Illustrations and Ramblings by Ben Sanders

I've just started a bit of a blog detailing what's happening inside The Milk Agency studio. Come on over, and chew the fat or just have a peek at some of the latest pics at Ben's Illustration Blog. (But only after you've sniffed around Picture Pig first!)

Childhood Emergencies-Dean Gorissen

Dean illustrated this months's Australian Family Physician magazine focus is on childhood medical emergencies, opting for a light touch on a very serious subject.

Chinwagging / Ben Sanders

Another year of "Schmoozing" in Melbourne with this retro-inspired illustration being used for invitations to the events. Thanks to Piers Buxton at Tommy Gun for the commission.

The excellent Screen Australia / Nigel Buchanan

The wonderful people at Screen Australia have been keeping Nigel busy during the run up to the Cannes film festival. There have been booklets, posters, banners, magazine ads, invitations galore for all sorts of different events. The brief called for a completely new approach to the marketing push, which is usually dominated by stills from one or more of the competition films. The images had to stand out from the marketing frenzy.

AADC "Killer Ideas"

These bar coasters are part of the "Thinking About Drinking?" campaign for MAC South Australia, developed by the fine people of Clemenger BBDO (Art Direction by Jane Keen / Illustration & Design by Ben Sanders). At the recent 33rd (AADC) Adelaide Advertising & Design Club Awards the illustrations were Finalist in 4 categories including Best Poster, Art Direction & Press, and ultimately captured the gong in the "Other Print" category... So next time don't take the car!

Lew Keilar- 10 Big Ideas to Grow NSW-website

Link to the '10 Big Ideas' website....

http://www.10bigideas.com.au

Lew Keilar- Business Connect magazine cover

The brief:
"Business concerned, and a little daunted, about backed-up Legislature.
Keep it simple and clean."

Lew Keilar- 10 Big Ideas to Grow NSW

Five illustrations from a series of ten.

A commission from the NSW Business Chamber illustrating the document '10 Big Ideas to Grow NSW'.
A really enjoyable print project with an unusual, wide format.
The illustrations ranged across a double page spread in an A4 booklet and were visual metaphors for the 10 strategies.

Imaginary Friend - Ben Sanders

This is one of three new illustrations for Readers Digest. The story is about celebrities and their imaginary friends. A good read and a fun job too... This one is "Spike" the childhood friend of author Di Morrissey.

What the Flax!? - Ben Sanders

This illustration I did for Prevention Magazine is nearly enough to scare you into eating flax seed with your cereal... does it strengthen your bones, or does it dissolve the right side of your body?

Long Story Shorts

Dean Gorissen is designing and illustrating a series of six short story collections for Affirm Press. The first two of the series, the extremely unsettling darkness of 'Under Stones' by Bob Franklin (of ABC's 'The Librarians') and 'Nineteen Seventysomething' a hearfelt requiem for bygone days by Barry Divola (Rolling Stone, Who, SMH...) were launched this month.

Striking a blow for out-of-shape, unshaven, middle-aged men with an impossible dream and a needle and thread everywhere, Dean's picture book (written by the super talented Matt Zurbo) 'My Dad's a Wrestler!' has been selected for this years Communication Arts Illustration Annual.

The Ol' Lady That Keeps On Givin'

He's not one to blow his own trumpet so I thought I'd toot for him. Nigel's cranky ol' lady image just got selected for this year's Communication Arts Illustration Annual. Congrats Nigel! That lady just keeps on givin'!

STIGGY'S TRAIN by Christopher Nielsen aka "Dad"

This is a diptych I've been promising to paint for my son Stig ever since he was born around 20 months ago. Took me a while sorry buddy, but I finally got there! He actually gave the canvases a hug when got them which was pretty cool. It was a bit daunting trying to figure out what to paint to begin with but I concentrated on his main interests. That's his dog "Ocker" driving, along with his current obsessions, trains and oddly... the number 8. Hope you dig it Stiggy!

Christopher Nielsen- Stuff For Walls

Whenever I get a second in between jobs I try to work on larger canvases which I'm hoping to get on to some gallery walls in the near future. Here are some recent pieces. If you're a rich-sugar-daddy-gallery-owner lookin' for new talent, our operators are standing by waiting for your call....

Dean Gorissen The Kinglake Cookbook

The Kinglake Cookbook is a collection of meals for everyday family eating by Chris Owen, chef and owner of some of Melbourne's most popular restaurants, who found himself running the kitchen at the Kinglake relief centre after the devastation of the Black Saturday bushfires. It's also the story of how the simple act of preparing and sharing a meal can help stitch a community back together again.

Deans work throughout the book illustrates the advice, spirit and humour that helped both the people affected by the fires, as well as those pitching in during the months following Black Saturday

The Kinglake Cookbook will be released on the 7th of February to coincide with the first anniversary of the fires. All profits from the sale will go to bushfire relief.

5 4 3 2 1 you're back in the room

DO FREELANCERS HAVE HOLIDAYS? I do, especially on Australia Day when people attach archaic flags to their cars and drive around, (creating a slight aura of 30's Germany?) and buy into some retarded jingoistic proto right wing dementia, crack open cans of beer and stand around with legs wide apart, jaws out, grinning and talking a pile of...

Here's an illo I did to accompany a story in the Sun Herald by David Dale featuring facts and figures from his newly released Little Book of Australia. His head is in the shape of AUSTRALIA! Apologies to Mr Nolan for pinching his Ned Kelly background.

Lew Keilar, Men's Style magazine

Two articles.
One about a slightly stoned writer's paranoid encounter with a chicken in his kitchen; and an article by a Gen Xer who confesses jealousy and secret admiration of Gen Y.

Lew Keilar, first animation

Lew recently gained some compositing and animation experience with a VFX course run by Metroscreen in Sydney. 'A New Day In Old Japan' was his graduating piece.

The story for this short animation grew out of the illustration ‘Surprised Geisha’.

Animated in Adobe After Effects; Illustrated in Photoshop and edited in Final Cut Pro.

Dean Gorissen Sports Medicine

Dean Gorissen illustrated the cover story on sports medicine/treatment for this months issue of AFP (that's Australian Family Physician!) magazine.

Dean Gorissen Boss Magazine

Dean contributed these illustrations for Boss Magazine, regarding 'Smartening Up' strategies for creating an environment that attracts and retains key employees, helping them and the company to flourish.

Nigel Buchanan, Sydney's Child

The 'Back to School' cover for the mag. It's quite tricky to avoid cliches when coming up with an image for this subject; shiny shoes, school lunches, pencils and alphabets!

SOCIETY OF ILLUSTRATORS 52

This illustration for Check Journal was accepted into the institutional category of the Society Of Illustrators 52nd Annual. Nigel's fantastic grumpy lady for Plansponsor was also accepted into the editorial category!

Marcela Restrepo joins us

A huge warm welcome to Marcela who has added her wonderful work to our pig site. Have a look at all her work here.

EXHIBITION THURSDAY NIGHT!

If you're in Melbourne on thursday night get along to The Sixth Annual Advertising Art Auction and put a bid on my piece above! Fenton Stephens advertising approached me to contribute a canvas. All proceeds go to the Lighthouse Foundation which helps out young people dealing with homelessness. More details about the event here: http://www.lighthouseartauction.com.au/