About Benjamin Wilkes
Bio:
Ben is a self tought artist who has been working with pen and inks since he was a boy. He creates detailed artwork that showcases how lines can come together to capture form and inspire feeling.
Living in Leicestershire UK he keeps small sketchbooks and his fountain pens on him so he can expore new methods that portray his recent focus (clouds, waves, and land) when inspiration hits. With a sketchbook for each, he then combines the styles to create unique pieces without reference.
Working mainly with ink and paper the majority of Ben’s work is accesible and he encourages anyone to study the methods and create their own works. Growing up in a working class single parent household, Ben believes everyone should have access to art and creativity.
Statement:
With 14 years experience using pen and ink, I create detailed, stylised works of landscapes, architecture, animals, and anything I find inspiring.
Materials & Equipment
Pens:
When drawing on a white I use my Twisbi Eco pens. I typically use the fine and Stub nibs to give me the ability to quickly alter the thickness of my lines. I find the Fine nib provides the ability to creat detailed lines, whereas the stub allows for a more stylized look with the added bonus of being able to fill in areas much quicker and more consistently than the fine nib.
When drawing on black I use my Posca White Paint pens, usually the 0.7mm nib however I do swap to a larger nibbed pen for filling in areas to get more consistently filled areas.
When I want to use colour I get out my Ohuhu Bonalulu B pens that come with a brush nib for filling in larger areas and making more stylised lines, and a fine nib for more detailed lines. These Pens come in a huge range of colours which lets me try out various pallets until I find a selection that matches the feel I’m wanting to create.
Ink:
In my fountain pens I use Rohrer & Klingner “Lotte” sketch INK which provides a waterproof and neutral (it doesn’t lean too blue or brown), full black that’s perfect for my linework.
If I want to get very detailed colour line work I’ll use a custom mix of Caribbean (Cyan), Orchid (Magenta), and Mango (Yellow) inks by Octopus Fluids and fill one of my Twisbis.
Paper/Boards:
Typically my pieces are created on the following papers/boards, though some works may differ from time to time.
- White Paper: Artway Studio acid-free 170gsm Cartridge Paper.
- Black Paper: Always acid-free 160gsm or higher, but providers vary.
- ACEOs: Daler Rowney acid-free 1.4mm Mixed Media Boards, cut down to the 2.5×3.5″ ACEO specification.