Benjamin Wild

Today I met Benjamin Wild through Twitter. This young man is just 16 years old and has already accumulated eighty-thousand followers through his Twitter account @BenjaminWildArt. While this might sound incredible, it is really nothing when compared to his ability. Aside from the extremely high quality of his work, Benjamin surprises you even further still when you learn that his chosen medium is entirely digital - drawn on his iPad and iPhone - with his finger!

I took the opportunity to obtain an impromptu interview this morning.

Ben agreed to chat with me privately and opened up with a bright and laid back: 'Hey!'

Me: What applications do you use to draw on your iPad? Do you ever use a stylus?

Benjamin: Sketch Book Mobile of Brushes 3 when I do it on my iPhone and when I do it on my iPad I use 'Procreate' and I've been doing this 14 month and I never use a stylus, I always use my finger.

Me: You use your iPhone?

Benjamin: Yes I do.

Me: With your finger? Isn't that v difficult?

Benjamin: Yes and yes! Very! I have a YouTube Channel if you want to check it out? I don't use YouTube much now - more Facebook: Benjamin Wild Art (Facebook)

Me: Thank you! How old are you - do you sell your work yet?

Benjamin: I'm 16 and I have some up coming projects but nothing really yet.

Me: How long have you been drawing in this way?

Benjamin: 14 months.

Me: Do you draw in pens/pencils/paints on paper and canvas?

Benjamin: Yes I still do.

Me: How old were you when you started?

Benjamin: Drawing in general?

Me: Yes :-)

Benjamin: Since I was five

Me: Do you have any artists that have influenced your style? Who is your favourite?

Benjamin: John Lassiter.










Me: How would you describe your style?

Classic John Lassiter sketch (above)

Benjamin: Modern.

Me: What advice would you give to a child who loves drawing and dreams of a future in art?

Benjamin: Never give up and chase your dream!











I've been looking through Benjamin's work and I think it is genuinely outstanding. He is capable of such diversity - he has a commercial quality (which I do not look down on as a concept at all - not one bit - I really resent any snobbishness around that term). He also brings his own flavour and style too. He has the ability to take that John Lassiter quality forward to somewhere new.

I think that's the biggest challenge for Benjamin, but simply looking back through his recent work I can see a trajectory that is exceptionally promising. 


He has the ability to draw photo realistic portraiture. He also has the ability to draw simple, illustrative pictures that capture an immediately recognisable figure or facial expression.

His natural untrained ability is incredibly strong. Talent, call it what you will. 

I love this picture (right) for example. Such  a simple sketch in so many regards, but the execution is superb.

(left) Here we have a very John Lassiter style 'princess' type figure (Ariel?) with the classic thick flowing striking red hair and huge eyes. The simple and subversive use of tattoos takes it off in a direction towards the Banksy Dismaland quality - without fully embracing the nihilistic imagery that exists in that sub genre.

Here we have two absolutely classic Disney images - Dumbo and Mickey Mouse. They are executed with the professionalism of any in house Disney artist.

I look at this Mickey Mouse - with the standard pose - and I read 'here you go - this is ability - come and get me'. If a major animation studio doesn't snap this guy up I don't know what they're looking for.

For anyone who has any confusion that Benjamin isn't doing 'serious art' - I've chosen to display this (right). 

He is capable of emotive, dark under tones - edgy work that really contrasts the more commercially appealing, sweeter images of Lassiter - there is just a hint a darkness. 

You could see Benjamin Wild moving into noir animation and still life images. I find this exciting - I see absolutely no reason why this can't co-exist with his love of main stream Lassiter. Is it a contradiction? As Walt Whitman said himself - very well. This guy contains multitudes. 

I can't wait to see what creations are inevitably going to arrive. Eighty-thousand followers probably feel exactly the same way. I'll put it out there now - I think that Benjamin Wild has major options. He could go out to California and he could take Pixar to new and exciting places (why shouldn't he?). Likewise he could go in a different direction altogether and I wouldn't be surprise to see his work hanging in commercial galleries. I think that is an incredible situation for a young man of 16 in Manchester.

Many thanks to Benjamin for his contribution to this piece and for allowing me to use his images.