Meet Elizabeth E=laine | Concept Artist & Illustrator

We had the good fortune of connecting with Elizabeth E=laine and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Elizabeth, why did you pursue a creative career?
When I first took art classes at a local art studio I was ten or eleven. I was so impressed with myself that I took a blank piece of paper and made something out of it. I keep going to that studio and improved my traditional drawing skills over the past eight years. I won many awards and have had my work in museums I felt very accomplished but I knew I wanted to take my art to the next level. When I started to teach myself digital art, which was around 2016, I found my new favorite medium. It’s not because there’s an undo button, It’s because I wanted to start making digital illustrations and concept art. I got inspired by many art books that I have. The first art book I got was the art of Overwatch and I saw many concept art and Illustrations for the game. This really connected with me because it combined two things that I love, art and gaming. Seeing the whole process from start to finish was really cool. It took a lot of steps and many trials and errors to get the final product. I knew when I saw the art, that I wanted to be a part of a project like this in the future. An artist in the book that stood out to me was Ben Zhang. I knew if I could get my work to his level, I would have made it as an artist. At that moment I knew I wanted to make my hobby into a career. My main goal is to have my art in an art book so I too can inspire the next generation of artists.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I am not a professional yet, but I’m working every day toward becoming one. The art journey is never done and you never stop learning. I’ve seen great improvement in my art in the past year! When I compare my old art to the new one that is the motivation for me. Being able to post my art on social media and how people are genuinely a fan of my work is very surreal to me. Being an artist is not easy, I’m constantly comparing myself to other artists. I also get upset when I see an artist who is younger than me doing a way better job than I am. It makes me feel unaccomplished. But I always have to remind myself that everybody starts somewhere. A professional artist had to work for that title, their art didn’t look professional when they first started. I always have to remind myself of that, If I want to become a professional I have to work for it. I recently opened an art shop, my goal is to have a booth at an anime or gaming convention. So I’m practicing by having a small business so I can get used to marketing, being communicative, etc. My story as an artist comes with a lot of trial and error and art block. I recommend when you have art block to have another creative outlet, for me, it’s doing cosplay! I like to make my costume whenever I can and attend conventions! It’s okay to have bad art, bad art produces good art in the end. Don’t be afraid to experiment! For years and years both of my parents, I shouldn’t do this as a career or that I should become a doctor or a nurse. They’re worried about how I’m not going to make any money which is the complete opposite. But it’s not about the money it’s about how passionate you are. I want everybody who is looking to do anything in the creative field as a profession to know this. If you are passionate about this then why not do it? You don’t want to have a job that you’re unhappy with. Don’t get pressured by anyone else to do something that you don’t want to do. At the end of the day, it’s your choice and your future. I believe you!!

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I travel to the LA area quite often I got some hidden gems for you. If you like anything anime related or want to feel immersed in some Japanese culture I suggest going to little Toyko! All of the food in the area is great! But if you want a more diverse option then I would head to Grand Central Market! From Thai to Mexican food you can find a vast amount of choices. This is good for people who can’t decide what to eat, like me. If you’re up for Korean food then I suggest Genwa Korean BBQ. It’s a bit pricy but if you have the extra money I promise you it’s worth it! If you’re a movie junky I would recommend going to the Academy Museum. They have original costumes from very old movies. Such as Dorthy’s red slippers from The Wizard Of Oz! Earlier this year they had a Studio Ghibli exhibit and all of the art was gorgeous and very inspiring. Unfortunately, you couldn’t take pictures in there but I was so close to taking one lol. If I would have been kicked out it would have been well worth it. The last thing I would recommend, and this is for any of those who like puzzles or challenges. Go to an Escape room, most of the ones in LA are very good! They’re all very immersive and have you in a unique setting!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I want to thank my mom for always taking me to my art classes and seeing my vision of becoming a professional artist. I want to thank Antoinette De Paiva who has been a great mentor and teacher to me in art, I really appreciate you!

Website: https://elainedrawz.carrd.co/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elainedrawz/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Elainedrawz

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5dB6-U6v7Ya1UUxw1bweHQ/featured

Other: https://elainedrawz.bigcartel.com/

Image Credits
Paparay_z on Instagram