LABC: The Los Angeles Alphabet features Eng’s colorful designs of city landmarks.
Asia Eng, ’07 BFA Communication Arts, Illustration
LABC: The Los Angeles Alphabet is a fun, quirky, and colorful children’s book that showcases several prominent Los Angeles landmarks. A few things inspired me to create it.
First, I wanted to make a dedication to the City of Los Angeles. Having been born and raised in Oakland, California, I considered myself a die-hard Northern Californian. Even after venturing off to Los Angeles for art school, I had plans to return home after graduation. However, year after year I postponed these plans and slowly began to put down roots in L.A. In fact, it took about a decade for me to finally accept that I had become an Angeleno. The tell-tale signs were there and are still true to this day: I forget how to drive in the rain, I love wearing shorts year-round, and I have a shameless addiction to Disneyland. LABC: The Los Angeles Alphabet book is my own personal love letter to the city.
Second, I wanted to make a dedication to all the cool cats out there who happen to be parents. I started a family here and I remember when I was pregnant with my first-born being paranoid about becoming a minivan-driving soccer mom. I was afraid that any bit of coolness I had would just vanish when I became a parent. So as much as LABC is for the kiddies, it is also for the cool moms and dads!
Lastly, I wanted to use my talents as an artist and illustrator to create an ABC book infused with vibrant colors and fine details to capture the imagination of both children and adults. This book is different from other alphabet books on the market—while most ABC books are simply “A is for apple” with minimal illustrations, LABC boasts colorful landmarks as backdrops.
The alphabet from L.A. to Z is covered—from the stars of Hollywood Boulevard to the lights at LACMA. Whether you are a kid or a kid at heart, a tourist or Los Angeles native, this book is for anyone who hearts L.A.
Eng has been a freelance artist and arts educator since graduating from Otis College. LABC: The Los Angeles Alphabet can be purchased on Amazon.
