Ben O’Brien (aka Ben the Illustrator) first entered the creative world in the mid-1990s. Creative magazines love him, and so do clients, from national newspapers to cutting-edge automotive brands. He was one of the first vector graphic illustrators to move away from the aesthetic of cold perfection and used technology to bring warmth, humor, and humanity to whatever he depicted.
Today, 21 years later, he’s still putting this aspect of his creativity to good use. During that time, he’s seen illustrators become something of a rock star, then fall at least somewhat out of favor with the rise of artificial intelligence that mimics their skills.
“I do believe the industry is struggling,” he said. “We’ve had a real heyday in the last year or two. Illustrators have gone from bylines at the bottom of the page to household names, often moving from books and magazines to respected galleries and big brand collaborations where the illustrator’s name is front and center.”
Smart Car – a classic vector work in the style of illustrator Ben from Vice magazine
White Stripes – one of Ben’s art prints
Beyond that, an entire industry has grown up around illustration, with excellent courses, ever-improving creative software, platforms for illustrators to build their own audiences, and a market that’s always looking for the next big thing. Then it crashed…
Ben continued: “Maybe in just two years, social media became less active, and then artificial intelligence came along. Software can actually do the work for us without our involvement.”
But that’s not the end, Ben said. Regardless, AI may have replaced the kind of jobs you might have lost with cheap icons and logos. What’s more, many businesses and their customers are now consciously seeking the human touch. The industry is likely to become more conservative, with many large clients working through agencies rather than direct contact. However, there are still many visual concepts that only human illustrators can develop. There is hope and perhaps room for optimism.
Wavey Wonders – the first project to feature the style of Ben Draws
Ben himself has adapted well to the state of anxiety that many creatives have found themselves in since COVID-19. In addition to Ben the Illustrator’s style, which still uses Adobe Illustrator’s perfect shapes, colors, and gradients, he also developed a line-based hand-drawing style called Ben Draws.
“About four or five years ago I did a little experiment for a creative director friend of mine, using a completely different illustration style. It started as a development for a project he was working on, and not only was it being used on that project – Wavy Wonders Seafood Snacks – I decided to use it more, and within a year it grew into a full portfolio,” says Ben.
However, this new style based on expressive cursive lines lay dormant in Ben’s vector work for a few years. It wasn’t until he attended a mid-career illustrator online workshop hosted by the Society of Illustrators that he realized he should separate this new style and give it its own brand. Ben the Illustrator now lives alongside Ben Draws – two clear, coherent portfolios – helping clients understand Ben’s potential in their projects.
Unused images from his recent coffee project
“I’ve been busy lately with a commission from Ben Draws, designing new packaging for a super fun coffee roastery. There’s not much I can share about it,” he says. “Then I returned to The Guardian, one of my first editorial clients 20 years ago, and it’s still an absolute pleasure to work with them. The illustration industry is going through some real ups and downs, but it’s always reassuring to know that publications like The Guardian are still commissioning illustrators new and old week after week.”
He remains as enthusiastic as ever about personal projects, maintaining a flexible creativity and a fresh portfolio. “The main thing for me is creating art prints, or even sets of prints. They don’t always sell, but when they do I get really excited and an afternoon of random creativity brings in a little income! I also use side projects to show what I can do. For example, I recently had a weird idea to create a coffee and cake focused sub-brand for Adidas. Maybe a weird idea, but it allowed me to promote my animation style in Ben Draws,” he explains.
Test a concept in a spontaneous lifestyle job
He always wants to explore new areas. It was an ambition of his to create images for an entire book, and he happily began to illustrate interiors. Imagine boutiques, cafes, recording studios, stages and even modern homes – all decorated with illustrator Ben’s graphics.
“I also want to take the work I did on Kendall Calling and draw the band and push it into animation to be able to create a fully drawn music video, like A-Ha’s ‘Take On Me,’ but in my own graphic style. That would be really fun to work on,” he said.
We can’t wait to see it when it arrives…
Ben collaborates with Tim Burgess of The Charlatans
