This week’s artist’s spotlight focuses on Elizabeth Beals, whose hipster DC ladies make for a fun rendition of the superheroes.
The Artist’s Spotlight is a Hypable weekly feature that will focus on someone who has caught our attention for fandom-related art, whether it be drawings, songs, crafts, or more! Every week you can expect a new talented artist we think you should be aware of!
Hypable: Tell us a little bit about yourself.
Elizabeth: My names Elizabeth Beals (pronounced BALES, kinda like a bale of hay!). I’m originally from southern California and currently reside in Atlanta Georgia, where I work as a Freelance Illustrator.
What first interested you in art?
It was definitely my older brother. I remember him getting those ‘how to draw cartoons’ video, and was beyond amazed at how he was just able to just pick it up immediately. After seeing that, I of course demanded that he teach me!! The rest is history!
Your Hipster DC ladies have made quite a buzz! How did the idea for that series come about?
Well, it all started with Project Rooftop’s Fanart Friday for Wonder Woman. I was playing around with several different ideas until my husband suggested I do something more fun and fashionable, thus a Hipster Diana was born. After seeing that it was generally well received, that’s when I decided it’d be fun to extend it into a line-up of 10.
Do you plan on adding any more to the series, or are you happy with the amount you have now?
The DC set is complete. However, I do have plans to do both a Marvel and ladies of X-Men set (it was just going to be a marvel set until I realized they were all going to be X-Men anyway, so I split it up). And I’ve actually had them roughed out for at least a year but haven’t had the time to knock them all out as of yet. Hopefully sometime soon!
Some of your older artwork features a fairly different style. How do you feel you’ve evolved since then?
From a construction standpoint I think I’ve gotten a better understanding of movement and form. Color wise, I feel like within the last few years I’ve gotten better about being a bit more painterly as opposed to strictly cell shading. Before, everything looked a bit flat, but now I’m accomplishing (or hope I’m accomplishing) a sense of atmosphere within my more developed pieces.
What are some of your favorite characters to draw?
Character wise, I’ve always had a soft spot for Cammy White from Street Fighter. I can honestly say she’s the reason I got so interested in drawing hair. As a youngster, her braids were torturous to recreate. It taught me to relax and be more patient as well as observant while drawing.
In general though, I really do enjoy just drawing Women! What are some of the biggest challenges you face as an artist?
Obtaining consistent work or even getting too much work can be a serious issue at times, especially since I make my living doing Freelance (work flow can be quite bi-polar at times). But the fact that I get to wake up in the morning and just draw all day is simply amazing. I’m living my dream.
| “The fact that I get to wake up in the morning and just draw all day is simply amazing. I’m living my dream.” |
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Which artists have inspired you the most?
So, the short answer is A LOT! But here’s a little compilation of some of my favorites:
Erik Jones, Alphonse Mucha, Stella Im Hultberg, Audrey Kawasaki, Tradd Moore, Adam Hughes, Naoko Tacheuchi, Loish, Babs Tarr, James Jean, Sachin Teng, Tran Nguyen, Kevin Wada, Kris Anka, Trungles, Jeff Thomas, Marguerite Sauvage, Jeremy Enecio, Scott Forbes, and the list could go on FOREVER!!
What advice would you give to other artists?
I’d definitely say you should be drawing everyday. Whether it be a sketch or a full blown illustration, it’ll prevent you from getting too complacent and inspire artistic growth.
Try to be active within your community. Not only is it filled with awesome people, but they’re always there to give you helpful tips/tricks/and critiques.
And on a practical note, maybe take a figure drawing course. It’s probably one of the most helpful classes I’ve ever taken.
What’s your ultimate goal as an artist?
I’d have to say inciting a personal and/or positive reaction from people is a huge goal of mine. I love hearing I inspired them to draw, or helped them get through a rough day, or even just put a smile on their face. It’s crazy to think something I made can have that/any effect on someone’s life. And in return they’ve inspired me to keep creating.
You can find Elizabeth on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Tumblr. Hit her up for a chat and talk about your favorite superheroes!
You can find Elizabeth’s work on her website, DeviantART, and YouTube, and you can check out her prints for sale on Society6 and Storenvy!