ABOUT ME
Hi, I'm Ben Johnson and I'm a Freelance Illustrator based in the North East of England. I graduated from Cleveland College of Art & Design (now The Northern School of Art) in 2017 with a First Class Honours degree in Graphic Design, receiving the 'Dean Broderick Memorial Award" for my final project '35mm' (you can read about it here). I had grown up drawing, as many creatives do, but it was at University where I learnt how to combine my love of art and illustration with my love of design. My work is inspired heavily by pop culture, however the area I draw most from is movies and TV. I have always found myself invested in pop culture so I think its natural that that has seeped into what I'm also interested in drawing, whether that be alternative TV and movie posters or portraits of well known musicians. I work mostly with digital drawing, focusing more on portraiture, but I like to use analogue elements in my work also, especially hand-lettering where I can. I also create digital portraits of people and pets for a variety of occasions. To find out more about both private and commercial commissions, visit the commissions page here.
EXHIBITIONS
Bridges Shopping Centre Pop Up - Frederick Street Gallery - Sunderland - 2019/20
'Free Range' Graduate Show - Truman Brewery - London - Group Show - 2017
'Northern Exposure' Graduate Show - Hartlepool - Group Show - 2017
'Bubble Wrap' - The House of Blah Blah - Middlesborough - Group Show - 2015
'Sunderland Youth Arts Exhibition' - Washington Arts Centre - Group Show - 2014
Bridges Shopping Centre - Frederick Street Gallery - Sunderland - 2019/20
'Free Range' Graduate Show - Truman Brewery - London - Group Show - 2017
'Northern Exposure' Graduate Show - Hartlepool - Group Show - 2017
'Bubble Wrap' - The House of Blah Blah - Middlesborough - Group Show - 2015
'Sunderland Youth Arts Exhibition' - Washington Arts Centre - Group Show - 2014