Birds

I haven't created or completed anything much in the last two weeks, due to working at my day job and other such commitments. I've also been spending quite a lot of time educating myself about art history. Mainly by reading through Taschen art books on classical painters (recently Vermeer, Delacroix and Velazquez next) and by watching Matthew Collings 'This is Civilization' on Youtube, which I really recommend. However, the UK weather has just decided it's going to unleash upon us all sorts of cold and wetness, which should prove productive for me.

Posted here are some quick studies of sparrows and pigeons from my Lincoln back Garden during my 3rd year at Uni ('06).

Tomthro

Took this one a bit further on computer, while listening to Ugly Duckling (I still love them).

SteeFrone

Over longated faces have been my typical error for as long as i can remember.

The corrected version will be inked up shortly.

A Cats Tale

A peliminary design for a potential commission I may be illustrating soon. I have developed a tendency to use large areas of darkness in my compositions recently. Considering how I can save time and effort by using block black has become part of my thinking when coming up with ideas for pictures. I'd like to trace where I got this idea from initially, this guy probably had something to do with it.

St Cecilia

The version above was printed on 10/09/08 in the Poetry Analysis column of the Epoch Times London edition. The version below I coloured on photoshop when I had more time. St Cecilia is the patron Saint of musicians, and has been rendered beautifully in many classic paintings.
Click here to see her wiki page and learn stuff.

Which Frame?!?

Meditation Girl

This image is something I made in my free time recently.

The girl depicted is practising a Falun Gong meditation excercise and I think that in the original photo I worked from, she is at a peaceful protest outdoors somewhere. The reason being that Falun Gong practitioners are persecuted under the Communist government in China. Many spiritual practices in the East, despite being more akin to China's original, ancient culture, dont fit in with the partys ideology and are therefore supressed (often violently). Falun Gong practitioners around the world outside of China have therefore taken it upon themselves to protest against this gross violation of Human Rights, just like the girl in this picture.

I've been very impressed and influenced by this guys work recently, and I think it shows a bit in this piece.

Upstairs Exhibition

My work has been hanging throughout August at the Upstairs Gallery in Beccles. I've had lots of positive feedback and a good wedge of my contact info postcards have been taken (hopefully by art lovers who arent 'feeling the pinch').
Thanks to the very kind gallery owner Michelle, I'll be exhibiting for all of September now too! Cheers!

Click on the banner above to check out the Upstairs Gallery website and all that goes on there!

Slice of Life

A few bits from Life drawing class, which will be sadly missed thanks to the local High School deciding to cease all evening classes :_(

Antidote

Latest piece for the Epoch Times Newspaper, London Edition. Printed today on the Art & Culture page, alongside an analysis of the poem 'The Character of a Happy Life' by Sir henry Wooton.
My image is inspired mainly by the lines; 'And entertains the harmless day with a well-chosen book or friend', and based largely upon Norman Rockwells famous 'Willie Gillis' (below).

Click here if you'd like to read the poem and analysis (alongside someone elses illustration!).

Mosaic'd

Inspired by a series of 'NikeSB' print Ads, I've added a little background colour to the line portraits I made. Click the pic to see 'em over on the portfolio site.

Exhibition - Upstairs Gallery, Beccles

Check it out Kids, up all month!

Also, Ive updated my Online Portfolio a little to match the work on display at the Exhibition - www.joelbenjamin.co.uk

Food for Thought

Another piece of Leaflet illustration. This time to advertise the Buffet services of the lovely 'Food for Thought' sandwich shop in Beccles. Available through selected outlets in the Beccles vicinity.

Jasper

Drawn from a Cretee holiday photo :)

Crete Peeps

Beach people watching in the sun. Coloured quickly in Photoshop.

Trunks Man

Blue Bikini Lady

Busy lil' Beach Blondie