Arterview: HellaHellaStyle

Our corner of these webs is by far not the largest one and not particularly old either, but I sometimes catch myself reminiscing about old acquaintances who now have moved on to more personal escapades, or other talented artists who I never had the opportunity to meet. The various articles hosted on Smogon can make for a nice trip down memory lane, as the people involved with their production are still seen within their credits, while the illustrations accompanying them will remain as long as the site still stands. What are those artists doing now? Do they still draw, or have they moved on to something different? While the Arterview is generally reserved for newer talents, interviewing an older veteran would make for a nice change of perspective.

And then HellaHellaStyle showed up on the forums again.

Bummer

Do you know what the Arterview is?

HellaHellaStyle

Oh yeah, I think I've read some of those.

Bummer

Would you be interested in being in one?

HellaHellaStyle

Heck yeah.

I invited him to a seat.

Bummer

You're a name that certain Smogonites recognize with a smile on their face, but for those who are unaware, can you tell us a bit about yourself?

HellaHellaStyle

Sure. I'm a cartoonist from northern California. I've tried my hand at many different artistic mediums over many years, but finally, I decided to stick to drawings and animation. Right now, I'm an art student majoring in Animation.

Bummer

Quite the interesting field, and something many aspire to become. Has the journey there been a bumpy one?

HellaHellaStyle

Yeah, lots of rejections. I've worked in the game industry for quite some time, but I have never quite been able to break through to the higher tiers of employment. I've recently come to notice gaps in my experience, which I've just recently started to fill thanks to school, namely animation and 3D modeling.

Bummer

There are many areas where one can apply their knowledge in visual arts, so what drove you to choose animation?

HellaHellaStyle

"I love cartoons!" would be the simple answer. Beyond drawing and animating, though, I also write screenplays, compose music, and design characters. I'd like to think I can apply all of this to the creation of a cartoon television show.

Bummer

I know how some people are known as jack-of-all-trades, but you really seem to be embodying it.

HellaHellaStyle

Hopefully a little better than a jack. A queen, maybe? I don't know if I'd push for king.

As I brushed aside the thought of HellaHellaStyle wearing a tiara, I moved on to the next topic.

Bummer

Even though you have an interest in the musical and narrative territories, people around here know you for being an excellent artist. Did this interest in art appear early in your life, or was it something you realized later?

HellaHellaStyle

Super early. Like, 6-years-old early. I used to go over to my next-door neighbor's house to watch him play Sonic the Hedgehog 2 for the Genesis. He'd never let me play, so I'd just sit there and watch him for hours, until my parents made me come back home. I'd then go straight to my room to draw everything I could remember seeing in the game. I think this is what helped me develop a photographic memory early on. I still have the first drawings I ever did.

Bummer

I too used to draw stuff based on early video game graphics. Sadly, those drawings are probably saved too.

HellaHellaStyle

One of these days we can make a secret exchange.

Bummer

Did Pokémon have a similar effect on you to how Sonic did? Or did that franchise grab your attention in a different way?

HellaHellaStyle

Pokémon was crazy to me when I first got it. The internet didn't exist (in my world) back then, so there were absolutely no spoilers. I didn't even know Pikachu or any of the starters. I remember the first time one evolved and thinking like, "can all of these things do that!?" I stayed up all night playing a game on the old Gameboy brick, eating up AA battery after AA battery. Pokémon was a unique experience that can only happen your first time playing it. I love the series and drawing the characters, although...

He reluctantly paused.

HellaHellaStyle

...I don't have a Pokémon tattoo or anything like that.

Bummer

We still respect you just the way you are.

HellaHellaStyle

Means a lot.

Bummer

You said you'd like to create an animated show of your own; is there anything you can reveal about it at this point in time?

HellaHellaStyle

Sure, actually. I've been keeping it under wraps for quite some time, but now that I've begun to flesh things out and start animating, I think it's time to shed some light. As far as the premise, think Blast From the Past meets Mystery Men. Basically an action/comedy about two sisters, Ella and Mella, who have lived their whole life underground with their overprotective, mechanical-genius, adoptive mother. These two sisters are actually cyborgs, brought back to life by their mother.

Being a music-nut, Mama gave them awesome sound and music capabilities. Once they finally realize this, they use their powers, not to fight crime, but to party and have fun. They make it out into the real world and realize all they know is 90's life and culture. Clinton was impeached, Michael Jackson is dead, and "Clarissa Explains It All" has been off the air for quite some time. Now they struggle to accept the realities of 2015, and they reluctantly fight the crime that plagues this world they never knew existed.

The working title, for now, is "The Noteworthy Musical Adventures of Ella & Mella". I've just recently started a tumblr page for it here. I'd like to keep things updated weekly as I have tons of content sitting in my vault.

I couldn't quite read my notes after this point, but it appears to be the word "COOL" surrounded by numerous crudely drawn stars.

Bummer

Now, obviously, you also made it to the frontstep of Smogon. Were you beckoned inside by the allure of competitive Pokémon play, the thought of meeting Pokémon enthusiasts, or a mysterious third option?

HellaHellaStyle

I was just thinking about this recently, actually. I can't really remember, to tell you the truth. I think it was probably the thought of competitive play. I'm a big-time fighting game enthusiast. I've traveled to lots of tournaments all over the US and even some outside; I've even gone to EVO over in Las Vegas five or six times now. Nothing could have prepared me for competitive Pokémon. Definitely not my bag. I tried studying up with the guides here to absolutely no avail. I think I got ahold of Seven Deadly Sins about learning to play and he was like, "how 'bout you just stick to drawing" (or something like that). Took his advice, and here I am.

Bummer

And how was the artist community like back in 2010? We've seen many great artists come and go, so it's great to see someone like you making timely visits every now and then.

HellaHellaStyle

Seemed good. There were a few people I kept an eye on, for sure, mainly looking to steal their techniques. Rocket Grunt had some pretty ridiculous stuff. I also remember being really jealous of Cartoons!' animations. I think Yilx was around back then, as well. Beyond that, there seemed to be a pretty thriving art community here, although, for a good period of time, I was on duty drawing for The Smog and never stepped foot into most of the forums.

Bummer

I can only presume there were certain aspects of your work they borrowed as well. The Smog has produced about 44 issues, but your earliest contribution can be tracked all the way back to the 8th one, and on the front cover no less. How do you remember your time as a Smogon illustrator?

HellaHellaStyle

I had so much fun. Because we were all working for peanuts, I got total artistic freedom. I loved drawing Dragonite as Mike Tyson, or Flygon as John Travolta. It was awesome to also have a lot of the authors of the articles actually sit in on my drawings for them while I drew online in openCanvas 1.1. I really miss that, actually.

Bummer

Looking back on your art then and how it is now, are there any particular improvements you've noticed?

HellaHellaStyle

Cleanliness, mostly. My linework has definitely changed for the better. Lighting and atmosphere probably, too. But yeah, overall, I feel like I have a more refined technique nowadays (or at least I'd hope so).

Bummer

You're already digging yourself deeper into the realm of animation, but are there other areas you'd like to explore further if you had the time?

HellaHellaStyle

Acting, stand-up, piano, singing, cooking, teaching, drums ...off the top of my head.

Bummer

Your head seems to be quite spacious.

HellaHellaStyle knocked on his head to prove that that was indeed the case.

Bummer

We can't forget that there are many young artists who struggle with their concerns of making art their career or not, or how early they need to make that decision. Do you have any advice to give on that topic, considering you have more experience in your luggage?

HellaHellaStyle

The earlier you make your decision, the better, obviously. It's a tough decision, too. Art life is rough. You need to be amazing, that's a given, but you also need to stand out. Keeping to yourself isn't going to get you anywhere. If you lock yourself in your room and draw all day, sure, you'll get really good, but you'll also turn into a pasty introvert who can't hold a conversation, let alone an interview. Getting out and talking to people is almost as important. Not only do you get practice in communication (which helps in working on a team and interviewing), but you also build your network (which means higher chances of finding a gig), and you get all kinds of inspiration from the people you meet.

In a nutshell: decide exactly what you want to do, get really good at it, and make friends with lots of people in the industry.

Bummer

Sounds like a solid plan. There's only one question I have left for you, but it's also the hardest one.

HellaHellaStyle

Parasect.

Bummer

What's your favorite Pokém- Oh.

It took me a few seconds to regain my composure.

Bummer

Excellent choice; any particular reason why?

HellaHellaStyle

Back in middle school, I played Pokémon with lots of friends. We were trash, obviously, but we liked to think we had some amazing strategies, which we'd refine every week. I hated trying to deal with other Mewtwos, so I came up with a plan: Parasect! Good bulk, and one of the only Pokémon that didn't have a Psychic weakness, and also had a Bug move. Leech Life, I think it was. I think Spore came into play, somewhere along the lines, too. Yeah, didn't quite work as planned. I was like 11 or 12, though. Anywho, he's always had a place in my heart since then.

Bummer

Thanks for answering my questions on such short notice, and I wish you the best of luck with your future endeavors!

HellaHellaStyle

Thanks for the quick spotlight; I always wanted to do this.

Critique

As we stated in the arterview, HellaHellaStyle has been around for quite a few years, and his work has always been recognized for his slick lineart and fantastic use of lighting and reflections. Be it a casual art request, contest contribution, or article illustrations, HellaHellaStyle is rarely seen putting a weak effort into his drawings, as even his more humorous works (like the Elvis Serperior above) are rich in details and refined features.

So with all those positive traits, where does one go from here? One thing I've noticed, also is a common pitfall, is that HellaHellaStyle's default shading mainly consists of white and black, as in the highlights and shades are merely darker and brighter than the flat colors. It gets the job done, but if one wants their image to truly seem more alive and vivid, one should also remember to incorporate colors into the various shades, as you'd otherwise get somewhat stale results. Another area I'd like HellaHellaStyle to experiment more with is what many consider his strongest asset: his lineart. It's clean and elegant, but when it's found in every drawing you produce, it can become repetitive and less exciting. So if HellaHellaStyle could include some of the variety and energy that can be found in his earlier sketches and WIPs, it could pave the way for some interesting results. That said, it should be noted that animations often contain these flaws in order to speed up production and just generally make it easier on the working process, so HellaHellaStyle would be better off trying out the above suggestions in his more standalone drawings.

Whether or not HellaHellaStyle will stick around Smogon for longer or embark on a new life chapter is a decision we can only leave to his own judgment, but the fact remains that both our site and art community have benefited from such a hardworking artisan, and it'll be long before his name fades out in its entirety. If you wanna check out more of his work, make sure to check out the links below!

Art Thread || Portfolio || Tumblr

« Previous Article

Home