This month’s featured social media account is an Instagram that you might already be familiar with. If you happen to browse our site from time to time, you probably seen a feature about her art, or you may have seen several posts that featured a drawing or two. We even named her 2017’s Editor’s Choice Fan Vote Best Interview. This will be another feature, but about her social media. The account can be found on Instagram using the handle @butternut_gouache. I am happy to introduce my friend, Erin Lefler.
(Danniel Slade) Thank you so much for taking the time to chat with us yet again! Are we at the point of a restraining order yet?
(Erin Lefler) Well I’d hope not! Restraining orders are for crazy people! If that’s the case maybe y’all should get one for me, joking of course. But I’m glad to be back again!
(DS) We are glad to have you back! For those who may not know you, can you introduce yourself?
(EL) Absolutely! My name is Erin Lefler and I am a character designer, illustrator, concept artist, and all-around nerd. I’m currently working for Lucasfilms doing some merchandise art for them, and I do some freelance work here and there. In my free time, I create art of things from pop culture, all the way to fashion posts and mermaids. I’m from New York, but all my friends know I’m a Brit at heart and the biggest Anglophile you’d ever find.
(DS) This question is mainly for me, what is a Butternut Gouache?
(EL) Ok, so ironically enough, you wouldn’t believe how many times I’ve been asked this question, and the answer itself is really weird. I am a huge fan of using puns, I think they’re quite “punny” (ba dum tish) and the name itself is a pun! Now Gouache is actually the type of paint I use when doing traditional art. But no one ever knows how to pronounce it. So the easier way to remember it, is that it sounds exactly like squash, just with a g. So I was thinking of names to start my Instagram account, and I was like “hmm, instead of a butternut squash how ‘bout calling myself butternut Gouache” and that’s how the name was born. Sad, isn’t it?
(DS) Not sad at all! Your account, https://www.instagram.com/butternut_gouache/, was created to showcase your art. How has the reception been with your posts?
(EL) Absolutely amazing. Much better than I expected actually. To be completely honest, I wasn’t expecting much at all. I just thought, eh I’ll give it a shot and if anything comes of it that’s a plus. I just wanted a place to keep all my nerdy pieces and professional work, and all the sudden the likes were coming in left and right. Now a year later, I’m at 33k followers and I’m not sure where everyone came from but it’s quite exciting for me.
(DS) You just recently drew some of the outfits seen at the SAG Awards. What inspired you to draw the outfits?
(EL) Well with my job as a character designer, you really have to be focused on little details in a look of a person like the clothes, the hair, the makeup, accessories and such. So more often than not I’m not really paying attention to the awards being given out, I’m paying attention to the people and what they look like. So, I just figured I mind as well put all that focus to use and draw them this year instead of just watching the TV and doing nothing about it. It was a great exercise to help me focus more on detailing.
(DS) What do you find gets more likes, your Star Wars art or you Disney Art?
(EL) That’s a great question. To be honest, I’m going to say they’re pretty tied because both have HUGE fan-bases, and a lot of my followers are fans of both. Though, it is really cool when I put up things I’ve done of both and see the actors, actresses, directors, and even the company itself like or repost or comment on it.
(DS) Which of those was the most to shock you, like you couldn’t believe so-and-so liked a piece of your art?
(EL) my biggest one quite possibly, even though I work for them, was seeing my art up on Star Wars Page. It was like, “oh my goodness! That’s me! That’s my art! On their page?! AAAAAAA!” Because I grew up a huge Star Wars fan. The other would have to be Disney itself liking my art. Like the mouse liked my art… I feel this is a good thing, haha.
(DS) Not only do you post you fantastic artwork, but you also post your adventures. Most recently you just had an adventure in Disney World. In five words or less, how was it?
(EL) Hmm, Hard one. Ok I got it: Best trip of my life!
(DS) Um, that’s not bad! Seriously though, you look like you had a blast. (Continue to elaborate on your trip)
(EL) I did! You know, I usually make my trek down to Florida every February but this year was a lot more special for me. Between landing my job with Lucasfilms and all the craziness of what happened last year, I was just really excited and ready to go back down and see everything down there again. More than that, i have family down there I don’t get to see often and they’re such a big piece of me, so it was so exciting to get to see them again and spend those couple of weeks with them being crazy and weird and all. It honestly felt like being a little kid again. I had Disney bounds planned like 4 months in advance, and had mouse ears for all them so I was really looking forward to it this year. I did get to spend several days at Disney which was fantastic, and I got to also eat at a couple places in Disney I haven’t ate at in a while so it was like experiencing it all over again for the first time! I got to experience the art festival at Epcot for the first time and that was INCREDIBLE. Also spent some time at a zoo, on the beach, and Busch gardens in Tampa so those days were fun filled too. I don’t really think I could put into words how amazing it was. And all of it was with family which made it so much better for me. Family is my everything and I wouldn’t be who I am today without them, so it just made the trip so much better. It made it so hard to leave them this year. I’m still sour about being back home, ha-ha.
(DS) I would have a hard time coming home too after a trip like that. While you were there, you did some drops of your art work. Was all of it found and have you heard from the recipients?
(EL) As far as I know all were found! I’ve heard from all but one. Which is totally crazy because I wasn’t expecting to hear from any but I heard from almost all of them which was super rad. And I got too see my pieces in their new homes so that’s really neat too.
(DS) What do the fans that find your artwork usually communicate with you? Or is that top secret?
(EL) Oh no, not top secret at all!! A lot tell me of how they found it, what type of day they were having until that point, and where they’ll be putting it when they make it home.
(DS) What is the deal with you and Kylo Ren at Disney World?
(EL) I have no clue. I think he didn’t like me because I was dressed as Rey? I mean I kind of had to dress as Rey, because she’s a character I get compared to a lot and she’s also my favorite so it made sense. Also, I draw her for a living so I mean why not go for it? I was actually super terrified of Kylo Ren at first, even though I draw him a lot for a living. You would think I’d be used to the mask and all but nope. The mask just freaked me out and I wasn’t sure what to do at first, but then my adrenaline kicked into sass which ultimately bested him. He didn’t like that I could go toe to toe with him. Like ok, I get your scary and all, but stop trying to circle me like a vulture! It’s a teeny bit creepy after a while!
(DS) I loved that video! It really showed that you truly are a fan of Star Wars. Do you see yourself posting more videos and photos of you just geeking out?
(EL) I definitely do see myself trying to do that more. I’ve got a few in mind that hopefully I’ll be able to take this year. I mean, I’m human just like everybody else, so I should share that a bit now and then. I think people forget sometimes there a person behind the art, so these little videos and pictures make people remember that.
(DS) You just recently celebrated an anniversary of your first post on Instagram. How has the journey been so far?
(EL) Absolutely incredible and insane! I’ve seen myself grow as a person and an artist in this past year, and being able to document that on this platform where others can see it too is really neat. Also, I’m still confused how there are 33k followers on my page but I guess they liked this past year of mine too! Between the likes, reposts, comments, and encouragement, I’m really feeling the love from everyone and I’m so grateful.
(DS) Is it weird to go back and see your style change over the year?
(EL) Yes and no. I mean from an artist’s perspective, you expect to change a bit during a time period. You don’t stay stuck in the same place. You constantly are learning new techniques, tweaking things you already do, studying to improve your work. Art is funny in that way. It’s a profession that’s always changing, always evolving into something new. I think that’s why I took to it so much, is because you’re constantly learning, constantly trying to improve yourself. But it’s also weird for me to not looking from an artist’s viewpoint and seeing, “whoa that was me last year? Ugh what was I thinking?! it looked awful!” Or “when did I learn to do that?!” Because you don’t really expect to see yourself get better and you honestly do with enough practice.
(DS) What does the next year look like for you?
(EL) Well I’m hoping it’ll be another spectacular year like last year. I’ve got a few exciting projects in store, that I cannot wait to share, as well as some exciting adventures I’ll be having that I can wait to show everyone. I have a few comic cons in the schedule so expect to see some new art for those, as well as pictures of celebrities with my art, and of course cosplaying as well. Oh and I’m doing a major redo to my website, so stay tuned to see what’s new and what’s fixed.
(DS) Is there anything coming down the pipeline that our readers should look out for?
(EL) Well I have a few new projects I can’t share JUST yet, but if you want to see sneak peeks, you can always join on my Patreon and see what’s going on. And you can bet to see more nerdy and work art this year in my feed!
(DS) How can we find out more about you and your art?
(EL) Well once I finish redoing my website, I’ll have areas where you can get to know me more, and find out more about my inspirations and how I do my work. But also, I say to everybody feel free to just strike up a conversation with me. I’m not going to bite, and I’ll answer any questions you might have for me!
Well Erin, I think we will honor the restraining order and leave you alone now! Seriously though, thank you so much for taking the time to answer my questions. For those who want to follow Butternut_Gouache on Instagram head to https://www.instagram.com/butternut_gouache and click that follow button. There is something for everyone there and you get to see some great art as well!
