Benn Jackson

Bradford / Hull


@jelly_benn

‘The thing that excites me most about the work I create is that the end product never looks like how I have it planned out in my head, it always surprises me and this is why in my most recent work I have been able to free myself from planning what a print is going to look like.’                                                             

What qualities do the analogue techniques/textures add to your work?

Accidents that occur during the printing process is a huge quality in my work and is the main reason I use analogue printing techniques when creating a new piece. These accidents make a piece of work unique and I enjoy knowing that a certain mark/texture/form can not be created again, it is what makes the process fun and exciting, not knowing what the end product is going to look like.


Where do your inspirations come from regarding shape, form and colour?

A lot of my inspirations for my work come the process’ and techniques I use. I am always experimenting with different ways of printing and this directly influences the form which is created through each technique. It is only most recently that I have started involving more figurative imagery in my work rather than abstract forms, and this is due to the fact that I have begun experimenting with a new way of printing. My current works in progress include illustrations from past sketch books, these sketch books contain drawings of what ever was in front of me at the time I drew them and what I have started doing with these illustrations, is photocopying a small section which I find interesting and enlarging it, I then use that as a starting point.Colour is a huge part of my work and is something I am continuously
experimenting with. I only ever decide on one colour before I start a new piece of work, this chosen colour then influences what colour I then use next and so on, form is included in this process as there is a relationship between both form and colour.


Is your work intentionally playful and how do you incorporate this into your practice?

Yes, my work is intentionally playful, I find the process of making my work playful and I try to get that across. Nothing is ever precise or clean when I am making something because I am always looking for accidents to happen. I am very loose on how I approach a piece of work and I try not to be strict with planning how a piece is going to look, I like to let things happen in the moment.