An introduction to Ben Heine, the art pioneer

Born in 1983 in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, Ben Heine has been one of the pioneers in the modern digital art. A multidisciplinary Belgian visual artist, journalist and music producer, Ben Heine has been a visionary since his childhood. In 1994, an 11 years old Ben discovered his passion and skills as well the prodigious talent for the visual arts. He channelled all his energies and fears into translating them in visual projects. From channelling his emotions to visual arts to creating an endless adventure and a career out of it makes Ben’s story a remarkable one for all visionaries. Since his teenage years, he was immensely interested in arts. His hobbies of book reading, writing poetry on a regular basis, learning musical instruments such as drums, piano and guitar, and eagerness and interest in sports such as running and basketball shaped him as a very persistent, hardworking and creative individual. Beside all of his skills and hobbies, he polished as a graphic arts designer and visual artist much faster. His expertise and grip over the graphic arts eventually got strongest.

A dedicated husband and father to two wonderful children, Heine is committed to explore the creative lengths of this world and develop an everlasting legacy in the arts.

Education and early learning of visual arts

Critically acclaimed and acknowledged for his original pieces of “Pencil Vs. Camera“, “Digital Circlism” and “Flesh and Acrylic“, Ben ensured that he started out his career early. He gained a Master degree in Journalism from IHECS school of Journalism in Brussels. While taking short courses in History of Art, Painting and Sculpture at Hastings College of Arts & Technology in the UK, he started to self-teach himself for visual arts. He targeted the skills of drawing, photography and music. He got his work published in prestigious international journals which was a big stepping stone for his career.

Being an avid traveler, he has been across the globe, learning about different cultures and taking inspiration from them for his artworks. He has further served as the brand ambassador Samsung and Mazda. His career is full of high profile clientele. He has already catered to the needs of Harbour City, Diesel, Turismo de Canarias, Semmel-Concerts, Kare Design, Moscow Planetarium, and McCann Erickson.

The artistic portfolio

The advent of Pencil versus Camera Art

The year 2010 proved to the game changing and life changing year for Ben. He came up with the “Pencil vs. Camera” art in 2010. Being an already acclaimed illustrator and photographer, the Pencil versus Camera Art allowed Ben to create a niche market for himself in the saturated arts industry.

Pencil vs. Camera, a concept introduced in 2010, is basically an original visual idea that intermixes the pencil drawings and photography in a very creative and unique manner. The major logic behind it is that there was a need for the art to evolve. Ben’s persistent efforts led to its invention. He has quoted:

“I wasn’t content with doing only drawing or only photography all the time. I wanted to find a new way to mix the two and crate something multidimensional, I created Pencil vs. Camera.”

The art is a representation of the connection between Ben and his followers, the artists and his viewers. The recent artworks seem to depict that he is always telling a story, with timeless texts and illustrations. With the unique amalgamation of illusion, poetry and surrealism, his pencil versus camera arts allow people to imagine and believe. From simple sketches, to increasing the size of the drawings, and adding the digital tools, he has been an enigma in this sector. Explore his websites to see what he is offering. His latest work has been with Trust Merchant Bank (TMB) where the VIP Calendar 2020 exhibited his Pencil Versus camera art. His art shop allows followers to grab these artistic pieces at an amazing price.

Flesh and Acrylic: A human deception in abstracts art

Flesh and Acrylic is another brainchild of Heine which started in 2011. In this series, Heine create abstract acrylic paintings on a big wooden panel. The abstract picture was blended with a real life portrait of a human. The integration of a human into an abstract art was a major defining factor of the digital arts. Heine blended the abstract art and model into one creature. He has further performed this skill in public live performances as well. His recent visit to the IHECS 60/60 conference where his flesh and acrylic pieces were displayed was a major booster for his fans.

Photography- An endless tale

Ever since he was a child, Heine has the passion and the zest to grow his skills in photography and drawing. His paintings and drawing are still with him, he still carried over 20 sketch books, a collection from his earliest works. Addition of photography to Heine’s repertoire was a perfection since his ability to capture the right colors and images was always a match made in heaven. Being an illustrator and photographer, he has already worked with giants like Samsung, McCann Erickson, Diesel and others. His photos are unique in a sense that they will appear to the viewer as a master price of drawing. His photographic works like “Double Landscapes”, “Wild Animals Downtown” or “Black Stickers” pictures have gained much acclaim.

Digital Circlism: A circles portrait of famous Celebrities

Digital Circlism is another art for the future. Started in 2010, it involved usage of digital tools to draw flat circles which ultimately led to the creation of a portrait of a celebrity. Heine has effectively categorized this art as a part of the Pop Art, using images from popular culture including media, and Pointillism which is a technique used in painting to incorporate small dots of one solid color. Ben has been exploring use of graphic softwares as well to create the dynamic and 3-dimensional appearance. You will find the portraits of Lady Gaga, Johnny Depp as Mad Hatter, Marilyn Monroe, Elvis Presley, and much more. He exhibited his Art at China International Furniture Fair in Guangzhou and Shanghai as well as. He has quoted that it takes him almost 100 to 180 hours to complete one portrait.