Meet Liam Eisenberg | Illustrator

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

Hi Liam, do you have some perspective or insight you can share with us on the question of when someone should give up versus when they should keep going?
I used to give up on things so easily growing up. As soon as a task or a goal became difficult I would quit. Playing sports as a teenager was the first time I saw how much simply showing up every day to put in the work eventually compounds until you get faster and stronger. When I was done with school and sports I needed something else to apply this energy to. That’s when I rediscovered art. I began practicing everyday, the same way I did with sports, and watched myself grow year after year.

We all wish we could be a prodigy or an overnight success, but this isn’t the reality. As long as you are seeing growth in what you are pursuing, there is no reason to give up. You can only compare where you are today to where you were yesterday, months ago, or years ago. As long as you are passionate, responsible, disciplined, and consistent, there is no reason to give up.

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.
I think anyone can learn how to draw or paint. But not everyone can come up with good ideas. I’d like to think that’s my superpower. I always try to come up with ideas that only I could come up with. You would have to live my life and see things through my lens to come up with these ideas. It’s not something I was always good at, but the more you practice thinking deeply as an artist, it’s like a muscle that gets stronger. I love a good concept just as much as I love a good drawing.

I’m from Fort Lee, New Jersey. Growing up, our TV had only a few basic channels, and my parents wouldn’t buy my brother and I a video game console. I’m grateful that they didn’t – instead they would tell us to either read, draw, or play outside. I chose to draw. Despite not having any formal art education growing up, I would spend my free time as a kid endlessly drawing. My parents still have a lot of these childhood drawings, and it’s interesting to see how the subject matter changed based on my interests over time. I went through phases of drawing Pokemon and Dragon Ball, tanks and soldiers, the Simpsons, my favorite rappers, skateboards, graffiti etc. As a teenager I started playing sports and lost touch with my desire to draw. However it was around this time a friend sent me a link to download Photoshop for free (illegally). The same way I spent my free time endlessly drawing as a kid, now I was spending my free time intricately manipulating photos in Photoshop and watching Youtube tutorials.

When I got to college I didn’t really know what I was doing there or what I planned on doing with my life. I feel like I had a midlife crisis at 18 years old. I spent a lot of time alone, reflecting, asking myself questions like: “What do I actually enjoy doing without being forced?” Before smartphones, or worrying about money, or what people think of me, what did I spend my time doing? Oh yeah – I used to draw. I started drawing again everyday in my free time and even took a Drawing I class as an elective my freshman year. In the beginning of the semester I was undoubtedly the worst student in the class. Despite not being an art major, this motivated me to put hours into each assignment until I worked my way up to being the best student in the class.

When it came time to submit a portfolio and possibly get accepted into an art program, I had to choose between fine art, graphic design, photography or illustration. I didn’t really know what illustration was beyond seeing the words: “illustrated by:” on covers of children’s books. I actually applied to the graphic design program and got denied. So I submitted a portfolio of my assignments from that Drawing 1 class to the illustration program and got accepted. Looking back on it now, I’m glad it went that way.

I think most people wouldn’t mind getting paid to do what they already enjoy doing in their free time. That’s why it’s so rare and challenging to make your hobby a career. Before the pandemic I had a full time job as an art teacher and was miserable to say the least. I felt unfulfilled because I was not using the skills I went to school for all these years. I belonged out there in the world, working on illustrations with big clients, not babysitting kids who don’t want to be there.

I began waking up everyday at 4:30am to work on my portfolio and send cold emails, promoting my work to potential clients. Then I’d go to my job from 9am – 6pm, crash, and do it all over again the next day. I did this for 6 months, and felt like a zombie. Then the world shut down and I got laid off. Suddenly, I could sit at home and work on my portfolio all day, instead of only that small slot of time early in the morning. I had enough money saved up to last at least 6 months. No matter how depressing it was outside, or what was going on in the world, I showed up at my desk every day to work on my goals. Slowly but surely I began picking up illustration gigs from brands such as The New York Times, The New Yorker, NBC, American Eagle, The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and more.

I’ve learned so many lessons along the way but I’ll leave two of them here. The only way to get better at drawing is to draw. Never Quit.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
We would ride our bicycles from Downtown to Muscle Beach on Ocean Drive. Get a workout in the sun, and ride back. After working out we’d be hungry, so let’s go to the Wynwood Smorgasbord for a big platter of BBQ. Next we can get some happy hour Mojitos at Miami Mojito Co., and end the night at Dante’s HiFi for some good music.

I love the Perez Art Museum, their cafe, as well as the benches in the back and view of the water. We can also find a shady spot to sit at Vizcaya Garden with sketchbooks, and paint what we see. I love going with friends to South Pointe Park to watch the sunset.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I would like to shoutout my family for always being honest, keeping it real, and loving me. I would like to shoutout my younger self for never giving up on his dreams, no matter what.

Website: www.liameisenberg.com

Instagram: eisenbergillustration