Jim Benton, a 63-year-old comic artist, is still making people laugh with his clever and witty illustrations. Known for his versatility, Jim’s style changes from comic to comic, allowing him to showcase his wide-ranging talent for creating unique and engaging artwork. With over 51K followers on Instagram, Benton regularly shares his comics but his creativity doesn’t stop there. He has also created beloved characters for books such as It’s Happy Bunny Dear Dumb Diary, Franny K. Stein, and Catwad. Although Jim has gained recognition for his work, he remains grounded and humble. As he puts it The world is full of really terrific artists I’m just happy when anybody likes anything I do.
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Jim Benton, the talented comic artist shared more about his creative journey and the balance he maintains between his different artistic ventures. When asked about his transition into comics Jim revealed that it wasn’t a full switch. I still do licensed creations like It’s Happy Bunny and JoKoBo and I write books like Franny K. Stein, Dear Dumb Diary, Catwad, and more he explained. I also create art that you might hang on a wall. Comics are something I’ve always done. This blend of projects allows Benton to stay connected to his roots while exploring different creative avenues.
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We were curious to know what tools Jim Benton prefers when creating his comics. He shared I like traditional tools the best, like dip pens and watercolor. Sometimes, I’ll draw with ink, scan it, and then color it in Photoshop because it’s much faster. I had a shoulder injury that caused issues for about a year so during that time, I started using the iPad more and more since it was easier on my body. Now, I tend to use whichever pen is closest to me.
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We also asked Jim Benton to share a story about a time when a simple doodle evolved into one of his best ideas. He shared it’s Happy Bunny started as a doodle. I drew a little bunny that said You suck and that’s sad. It stayed pinned up on a bulletin board in my studio for a long time before I decided to license it for products. Was it my best idea? I’m not sure but it’s ended up on a lot of stuff. I guess everything starts as a doodle both bad ideas and good ideas begin that way. It’s hard to tell at first which one it will be, but you just have to grit your teeth and see where it goes.
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For all aspiring comic artists, Jim Benton offers this valuable piece of advice. It’s a wide-open frontier. You can create anything you want you can be as wholesome or as gruesome as you like. Sometimes people will love your work and sometimes they’ll hate it. But if you want to keep doing it you need to develop a thick skin and keep going even when it feels futile. The very next thing you create might end up being your greatest work yet.
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