Zea Barker

Hi! I'm Zea! I am an illustrator, animator, designer and "former" clown raised in the wilds of Vermont, USA and living and working in the wilds of Brooklyn NYC. Thanks so much for the invitation, I'm honored to join the fantastic ranks of women included here doing wonderful work!

I've made over 100 handcrafted animated gifs, a few animated shorts, some bunch of editorial illustrations and a limited edition print series 'The Critics': nine opinionated characters who, when hung next to your other wall art (or each other), pass ruthless judgment. ZeaDrawings on Etsy.

Have you always been creative and artistic?

I figure creativity is a curiosity and willingness to play that we all have in us, if we allow for it. Drawing has always been an important activity for me. A way to unwind or fantasize or just let loose on the safety of the page. My mother always made sure I had all the markers, pencils, construction paper, tape and craft scissors I needed.

How would you describe the style of your work?

Improvisational, I'd say. Generally fairly playful and full of character. Humor in there anywhere I can stick it. Although most pieces get digitized to go online, I like to keep the gritty imperfection of the real materials whenever possible. While in awe of what is possible in the realm, I'm still shy of the slickness of digital for my own work.

What’s in your pencil case and what’s your favorite tool?

#1 tool is my rapidograph 3x0/.25 It's been my main squeeze for over a decade and my primary go-to.

I've got a selection of prismacolor colored pencils that I swap out from time to time. A black brush marker to augment the skinny line of the pen. And a couple fun pens and pencils, gold ink or rainbow leads, that sort of thing.

At the work desk there is the gouache, brush and inks, and colored papers and x-acto knives.

Who is your favorite superhero?

Let's see, Tank Girl, Hell Boy, The Tick, The Maxx, (I'm dating myself...) My all time favorite real-life superhero is probably Buster Keaton. Talk about superpowers...

If you could have one super power what would it be?

I've always been interested in Spidey-Sense or Jedi 'disturbance in the force' type awareness. Maybe just a little bit of a head start before things go haywire.

Where do you look for inspiration?

Primarily, I find it important to get out of my own way. Finding a way to distract myself from the critic, doubting voice inside me. That can be quite the undertaking sometimes. But, just to silence that voice long enough to start, long enough to keep going, to not be scared to start over again. It's just marks on paper.

My very favorite way to draw is to put pen to paper without any idea what comes next. The thrill of the mark. The relationship of lines to each other. And soon I start to recognize what things might be, but I try to put that part off as long as possible too. I am in it for the surprise and discovery. I find it best to not be specifically inspired, but just to start.

Who are your favorite artists or comic book authors?

Mmm! So many! Chris Ware for challenging storytelling formats, Lisa Hanawalt for challenging boundaries of weird and adding such authentic humor, Maurice Sendak for beauty and truth of childhood, Bill Watterson for cultural context, Graham Roumieu for Bigfoot, Hans Rickheit for dreamscapes, Yumi Sakugawa for spiritual loveliness, and Lynda Barry for leadership in the practice.