Francois, based in Deloraine, has been able to paint photos realistically since she was 12.

"I have been an artist forever," she said.

She spent much of her life working in graphic design, including doing work as a book illustrator, within television, and with video games.

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"Having that photoshop background has been really good for planning and designing," Francois said.

However, it is traditional art that sparks the passion for this artist, who gravitated to charcoal and pencil.

"I've done most mediums before and it took me a long time to pick what I wanted to concentrate on," Francois said.

"I just love black and white and the dynamics of it. You can create a mood and you can create a story quite easily with black and white, quite dramatically."

Francois said she worked mostly with black and white because the Tasmanian wilderness was somber and subtle. Black and white was the best way to create that moodiness.

However, she does occasionally incorporate colour in her art.

When Francois tries to describe her work she struggles, as it is unusual and is unlike other artwork out there.

"I love the way you can create something with a wow factor," she said.

Each piece, once you look past the wow, also includes very tiny details many do not notice to begin with.

Depending on the size of the piece, and the detail, some works have taken the artist between two and three months to finish.

"I actually don't count the hours because you just can't," she said.

Francois can mostly be found at Gallery 5, Deloraine, working next to the window on her easel.

"People can come in and see what happens behind the scenes," she said.

"They can see [the art] developing, it can be quite an interesting thing for them."

Francois also shared some advice for those starting out in art.

"I would say, find someone who can teach you how to draw academically," she said. "Keep practicing, the more you practice the better you are going to get."

She urged artists to also make their work more accessible to everyday people by creating prints of the pieces.

The artist's work currently appears in an exhibition at Cradle Mountain titled Legacy of the Wild - open until September 19.