WOMEN WHO SLAY SERIES: ROBIN EISENBERG
When you turn your hobby into a business, you never have to work a day in your life! That's why this badass babe stands out!
Meet Robin. An LA based artist. She was very nerdy as a kid, obsessed with fantasy novels, Star Trek, drawing dragons and elf babes. As she got older, she got really into playing piano and going to shows. After going to college in San Diego, she joined a band called "Crocodiles" (playing organ). While she was touring, she started doing a lot of artwork for other bands’ albums covers and merch. Eventually, she decided to stop touring and tried working on art full time.
We love that majority of your work involves, badass alien babes that are very comfortable with their sexuality! When did this concept start manifesting in your art and what moved you to do it?
Thank you! I think it has always been a part of my art (even when I was a kid). A lot of the books and comics I read when I was younger had really awesome inspiring women as the protagonists, and I would always draw my own versions of the characters. Today, I still love drawing rad women going on adventures and feeling good about themselves, and I’ve definitely combined it with my interest in outer space and the possibility of life on other planets.
You were in a band named "Crocodiles”! Does creating music feel the same as creating your illustrations? Or do you get more of a high on the latter?
It definitely feels different for me, although I really love doing both. I wasn’t the songwriter with Crocodiles so the fun was more in being onstage, feeling that rush of excitement and energy before and during a show, and feeling like I was part of something in creating a feeling onstage. With art, it’s a very different excitement that feels much more personal. It feels incredibly satisfying to finish a drawing and have a visual piece that was previously only in my brain. And I love sharing my art with people and seeing them relate to it or feel inspired or seen. Even though it’s a different feeling, I definitely think that both things have a lot to do with connecting to others by taking something in your head and turning it into art (in whatever format).
Do you feel like sexism is still very rampant? Have you ever met people who devalue women who create feminist art and how do you deal with it?
I do think sexism is definitely still very present, especially in more subtle ways. I try my best to not ever be discouraged by someone being patronizing or belittling, and I also try to lift up other women artists and support their businesses.
We love love love the color combinations in your work! We love how you mix pastels with neon and the like. How do you choose your palette?
Thank you so much! It took me a while to find a color palette that felt the most “me” and that felt closest to what I was imagining. For years I only drew in black and white, with pen. As I got older my art got more and more realistic, and I had kinda of stopped using my imagination for a while. Eventually, I got so bored of it, and wanted to really push myself to get away from strict realism and feel more comfortable with the weirder things I had always wanted to draw. I started experimenting with color combinations and started looking for colors that felt fresh to me. I still change my palette up every now and then if I feel it getting a little stagnant.
How do you motivate yourself every morning? Sometimes "work" can feel repetitive. Any tips for aspiring artists on how they could continuously motivate themselves to keep creating art?
I think it’s good to always write down your ideas when you have them (even if you aren’t at your desk at the time), and it’s good to make sure you set aside a little time to work on your own projects, even if you have a lot of client work. I also think (if you work from home) that it’s good to force yourself to get out of the house every day, even if it’s just to take a walk or go get a coffee. I have a hard time with that, but I’ve been trying to do it more often and I’ve found my motivation is much better because of it. I also try to never work from my bed as it makes sleeping really confusing haha!
How do you come up with drawing ideas and how do you keep evolving your style? (while staying consistent with your branding)
I have a lot of ideas and I’m constantly making notes on my phone. I will usually be doing something, and then think about how it would make a rad drawing if I just added this or that element to it. Like I’ll be flossing, and then I’ll start thinking about how vampires probably need to floss pretty often, haha. Then I’ll write down that as an idea for a drawing. I do try to keep my branding consistent, but I don’t want that to ever feel restrictive. I like having themes that run throughout my work but I also try my best not to fall into patterns or repetition or let my art become predictable or inauthentic.
What's the impact of Social media on artists like you who create work that becomes close to viral with every post?
It’s weird with social media - it is definitely important, and plays such a role in my career (gaining a bigger audience, getting new clients, building my name as an artist), etc.) But I also try my best to avoid being too focused on social media or the potential reach of my posts. It can be kind of distracting. I just want to post about art and projects I’m excited about, and I hope that the people following me get excited about it, too. It can be a little intimidating when you know a lot of people will be seeing a drawing or sketch that you don’t feel 100% confident about. But I just try to push past that insecurity and be comfortable even if something isn’t perfect. I also don’t get offended easily so if someone leaves a mean or critical comment, I’m pretty good about laughing it off.
Let's get a little personal. What do you call your "personal style" - fashionwise. What's your everyday go-to outfit and what type of sunnies do you usually wear?
Lots and lots of floral! Floral dresses, floral jumpsuits. It’s ridiculous how many flowery things I have in my closet haha. Also, lots of different colored leather and denim jackets. And leopard print. And usually comfortable shoes like Vans or some kind of sandal thing since LA is hot forever. I like sunglasses that are timeless and fun and go with most outfits.
How do you "keep it Shady"?
Keep it Shady!
<3 The ShadyVEU Team
<3 The ShadyVEU Team
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