The Secret World of Arrietty

The Secret World of Arrietty, the latest offering from the wildly popular Japanese animation company Studio Ghibli, is being released in the U.S. in partnership with the Disney Company. First released in Japan on July 17, 2010, the North American version makes its debut on February 17.

Read the full review here, http://herndon.patch.com/articles/movie-review-the-secret-world-of-arrietty#following_1895654

"Dreaming" Artist Proofs and Limited Editions

     I'm in the process of launching a store for limited editions, artist proofs, and other reproductions of my art.  I just got news from Acme Archives that "Dreaming"(Rapunzel) will also be released as a giclee on canvas as well as a paper edition.  As far as artist proofs go, I will have 10 paper edition and 10 canvas edition available.  Pricing and other information should be available soon.

-ben

Star Trek Fine Art

I've been given permission to post that I will be creating a new line of Star Trek art for UK based distributor Iron Gut Publishing.  Trekies, prepare yourselves!  I will be starting with Kirk, Spock, and Uhura from the classic series and moving around from there.  More news soon..

-ben

Cinderella Art

Client-Acme Archives Direct/Disney Fine Art

As most of you know I’ve been creating a new product line for Acme Archives’ Disney and Star Wars Fine Art programs. I probably have around 10 completed pieces that will be debuting throughout the year.

The Rapunzel in my gallery is the first of the series to be used as a Limited Edition. This Cinderella is not published by Acme, the editor wanted to hold off on it due to it’s similarities between my art and the special edition dvd cover. So I’ll be throwing another Cinderella in the mix later down the road.  The original art is available.

-ben

Medium-Colored Pencil on Sky Blue Canson Colorline paper.
Dimensions-16”x20”
Status-Original Art Available

May 5, 1977

Completed for Lucasfilm Ltd.-

I remember my first glimpse of Tatooine as I watched R2 and 3P0 pass by the skeletal remains of a sand creature.  The two moons setting in the pale sky filled me with curiosity about a world outside of my own.  Then there was the force; it was all around us, binding us together and made up of all living things.

“I wanted a concept of religion based on the premise that there is a God and there is good and evil.  I began to distill the essence of all religions into what I thought was a basic idea common to all religions and common to primitive thinking.”-George Lucas

When I took on this project and ventured to Tatooine, my goal was not only to capture the elements, characters, and environments of the story, but also to bring back the emotions George Lucas intended for us to have during its development nearly 4 decades ago.

“A New Hope” reminds us that successful story telling requires much more than just a high budget and special effects; it must inspire our hearts.

Medium-Colored Pencil on Rives BFK paper
Dimensions-22”x30”
Status-Available

-ben

The Deathly Hallows, One-sheet

What can I say? I've followed them from year one when they took their first ride on Hogwarts Express all the way to the destruction of their school in the battle of a life time. Undoubtedly, this was the most emotional piece of art I've ever created. With the completion of each subject, I said my farewells to a genre that has influenced my career for over a decade.

I doubt this art will be published in the near future, Mrs. Rowling has not yet released rights over to any licensor to sell limited editions based on the HP franchise. Unless my rep finds another route for the art, this will remain a one off original piece. For now...

The art is completed entirely with colored pencil on Rives BFK paper, and measures 22"x30".

For more updates on new art and available products, check out my official facebook page, [link]

-ben

Alice in Wonderland

-conceptual art for Disney's fine art program,

When I decided to take on this film I really had to dig deep into what made me enjoy it. It took me back to my childhood when my imagination ran my life. I remember believing in fictional worlds as much as I did reality, sometimes keeping me in trouble as I would daydream instead of working.

Aesthetically, I wanted this art to be different than anything I had done in the past. The idea came to me when I saw a sketch on the cover of a drawing pad, I noticed that the off white paper held more innocence with colored pencil than the tonal paper I normally work on due to the bright palette and distinct texture.

The art is completed with Derwent Studio colored pencils on off white drawing paper. Dimensions measure 18"x24".

I don't know the future of this piece, I've been given permission to post it, if it were to become licensed it would have to go through another avenue than the license I was currently pursuing due to live action and likeness approvals.

Best-
Ben