Inspired by comic books, horror and Victorian etching, Ben Duchene’s intensively hand-rendered imagery reveals his passion for myth, magic and macabre visual storytelling.
Just a few short years ago, the creative world was abuzz with talk of craft and authenticity. Today, all the positivity we had about honing creative expression and human connection seems to live in the shadow of artificial intelligence.
Enter Ben Duchesne, the emerging English illustrator who would very much like to push AI back into the shadows – ones meticulously cross-hatched by hand in his highly detailed, beautifully gothic pen-and-ink style.
“My work is proudly and boldly traditional, and I am determined to stay that way,” says Ben. “Art is human and built from imagination, creativity and experience. AI only steals and, ironically, lives up to its name as insultingly artificial.”
A 2022 graduate of the Illustration BA at Falmouth University, Ben’s focus is visual storytelling based on accompanying narrative from the darker side of fiction. And this is where his work with light and shadow comes into play once again because the themes he loves to explore are often introspective and layered with atmosphere. These themes drive the planning and composition of his images, which also feature human figures emerging from the darkness.
The Punishment of Loki.
Swamp Thing.
He continues: “My work is naturally quite atmospheric and dramatic, so automatically gravitates to more gothic, thematically heavy stories. As an avid reader and ex-English and history student, I’m bringing all those interests together. Comics are what got me into art, so I’m just attempting to transfer as much of my individuality over into that side of illustration. Horror and noir stories have also made significant impressions on my work.”
While studying for his degree, Ben was inspired by Victorian etching, so pen and ink became his media of choice. They are excellent for achieving fine detail and high levels of control, whether you’re rendering architecture, scenes from nature, or human anatomy. But he’s not confined to Fineliners and sketching paper – acrylic and gouache are also part of Ben’s repertoire, and he enjoys experimenting with other media.
After understanding the narrative, the next part of Ben’s creative process is identifying where the light source will be. That makes everything easier. From there, he develops the tonality of the image and its colour palette, if applicable, working by hand towards a final illustration. It’s a process he finds very rewarding.
“When I first started pushing pen and ink as my primary medium and composing my own images, I tended to overwork pieces to the point where the focus would be lost,” says Ben. “I’ve since thought more about where not to put the ink whilst refining the linework and letting negative space help the images breathe without losing the atmosphere.”
Whether it’s Greek mythology, Swamp Thing or Jekyll and Hyde, eerie, gothic imagery is Ben’s domain as he expands his portfolio, continually improves his techniques and pushes to break into the world of publishing. He’s been working on his own comic book, Völd, set in Anglo-Saxon times. When a brief calls for authenticity and the irreplaceable touch of a human hand, he’ll be the art director’s go-to choice.
“I’ve always thought that black and white is art at its most honest and raw, similar to black and white photography. Sometimes, it evokes much more than what colour can,” says Ben.
Thomas Cromwell at work.
