It was the mid-noughties when Ben O’Brien – AKA Ben the Illustrator – first sauntered onto the artistic scene. The artistic magazines beloved him and so did shoppers, from nationwide newspapers to cutting-edge automotive manufacturers. He was one of many first vector graphics illustrators to interrupt away from the chilly perfection of the aesthetic and use the know-how to deliver out the heat, humour and humanity in no matter he illustrated.
Now, 21 years later, he is nonetheless capitalising on this facet of his creativity. Throughout that point, he is seen illustrators turn out to be somewhat bit like rock stars after which fall from grace, considerably not less than, with the rise of AI that mimics their abilities.
“I do imagine the trade is struggling,” he says. “We have gone via an actual heyday previously decade or two. Illustrators have gone from a credit score on the backside of a web page to family names, typically transferring from books and magazines to revered galleries and large model collaborations the place the illustrator’s title is entrance and centre.”
Sensible Vehicles – traditional vector work in Ben the Illustrator model in Vice Journal
The White Stripes – one in all Ben’s artwork prints
Alongside this, a complete trade has grown round illustration, with wonderful programs, ever-improving artistic software program, platforms for illustrators to construct their very own audiences and a market all the time in search of the subsequent huge factor. After which the crash…
Ben continues: “In perhaps simply two years, social media grew to become a far much less optimistic place, after which AI occurred. Software program that may actually do our job for us, with out us.”
However this is not the top, says Ben. AI may need mopped up the sort of jobs you could have misplaced to a shopper’s teenage cousin anyway – low-cost icons and logos, for instance. Extra importantly, many companies and their clients now consciously search the human contact. The trade may need turn out to be a bit extra conservative, with many sizable shoppers working via businesses fairly than reaching out straight. Nonetheless, there are nonetheless so many visible ideas that solely a human illustrator can develop. There’s a lot hope and, maybe, room for optimism.
Wavy Wonders – the primary challenge to function the Ben Attracts model
Ben himself has tailored remarkably effectively to the anxious state of limbo many creatives have discovered themselves in since COVID-19. Alongside his Ben the Illustrator model, which nonetheless makes use of the right shapes, colors and gradients of Adobe Illustrator, he has developed a hand-drawn, line-based model referred to as Ben Attracts.
“Round 4 or 5 years in the past, I did somewhat experiment for a artistic director pal of mine, working in a very totally different illustration model. It began as improvement for a challenge he was on, and never solely was it utilized in that challenge – Wavy Wonders seafood snacks – I made a decision to play with it extra, and inside a 12 months it grew right into a full portfolio,” says Ben.
Nonetheless, this new model, based mostly on expressive, cursive traces, languished amongst Ben’s vector work for a number of years. It wasn’t till he joined a web based workshop for mid-career illustrators, run by the Affiliation of Illustrators, that he realised he ought to separate this new model and provides it a model of its personal. Ben the Illustrator now sits alongside Ben Attracts – two clear, coherent portfolios – serving to shoppers perceive Ben’s potential for his or her initiatives.
An unused picture from his current espresso challenge
“I have been fairly busy with Ben Attracts commissions not too long ago, engaged on a brand new packaging design for a brilliant enjoyable espresso roastery. I am unable to share any of that,” he says. “After which I have been again working with The Guardian, one in all my first editorial shoppers 20 years in the past, and it is nonetheless an absolute pleasure to work with. The illustration trade goes via some actual ups and downs, however it’s all the time reassuring to know that publications like The Guardian are nonetheless commissioning previous and new illustrators, week after week.”
He stays as passionate as ever about private initiatives, holding his creativity nimble and his portfolios recent. “Essentially the most dominant one for me is creating artwork prints, or units of prints even. They do not all the time promote, however after they do, I get such a kick {that a} random afternoon’s creativity has led to somewhat revenue! I’ve additionally used aspect initiatives to indicate what I can do. For instance, I not too long ago had an oddball concept for a coffee-and-cake-focused sub-brand for Adidas. A unusual concept, maybe, nevertheless it’s enabled me to push my animation within the Ben Attracts model,” he explains.
Testing an idea in self-initiated way of life work
And there are all the time new areas he’d prefer to discover. Creating the imagery for a complete e-book is one ambition, and he’d love to start out illustrating interiors. Think about boutiques, cafes, recording studios, levels, maybe even modern houses – all emblazoned with Ben the Illustrator graphics.
“I additionally wish to push the work I do at Kendall Calling, drawing bands, into animation, to have the ability to create a totally drawn music video, like A-Ha’s Take On Me, however in my very own graphic model. That may be so enjoyable to work on,” he says.
And we will not wait to look at it, when it arrives…
Ben collaborates with Tim Burgess of The Charlatans
