Ben Barnes

Ben Barnes is an illustration major at the American Academy of Art in Chicago. At a young age, he became enamored with with comic books and movies. This passion led him to enter the field of art. Drawing inspiration for Avant-Garde films and industrial rock music, Ben blends surreal and dark imagery with splashes of bright and whimsical colors. Juxtaposition is a key component in his art, often taking innocent ideas or objects and putting a dark perspective on them. Ben works mostly in watercolor and inks, preferring the spontaneity and unpredictability of watercolor to other mediums. Set to graduate in the Spring of 2017, Ben hopes to find work as an illustrator and write of graphic novels.