Meet Alexandra Brodt | Illustrator & Designer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Alexandra Brodt and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Alexandra, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
I wanted to pursue what I love doing, which was drawing anime and connecting with other anime fans like me. It grew into a full-fledged illustration freelance business, where I not only have anime art but many original illustrations and characters. I get to travel all over the United States to anime, comic, and even cat conventions and interact with great people!

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
Well to start off, I did not go with the traditional Illustration/Art Major route. I ended up Majoring in Graphic Design at the University of Central Oklahoma, with a Minor in Illustration. I feel that having a background in Design has given me a unique perspective with my illustrations, compositions, and design choices. I focus a lot on product design by creating enamel pins, keychains, lanyards, zipper bags, and even my original character, Catcus, as a plush toy.

I started this all with just an 8.5×11 black portfolio book with Kinko’s prints at my first ever convention I tabled at in 2007 when I was 19 years old. I only offered prints and commissions on the spot and had to be extroverted with people, when I was rather introverted at the time!

It was not easy to put myself out there, I had to keep developing my artwork, would print too many of a piece that I thought was great, and then would have to trash 6 months later because I thought it was terrible, or it wasn’t selling. I ran across some old prints recently, from when I first started, and I had a good laugh! But it was also great to see how far I’ve come with practice and being able to bounce feedback between myself and other artists.

I’ve learned a lot about finding the worth in your artwork and pricing it accordingly. I’ve learned an equal amount about not printing 100 of one print just because you reaaaaalllyy love it. Not everyone will, and that’s okay! You just don’t want to be stuck with 95 prints for 10 years.

I want people to know if they are trying to pursue art as a career, it’s about practice and persistence, and making connections with people. And not just professional connections, but life experience! It contributes so much to your work.

My brand is to draw what I like most. It changes from time to time, but it always has my cats!

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I’m sorry! I didn’t know exactly which city you were referring to! Since you are based in LA, but the link I clicked for answering said Dallas, and I live in Oklahoma City, I’m giving you all three.

For LA – I love museums, and LA has plenty of amazing ones! Some of my favorites are The Getty, but also the Getty Villa! It’s not as known, has beautiful gardens, and is modeled after the Villa Dei Papiri in Herculaneum, Italy.
For a more modern museum I love the new Academy of Motion Picture, I had the opportunity to visit the Ghibli exhibit when it was in town last year!
For fun tea and boba, I always love to visit Tea Pop, a local cafe in North Hollywood.
I love to wander beautiful mountain trails, visit the ocean, as well as eat the best steak I’ve ever had at The Smokehouse in Burbank.

For Dallas – I can’t help but visit my favorite Japanese bookstore with all the anime and stationary collectibles. I also love to visit the Asian markets for the best snacks and take a trip to the local Ikea. The Dallas Museum of Art is fantastic, and a little hole-in-the-wall Asian Art Museum is around the corner, both free! I love to get some ramen or conveyor belt sushi near Kinokuniya.

For Oklahoma City –
We would visit my favorite local coffee shop, Clarity Coffee, in Downtown OKC. From there we would get the best lavender lemonade and cashew mac and cheese from The Loaded Bowl! There’s Factory Obscura, a Meow Wolf collaboration, and the OKC Museum of Art.
For fantastic food and drinks, there’s The Jones Assembly, Tamashii Ramen, BoomTown Creamery, and concerts at The Tower Theatre!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
My parents were always very supportive of my artistic tendencies growing up, and encouraged me to try Graphic Design. My best friend’s mother was a Middle School Art Teacher, and every time I would go over there she would encourage us to do creative projects! She was able to help mentor my drawing skills as a fellow artist. I would not be where I am today without the support of all my friends and people who liked my artwork and supported it. I am so thankful to have had them in my life.

Website: https://www.alexandrabrodt.com

Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/alexandrabrodt

Linkedin: http://www.linkedin.com/in/alexandra-brodt

Twitter: http://twitter.com/AlexandraBrodt

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ArtofAlexBrodt