I have just discovered 'Bone' by Jeff Smith, and I'm freaking out at how wonderful it is!

How have I not KNOWN about this!?!?

A quite random idea really, but it somehow all makes sense! His characters are diverse and all retain such unique life and personality....geez! Im in awe! AWE!!!

Today I finished my illustrations for Bob Brown's 'Big Bad Bushranger', which will be coming out next year in all wonderful book stores. It was a very intense and very exciting project to work on with Omnibus Books. I am very happy with how the illustrations turned out, but it is also a relief to finally finish the project.

To celebrate, here is a random illustration I did recently.

Last Friday I took a break from working on my second book, and visited Lauriston Girls School in Armadale. I was invited along to talk to the Prep & Grade 1 students about making books, and drawing.

I was given an artwork created by talented Chloe Yada, which is truly inspirational (such talent!) and have hung it in my studio.

A huge thankyou to Diane Di Gemma for organizing the event, and to all the teaching staff at Blairholme for making me feel very welcome! I had so much fun!

Recently I saw 'I Am Legend' (starring Will Smith) for the first time. I really enjoyed it as I love post apocalyptic themes in literature and film. The opening sequence in Times Square is beautiful. Check it out if you have not seen it!



Also recently puchased Shaun Tan's new beautiful book ' Tales from Outer Suburbia'. If you have not been lucky enough to see this little treasure yet please go to a book store NOW and have a lookie. Full of short stories that are thought provocking and fun. The illustrations are wonderful as always.

It is 1:30am and I'm working hard on book #2. Just waiting for my watercolour work to dry...
..and had this sudden need to draw Bert. A very quick little sketch.

As The Simpsons is so embedded in todays culture, this illustration should need no explaination.
If you have no idea what this is... ha ha!

Books Illustrated is curating an exhibition of miniatures in support of All the Wild Wonders, the 9th National Children’s Book Council of Australia’s Conference to be held here in Melbourne from May 2nd-4th.

They invited 100 illustrators across Australia to to create a work inspired by the theme 'wild wonders'.
I decided to put a little wombat in the frame I was provided! Yay.

The works will be exhibited at the conference where they'll be for sale too. They're exhibited on the website:
http://www.booksillustrated.com.au

It was held yesterday afternoon at Malvern Library during the launch of the 2008 Writers and Illustrators Maurice Saxby Mentorship Program. A huge thank you to everyone who attended my big day! A big thanks also to the May Gibbs Children's Literature Trust for all their support.

GIVE ME A HOME AMONG THE GUMTREES is in stores now, so look out for it!
Here is a photo of me with lecturer Paul Morris and illustrator Roland Harvey.

Heres a fun little pic I did recently. I think its quite cute.

I was in Borders today and was looking in the childrens section...when I came across MY BOOK!

Its already out! YEAH!

Hi I am Ben and welcome to my site! I am an illustrator based in Melbourne, currently creating some little gems for Scholastic. Hooray!

Firstly I want to say a huge mega massive THANKYOU to Lyndsay Meager for her wonderful work on designing and creating my site. You are indeed a treasure! Please check out her sites (they are on my links page), as her work is FANTASTIC!

In here you'll find all updates for my site and portfolio. There will be finished illustrations and unfinished scribbles galore! And please feel free to leave comments too.

So stayed tuned...