 Maze Awards - Gold award AMEX
2012 Annual design awards - Best Digital art award
2012 TIDCA Taipei International - digital graphic Finalist and Jury award. DURACELL
2010 Cannes Advertising Festival - Shortlisted DURACELL
2009 Eurobest - Bronze Award
2008 EPICA Festival –Silver Award
2008 New York Boards awards : Animation Director Finalist
2007 anim'est Film Festival : gold Award Vinyl's Attack
EXHIBITIONS
2025 Hug theK Exhibition, curated by Meiro Gallery in Jakarta
2024 Art Toy Story Exhibition, Mall of Indoneisa curated by CCIDA
2023 Shanghai "Hug the K" China International Licensing Expo curated by the Travelling Muzeum.
2022 Chongqing China "The Ring", 5000 square feet installation including interactive digital art, 15 meters high sculptures. December2021/Mars2022 curated by Hong Kong land.
2022 Art toy Story Exhibition, CentralWorld Bangkok, Thailand curated by CREATEHK.
2021 Hong Kong Central "Monet Garden X Hug the K" inflatables/fibreglass sculpture/digital animation on extra large screen. July/august curated by the Travelling Muzeum.
2020 Shanghai SNIEC Art toys Exhibition "Hug the K"
2017 Hong Kong Cultural centre, 50 meters illuminated dragon sculpture, 6m high inflatables characters, animation projection on the cultural centrebuilding (120 meters wide screen) August/December curated by Hong Kong Tourism Board
