Would you believe it if I told you that this artist, who’s well-known for her relatable illustrations regarding relationships, has romance as her least favorite genre? This is just one out of the many fun facts that we have yet to discover about Elijah Alonzo, the woman behind ‘Hellydgreat’!

Helly and Damian, Elijah’s most popular characters, portray the little moments that we so often overlook when it comes to relationships. We think of love as something so grand and perfect when in fact, it is just a bunch of small stuff that make us feel the best and the worst of emotions and everything in between. It is through this kind of art that we get to remind ourselves how blessed are we to experience such a rare occurrence in our lives- meeting someone who was brave enough to choose us in a world that constantly scares us with its uncertainty. 

Elijah’s inspiration behind the comics that she creates is her significant other whom she has shared countless memories with. At first, she never intended for her artworks to draw a lot of attention. However, in this digital age, one’s audience could so easily grow when they create contents that other people could relate to. As Elijah exhibits the funny conversations that couples usually have, or the thoughts that we casually keep to ourselves, she created not only a connection between her and the bigger crowd, but also, she provided a way for individuals to communicate with their partners the feelings that they couldn’t put into words. 

Contrary to what most people would think, the creation of Helly and Damian aren’t as simple and as effortless as it might seem to appear like. It took Elijah years to find an art style that suits her best- the reason why she tried traditional works. She did acrylic painting, and even tried anime art style, but she encountered a lot of challenges, such as color, proportion, and shading. When she tried doing chibis, she thought it was easier and more comfortable to create. It eventually became the starting point for Hellydgreat, and looking back, her art was rooted in two basic things: easiness to do, and comfort. 

Art is never easy for anyone, but the secret to stick to that passion is to navigate each style and find what’s most convenient for you. Elijah even said, “Expose yourself to different techniques, and find something that feels home to you.” As for her, home meant illustrating moments that are real for people- moments that so swiftly pass by in the blink of an eye. It is quite a challenge to execute Elijah’s subject, as love encompasses all the complexities one might encounter. But this is the very essence of art- to capture a fraction of everything that feels huge to us. This way we would always have something to keep. Something to smile at, hope for, and believe in.