• Character Animation

    2018 Reel

    A collection of old and new, with samples from my most recent creature locomotion master's class at Animation Mentor.

  • Digital Sculpture

    Wilde

    A practice bust sculpted in Sculptris, the little brother to Zbrush, based of the actress Olivia Wilde. My focus was on achieving clean and clear forms. Sculpted from raw polysphere, no base mesh or starter. Sculptris approached geometry a bit differently than Zbrush does. While efficient, high res detail is just that. There's no low res cage, which made adjusting proportions in the later stages more difficult. Material is a simple matcap.

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  • Fan Art / Illustration

    Ooras

    A digital painting project, experimenting with conventional airbrush technique in a digital medium. The piece began in the sketch book, where I worked out the basic lines of the figure, pose and laid down the space. I then did a rough paint over in complimentary purples and yellows to get a sense of lighting. From there I moved in to creating many many "friskets" or masks, isolating the various pieces and parts. I then applied multiple layers of color and value study, building up forms and texture. I was most happy with the skin, which used a 2D version of sub-surface scattering, hand painted in several sheets and then composited for the final effect. Lots of fun with little details, like the bells and jewelry.

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Thanks for stopping my by site. My name’s Benjamin Slack. I’m a freelance artist and character animator. I’ve a wide variety of interests and skills (detailed below) that I can put to work for you on your project, be it large or small. Please feel free to have a look about and contact me with information about the job you have in mind. Together, we’ll realize your vision. Thanks again for your attention.

Character Animation

Character Animation

Turning an inanimate puppet into a thinking being, the illusion of life, is accomplished by careful observation, application of core principles of motion, and nuanced emotional performance. Through planning, craft and reflection on feedback, I can help you tell your story, whatever it may be.

Technical Direction

Technical Direction

Rigging is an art all on its own. It's a highly technical task involving many sub-skills and a requires an analytic mind. My mathematics and programming background are invaluable in getting into the nuts and bolts and setting up puppets that work well in production. My knowledge of character animation helps me tailor those assets to your animators' needs.

Illustration and Concepting

Illustration and Concepting

I work with the computer as my medium, but that doesn't mean my work looks digital. I can craft your image, in the style you want and exceed your expectations. Whether your project is just a small one off avatar concept or a full blown graphic novel, I can help you to realize your vision.

Graphic Consulting

Graphic Consulting

Twenty years in graphics and pre-press allows me to know the production pipeline from inception to finished product. I have the technical skills to make sure your project's end result is exactly as your design proofs promised it would be. I can help you navigate the arcane byways of print and web publishing.

David Baker

David Baker

Program Coordinator / Ferris State University

In a couple words, Ben ‘gets it’. He was always on time and on target with his classroom activities and helped to grow the KVCC animation program with material beyond my skills. His work exhibits creativity, craftsmanship and critical thinking. He worked well in our team and exchanged ideas freely making him sought after by his students and peers. I invite you to look at his portfolio as evidence of a talented and driven media artist.

Audrey Lipsey

Audrey Lipsey

Executive Director / Crescendo Academy of Music

Ben was instrumental in the development of our newly launched website, designing the template and customizing it to specifications developed by the Crescendo board of directors marketing committee.