Oh Nine

New Wall Clock Board is finished and ready to go on sale as of Tomorrow (Thursday) (SOLD-11/01/09).
Portfolio website has had a bit of a shuffle around also, in hope of everything looking a bit more consistent and pleasing the eyes that may grace it.



Im quite optimistic about 2009 so far. I've plenty planned but have yet to take up my New Years resolution to go swimming and cycling more. I'd rather stay in a play Professor Layton, which my Dad managed to snap up before the rush.

Smash Sparrow Sneak Peak

A tiny bit of the latest Smash Skates Wall Clock design. In the shop sometime this week!

Flash Walla

Happy New Year and welcome to 2009, we've been expecting you.

I spent New years eve/day in London this year and had an ace time. My good friend Huw put me up in his flat in exchange for my services as Assistant photographer at the New Years day parade in the City. Our mission was to capture and document the part of the parade representing the meditation practice of Falun Gong, as we are both practitioners ourselves. Some beautiful photos of the marching band, heavenly dancers and the main float were successfully recorded and can be seen here -

www.flickr.com/huwgreenwood/

Below is my best pic taken on my little Olympus point and click camera. The girl is dressed as a Boddhisattva and stood atop the float surrounded by a large lotus flower. Many agreed that this was a very beautiful sight.



Perhaps a less beautiful sight, me in Victoria park, London.

Traces

A quick trace of my Nan (felt tip) from a watercolour portrait, using my flash new Lightbox.

Little Confucian

As soon as I saw the photo in the newspaper I knew that at least a little painting/study had to come from it. In the original image there is a crowd of these little well behaved dudes, I only had time to paint the one. The book he is holding is no doubt a pocket size copy of the Analects of Confucius, the teachings of which emphasise Loyalty, Filial Piety, Kindness, Honesty and general good Humanity. The writings of and about Confucius heavily influenced the morality and philosophy of the chinese people before the destructive Cultural Revolution of the 1960s.

Winter Indoors

Nasty little computer viruses, pre christmas busy-ness and a touch of SAD have all kept me from posting anything up here recently. Mind you, a few portrait comissions and successfully selling Skateboard Clocks have meant that my away from web endeavors haven't been in vain.

Posted here are some roughs from my sketchbook that were warm ups for the aforementioned portraits. Also the initial studies for the first Wall-Clock-Deck (below).

More Smash Sparrows

After the swift sale of the first clock-deck, it was decided that I should keep these coming in the run-up to christmas.

On sale now at Smash Skates, Beccles.

Smash Sparrows

Nature.
That's what Skateboarding is all about.
Outdoors, fresh air, cruising around a smooth concrete car park on a plank of 9 ply maple. Well, perhaps not the most natural of occurences, but it gives you a sense of freedom at least, and that's what I like about it.

It's with that in mind that this recent piece has come to be. A collaboration between Smash Skates of Beccles and myself, as a part of their new wall clock range.

With any luck, more will follow.

Vans

Vehicular doodling done while at work.

Abstraction

In recent years I have often been encouraged and advised by tutors or fellow students to 'loosen up' and 'let yourself make a mistake'.
I know they mean well and I do understand what they're getting at, but I just wanted to show that I have indeed been there. Examples below.
Through experience I have come to find the challenge of accurate rendering much more rewarding and indeed a broader realm within which to operate.


Two pieces from my Foundation course in Fine Art, Norwich, 2002. Created using Acrylic, Pencils, Large wax Crayons and rampant emotions.

Juliet

Havn't posted anything for a while due to my internet connection going down as it was upgraded. It was nice to be without it for a little while and go back to relying more on books and the things around me for entertainment & general stimulation, but it did make me realise that this here In'ernet is a valuable tool indeed, I missed it.

All things in moderation is good.

This is a picture of my friends daughter, done in my spare time (originally just a practice piece).

Vintage rOmantic

Abit of an experiment in Vintage Sepia look imagery. Further developments may follow.

Animation tab

I've added an Animation section to my online portfolio so that some of my recent 'movie' commissions can be displayed, enjoy.
JoelBenjamin.co.uk

Idyll Knight

Another poetry analysis illustration for the Epoch Times London Edition. A dramatic moment is depicted from the poem 'Idylls of the King' by the English poet Alfred, Lord Tennyson. Click the link to see Gustave Dore's Illustration on Wiki, he was the Don.

I had planned this image to be a bit more Frank Miller-esque, but seeing as I didnt actually look at his work while drawing, it didn't come through so much (at all).

Trackbiker

Just a little doodle I liked.