Interview for Freepik (*)

Ben Heine working on "Less is More"

Nicoleta Ionescu: Please tell us, how does a typical day in the life of Ben Heine go?

Ben Heine: It usually goes like that: Wake up > Listen to music > Eat breakfast > Take care of my baby > Write emails > Work on art projects > Do some sport > Skype With partners > Organize or attend exhibitions > Dinner > Take care of my wife > Work more > Share on social networks > Sleep > Dream. 

How would you describe your personal style as an artist?

I like to mix different creative techniques, mixed media is what I'm the best at. My favorite art movements are Surrealism, Pop Art, Geometric Abstraction and Expressionism. 

How did “Pencil Vs Camera” occur to you and where is it heading right now?

Pencil Vs Camera - 72

I created my first Pencil Vs Camera image in April 2010. It's a concept that evolves permanently. It started with very simple black and white sketches on paper. With time, the drawings became more elaborated and creative. I then started doing colored illustrations on black paper. And I'm now doing huge 3D drawings on large paper, this is the latest innovation in this series.

How much time does an art piece take, in general?

I remember I could make several images in a week at the beginning of the series, it's now much more time consuming. It can take one or two weeks of intense work just to do one "good looking" Pencil Vs Camera image. 

What are your favorite medium and form of expression?

I enjoy abstract art more and more. It has less meaning but often more colors, more shapes and more emotions. I also like sculpture and music a lot.

Where do you find inspiration for your art projects?

In my own little despair. I tend to feel inspired when I'm sad or frustrated and I also have lots of ideas coming from the interactions I have with people around me. 

What is the greatest thing in contemporary art?

The concept is becoming more important that the final artwork. I don't know if it's great but that's what caught my attention.

Can you share some work secrets with the Freepik community of artists?

Artist are like magicians. They have many little and simple secrets. Here is something nobody knows: In some of my drawings in the Pencil Vs Camera series, I use black ballpoint pens from time to time to darken more some parts of my illustrations, because pencil is too grey or flat and not dark enough in my opinion.

What project are you working on right now?

Lots of administrative work to prepare future exhibitions. I'm impatient to start new creative projects.

Pencil or camera? Which one wins in the end? :)  

Pencil of course. Drawing is more powerful and limitless I think.

(*) Freepik is an online community that helps people find photos, illustrations and vectors to use for websites, banners, presentations, magazines...

Read some other interviews with Ben Heine

© 2013 Ben Heine

Pencil Vs Camera - 75

Pencil Vs Camera - 75 © Ben Heine | Buy prints

Alone on a strange and endless podium. Abstraction, simplicity and anamorphosis. Each cylinder of this giant podium somehow symbolizes a challenge in life. I made this project recently in my studio in Belgium (mixed media, mixed techniques). I really love geometric abstraction. You can view the sketch in progress here below and the Pencil Vs Camera album at this link. New: find some prints of my photos for sale or some fun products and gifts with a selection of my designs. Thanks for watching.

New: find some prints of mine for sale (including the above picture) or some fun products and gifts with many of my other designs. - See more at: http://www.benjaminheine.blogspot.be/#sthash.8oohfcDl.dpuf

ew: find some prints of mine for sale (including the above picture) or some fun products and gifts with many of my other designs. - See more at: http://www.benjaminheine.blogspot.be/#sthash.8oohfcDl.dpuf

ew: find some prints of mine for sale (including the above picture) or some fun products and gifts with many of my other designs. - See more at: http://www.benjaminheine.blogspot.be/#sthash.8oohfcDl.dpuf

Step 1 - Image in progress © 2013 Ben Heine

Step 2 - Image in progress © 2013 Ben Heine

Step 3 - Image in progress © 2013 Ben Heine

Step 4 - Image in progress © 2013 Ben Heine

© 2013 Ben Heine

Pencil Vs Camera - 74

Pencil Vs Camera - 74 © Ben Heine| Buy a print

My new giant 3D drawing featuring a tiger and an owl in a dense forest. It is part of my "Pencil Vs Camera" series (the concept is reversed in this image, the only piece of reality in the composition being the human model...). The wild animals and the forest are actually anamorphic sketches drawn on a huge piece of paper in my studio, no more, no less than optical illusions.

A quiet tiger, a scary owl and an imprudent artist, maybe an unexpected trio. I took the photo (using a tripod and a self timer) and also made the giant sketch (handmade, as usual). View the sketch in progress and some details here below to understand how it is made. New: find some prints of mine for sale (including the above picture) or some fun products and gifts with many of my other designs.

Step 1 - Image in progress © 2013 Ben Heine

Step 2 - Image in progress © 2013 Ben Heine

Step 3 - Image in progress © 2013 Ben Heine

Step 4 - Image in progress © 2013 Ben Heine

Pencil Vs Camera - 73

Pencil Vs Camera - 73 © Ben Heine | Buy a print today

A recent project I made in my new studio. Was I having a dissociative identity disorder or is this just an optical illusion or maybe an invisible 3D mirror? Who will be the winner? You can view the sketch in progress here below (4 steps) and the complete Pencil Vs Camera series at this link. New: Buy the above artwork as a print!

Step 1 - Pencil Vs Camera 73 in progress © Ben Heine

Step 2 - Pencil Vs Camera 73 in progress © Ben Heine

Step 3 - Pencil Vs Camera 73 in progress © Ben Heine

Step 4 - Pencil Vs Camera 73 in progress © Ben Heine

© 2013 Ben Heine

Lion Walk Animation

Another recent hand drawn animation (I drew each frame one by one, there are about 3,000 frames in total). I made this animation in a rather minimalist way. It's meant to be a simple video clip for my music (original musical composition as well) You can watch the above video in HD at this link (via Facebook) and view photos of the sketches and music in progress here below (26 pictures)...

Lion Walk Animation - Sketch in Progress © Ben Heine

Lion Walk Animation - Sketch in Progress © Ben Heine

Lion Walk Animation - Sketch in Progress © Ben Heine

Lion Walk Animation - Sketch in Progress © Ben Heine

Lion Walk Animation - Music in Progress © Ben Heine

Lion Walk Animation - Sketch in Progress © Ben Heine

Lion Walk Animation - Sketch in Progress © Ben Heine

Lion Walk Animation - Sketch in Progress © Ben Heine

Lion Walk Animation - Sketch in Progress © Ben Heine

Pencil Vs Camera - 72

Pencil Vs Camera - 72 © 2013 Ben Heine

Choose Peace, not violence! Bringing a different 3D effect in my Pencil Vs Camera series. This is more of an experimental work for my future projects. Parts of the paper have been cut in the last steps to give a stronger 3D illusion. Notes: The thin paper was moving each time I was adding charcoal/pencil strokes due to a small space between the wall and paper. That was making it more difficult to draw. I'll place the large paper on the floor for more stability next time I do a similar project. View the sketch in progress here below (6 steps).

Step 1 - Pencil Vs Camera 72 - Work in Progress © Ben Heine

Less is More

Less is More © 2013 Ben Heine - Buy it as a print!

A nice project I made recently in my new studio. I covered the model Zhuzhu and the white background with hundreds of small black stickers. That made her look almost invisible at the end. I wanted to title this artwork "Chaos" or "Big Bang" but I finally chose "Less is More". Please, view the work in progress here below. New: Buy this artwork as a print!

1 - Less is More - Work in Progress © Ben Heine

2 - Less is More - Work in Progress © Ben Heine

3 - Less is More - Work in Progress © Ben Heine

4 - Less is More - Work in Progress © Ben Heine

5 - Less is More - Work in Progress © Ben Heine

6 - Less is More - Work in Progress © Ben Heine

Some Thoughts

"Trials and tribulations play a major role in any worker’s life, especially for those self-made persons. Making mistakes helps us learn and grow, slowly but surely. When experience and knowledge replace incapacity and ignorance, then serious things can start and the sun will shine in your life" (Ben Heine, 2013) - More.

© 2013 Ben Heine

New Working Space

New working space

I just moved in a new house in the middle of a forest in Rochefort, Belgium. I have a new working space as well. My studio is now much bigger than before and I'll be able to start new projects including big size drawings, music and  more. Some crazy creative things might happen there.

The New House and Studio

Time Warp Animation

One of my new projects. I drew each frame one by one (really time consuming). I made the animation in a minimalist way on purpose, It's meant to be an illustration for my music. I created the music and sound effects from A to Z using synths, my new Roland drum kit and Ableton Live. I'll post another short animation soon and I might do some time-lapse projects as well in the near future. Thanks for watching!

Gun rotation sketches for Time Warp Animation

Some frames in "Time Warp" (1500 frames in total)

© 2013 Ben Heine

Don't forget me

Don't Forget Me © 2013 Ben Heine - Buy it as a print

Don't forget me, because I'll never forget you. I took this photo in my garden in Rochefort, Belgium. This is a real hut with divine proportions. Model: Zhuzhu. You can view a detail of the above photo at this link and my other photos with Zhuzhu here. New: This photo is available for sale.

© 2013 Ben Heine

Hidden Vision

Hidden Vision © 2013 Ben Heine

A portrait of Chinese model Zhuhu. I took this photo a few weeks ago in a forest near where I live in Rochefort, Belgium. You can view a detail here and my other photos with Zhuzhu here.

© 2013 Ben Heine