Here's my work... Ben Perkins

Can you tell us a little about the illustrations you submitted to Blanket?
All of the drawings I've submitted share a common theme. Each one deals with nature, growth and the connection of all living things. I know it sounds a bit silly, but it's something that has been on my mind for ages now. My most recent submission is called "kitsune", which is the Japanese word for fox. Like all of my drawings, it's done in simple lines with a subtle use of colour. I try to convey my ideas as simply as possible because I subscribe to the "less is more" mentality.

What inspires you to make art?
I've always seen art as a way to escape reality. If I get bored of or annoyed with the things around me, I can just create something I enjoy. I suppose my drawings come from a dissatisfaction with the urban setting I'm surrounded by.

Where do you get your inspiration for your artwork?
I can get inspiration from just about anything and at any time. I generally get ideas at the least opportune moments, like right before bed, or when I'm driving my car. I've learned I should always have a pen and paper on hand to record the nonsense I come up with. I think the two things that inspire me most are nature and folklore. I can sit for hours watching wildlife and travel shows on television, scribbling pictures of strange creatures at the same time. I also spend a lot of time on wikipedia reading about anything and everything and a lot of what I read gets incorporated at some point into my drawings.

What would you like your art to express about you?
I don't really have much of an ego, so people can take what they'd like from my work.

What do you like about the Blanket community?
I like anything that gives people the chance to express themselves and get their name out there. I think in many cases art communities are inaccessible to outsiders, so it's refreshing to see something like Blanket doing what it does.

{See more of Bens work here!}