Meet Ellen Marie Bae. The Long Beach-based artist is a self-proclaimed breakfast burrito enthusiast and reluctant cat mom, whose illustrations are both witty and charming, and succinctly tell a story using her simply featured characters.
Mischievous and topically humorous, Bae’s playful work depicts slightly twisted versions of everyday scenarios and taps into current debates, cultural trends, and visual quips, proving that any topic seems up for grabs for the quirky illustrator.
From stickers with reinterpreted Budweiser logos that read “Buttweiser”, to a simple sketch of a man lovingly embracing Cool Ranch and Nacho Cheese Doritos, Bae is on a constant roll, knocking out visual puns that layer both meaning and subtle shades to great effect.
As the Los Angeles Zine Fest quickly approaches, we catch up with Bae who will be there with her handmade zines, stickers, and illustrations. We asked Bae a handful of questions about her and her work, which she in turn answered with some quick illustrations.
1. What was the first thing you did today?
2. When you catch yourself doodling, what images or ideas do you find yourself always subconsciously coming back to?
3. What was the last thing you turned to for inspiration? (magazines, books, videos, person, website, etc.)
4. What are the main topics you deal with in your work?
5. Give us your best self portrait.
For more from Ellen Bae head to her website: http://www.ellenmariebae.com/.