The Beginner’s Guide to Raising Chickens

This year’s biggest birthday gift came from above. Not only was June 4th my birthday, it was also the day I became a published illustrator!

Written by Anne Kuo and published by Callisto Media “The Beginner’s Guide to Raising Chickens” was published on June 4th, this month. There are about 25 of my illustrations in here of different types of chickens, coop-building diagrams, and more. If you’re into backyard chickens or if you’d like to start, this is the book for you!

Thank you Callisto Media and Anne Kuo for the opportunity!

Available on Amazon and Barnes&Nobles(online):
https://amzn.to/2MKVuHn

Theater Production Artist 5

Along with the illustrations, I also tackled the branding and social media marketing of play. It was a huge task but it turned out to great in the end. The theater company had performed this play in NYC a few years ago and it drew about 150 attendees. This time, it sold out a week ahead at over 600 attendees for one show in Ithaca, NY! Glad it worked!

Theater Production Artist 4

This drawing was meant to capture Bonhoeffer’s prison cell in the concentration camps. Instead of drawing the entire room, I focused in on the window and the cracked walls to emphasize the conditions he had to live in.

Theater Production Artist 3

I don’t go to live theater much, but it was interesting to see my illustrations be a big part of the performance. I hope more theaters do it.

Theater Production Artist 2

One of the background illustrations I did for the theater production. It was a dark and tragic time in Germany so my work had to capture that aura.

Theater Production Artist

For most of 2018, I was the illustrator for a theater/opera production that retold the story of Dietrich Bonhoeffer. Bonhoeffer was a German theologian who spoke out against Hitler and the rise of Nazi power, and was later executed in the concentration camps.

I was hired to create about 15+ illustrations that were used as backdrops for each scenes in the play. Here’s a few photos of the production itself and you can see some of my illustrations in the background. More on the way.

Tea Time With Grandma & Me - Book Illustration

Did I mention I illustrated a new kids book in 2017? I wasn’t going to post this initially since this is not my primary style of illustration, but I thought maybe there might be people out there who would really love this story.

It’s called, “Brownies, Biscuits, and Hot Tea for Grandma and Me” by Debra Thomas. It’s about a little girl and her grandma who spend time together by having tea. When the grandma passes, the girl and her mom remember grandma by continuing this tradition of drinking tea together. 

Available on Amazon! https://buff.ly/2HVvSoB

Bruce Lee - Martial Arts Studio Storefront Illustration

Probably the coolest project I did back in 2017. I designed and illustrated the storefront of a martial arts & fitness studio in downtown Ithaca called Centerline. Their specialty is Bruce Lee’s very own “Jeet Kune Do!” Oh and I took classes!! 🤜🏽💥👊🏽⚡️🥊💫💪🏽

After a year of training, I can personally say that Sifu Collin and the other instructor are phenomenal and just good people to be around.

Check them out at www.centerlinestrong.com

My process for creating a bird packaging illustration

As a general rule, I like to involve the client as much as possible from beginning to the end.

I start with gesture drawings of the bird, looking for the best poses. I like to read about the bird or study videos so I can find a pose that would best represent its character and personality. I assume that bird owners would connect with this when they see the final packaging.

I take the poses I like and create several black & white compositions showing how it will fit in the layout. If the layout isn’t taken into consideration early, there’s a good chance the impact of art will be lost and the designer will have to put the text on top of the art. In this case, the layout was changed by the end.

Once a compositions is selected, a final drawing is completed. Plus, a simple greyscale and color mockup are sent to the client. After approval, I start the final!

A few times during the rendering stage, I send the client a progress update, letting them know how it’s going, and also letting them request changes if they catch something wrong.

And finally, we have a finished illustration that we can both be proud of!

 

Thanks for reading! 

Benedict

Lion Fights

 

Experimental Paintings

More experimental paintings from a few years ago. Playing around with brushes and different techniques.

Sunshine Lion Sketch

In A Pit With A Lion On A Snowy Day #2

Another painting inspired by the book, “In A Pit With A Lion On A Snowy Day” by Mark Batterson.

In A Pit With A Lion On A Snowy Day

This painting was inspired by one of my favorite books, “In A Pit With A Lion On A Snowy Day” by Mark Batterson. I originally painted this back in 2015 as a personal project, but forgot about it when I got busy with client work. The book is essentially about facing your fears head on. More so, it’s about how our greatest opportunities often present themselves as our greatest fears, such as a 500lb lion in this case.

2nd Packaging Illustration - Eclectus Parrot

Here’s the 2nd bird food packaging illustration. The male Eclectus Parrot is about land on a branch next to a female as she is eating a pandanus fruit. Plus, a smoking volcano and a sunrise in the background. This was quite a challenge!

Strangely enough, I feel like I can relate to this male bird whenever I find my wife snacking on something. “Hey! Whatcha eating!?” I say as I glide gracefully down on to the couch next to her.