Born in Oakland, California, Eugene Randolph Young grew up in two parent home with one older sister and lots of encouragement to draw. Regular contact with three generations of a large extended family, and his K-12 experience in the culturally diverse Berkeley Unified School District, gave him a strong affinity for the pluralistic culture and traditions of the Bay Area.

Eugene attributes his passion for science fiction and fantasy imagery to years of exposure to both genres through books, comics, toys, model kits, video games, films, and television shows starting at around the age of 5. He had been a fan of Battlestar Galactica, Star Wars, Star Trek, G.I. Joe, Transformers, and a few titles from Japan.

Eugene completed a BFA with distinction in Graphic Design at the California College of the Arts and an AA degree in Graphic Communications with honors at City College of San Francisco where he is currently a part-time instructor.

In 2002, he was introduced to Elfwood by his friend Perry D. Clark, co-creator of Guila: The Dark Stranger. There, he experimented with non-traditional depictions to science fiction and fantasy-themed art with an emphasis on diversity and challenging clichés. The response was overwhelmingly positive.

Since then, Eugene has continued to produce illustrations using traditional and digital media, often using the handle "Eurayo", derived from the first two initials of his first, middle and last name. He recently received a Photoshop Users Award for illustration from the National Association of Photoshop Professionals, and has had work featured in ImagineFX (UK) magazine and Brand Studio's Eye Candy for Strangers. Eugene is currently a professional member of the AIGA and was a panelist on digital vs. traditional art at Silicon 2008 in San José, California. He has also recently taken up Japanese as a hobby and hopes to visit Tokyo some day.