GDG Artist Spotlight: Genevieve Tsai

This week, we talk to GDG's Genevieve Tsai, another one of our Bay Area (San Francisco) based members! Keep an eye out for more of her amazing artwork in upcoming shows and in one of GDG's many upcoming projects!

Welcome to the Girls Drawin Girls Spotlight, Genevieve!

1. What's your name?
Genevieve Tsai

2. Where are you originally from, and where do you live now?
I grew up around Sacramento, CA and now live in the Bay Area.

3. What do you do for a living when you're not drawing sexy pinups?ddd
I'm a concept artist/character designer for video games; I've been in the industry for over 5 years working in companies such as Activision, Electronic Arts and Sanzaru Games. As a side hobby I watch anime, play video games, work on side-projects in Flash, collect toys and film scores, attend comic conventions and Renaissance faires, and work on my comic, "Islands in the Sky" ... which involves drawing more sexy pinups.

4. What's your favorite medium to work in?
Blue pencil, brush pen, and my trusty ol' Cintiq 21UX.

5. Why do you think the pinup girl has such a timeless, wide appeal?
We are all animals with a primal attraction to power, beauty and sex--of course, this applies to our attraction to both genders, not just girls. But for centuries women have been a great selling point in advertisements and propaganda posters. People see a sexy pinup girl riding an atomic bomb wearing a WW2 uniform and think, "Wow, sex and power, that is SO HOT!" I know, 'cause I bought that Bawidamann shirt.

6. Define what "sexy" means to you.
What do -I- find sexy? Well, in guys, it's geekiness; I have a weakness for anime/game otakus who wear glasses and act a bit on the insane side, like Madarame from "Genshiken," or Sato and Yamazaki from "Welcome to the NHK." Oh, but I also think Kamina from "Gurren Lagann" is super hot, as well as Gen-An Shiranui from "Samurai Shodown" (even though he's a green-skinned, hunchbacked freak with a glove of razor-sharp knives). In girls, I like 'em like Bayonetta: scantily clad, big boobs, a nice ass, super cute face--y'know, totally wanting it all the time--whu what?? Oh sorry, was this supposed to be one of those "deep and philosophical" answers? Haha! XD

7. What's your biggest goal/ambition as an artist?
I've always loved animation since I was a child, but later on I also grew to love the art of character design. Someday I hope to work at Pixar, Dreamworks, or Sony Animation as a character designer, and further down the line, I've always dreamed of making my own full-length feature animated film.

8. Why do you like drawing ladies?
There are two subjects I love drawing--animals and women--and both allow me to play with their interesting, organic shapes and beautiful curves, and I really love packing them full of attitude and personality.

9. If you could travel anywhere, where would you go?
Akihabara in Japan, no doubt about it. I visited Japan two years ago and fell in love with Akiba ever since. It was the most magical place an otaku could ever dream of. Akihabara is my heaven and Shangri-La. ^__^

10. Name three artists who have influenced you and/or you admire.
I am a huge fan of Jeff Smith, Dean Yeagle, Don Bluth, and many European comic artists/illustrators; particularly those who have worked in animation, such as Alessandro Barbucci, Barbara Canepa, Juanjo Guarnido, Pierre Alary, Rodolphe Guenoden, Claire Wendling, and Enrique Fernandez. I have many more inspirations but there are too many to list!

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Thanks Genevieve!

And don't forget to check out her art blog at 

http://charicreatures.blogspot.com

and her comic blog, "Islands in the Sky" at 

http://iits-comic.blogspot.com