At 16, Jil Ellerbrock was one of the youngest artists to enter our North American Artist Showcase. Still living with her parents in Hamburg, Germany, Jil only started to hone her talents two years ago. Inspired by the art of Toni Mahfud, she began exploring realism, taking up pencil, patels and pen to capture the spirit of her subjects.

Artists are traditionally hard on themselves. Insecurity and doubt would seam to be common threads through the lives of painters, sculptors, and illustrators alike. Yet, insecure isn’t the only word Jil uses to describe herself when it comes to her art.

“Even if it’s contradictory, I’m a chaotic perfectionist. I’m still amazed by myself that I can always find all my pencils. I would call myself a perfectionist because I can get really disappointed with my art when it doesn’t match with my concept and these works that don’t match with my mental image of it will sadly never see the light of day.”

At such a young age, Jil already understands the commitment art requires. From her bedroom in her parents house, Jil is committed to learning new techniques and challenging her understanding of form, texture, light and color.

“I feel like I am an artist just starting out myself. But if I was an established artist, I would tell my 16 year old self “work hard, don’t give up, no matter if you don’t always succeed, in the end it will be worth it, trust me”.

Jil’s art is striking on a number of levels. At 16, Jil can already capture the spirit of her subject and draw the viewer in. Her understanding of tone, and skill with black and white is undeniable. Yet, she is just starting to find her feet, to find her own methods for creating and capturing emotion.

“Usually I get inspired enough by the faces of the people I want to draw and the story I imagine that are behind their eyes. Additionally I often hear my favorite music and watch my favorite movies during the process of creating to keep myself in a good mood.”

Here at artFido, we’re excited to see where Jil Ellerbrock’s talents lead. Go to artFido.com to purchase one of Jil’s pieces and support her in her artistic endeavors, or, simply, click here.