Ben Heine - Pencil vs Camera

Pencil vs Camera is a set of 15 images. Ben Heine has mixed photos that he has taken over the past with drawings of part of the scene in the photo over the top.

How did you come up with the idea for Pencil Vs Camera?

I’ve been taking photos and drawing since almost 10 years. This « Pencil Vs Camera » series is nothing but the result of several years of graphic exploration and a logic consequence of my artistic evolution. But the real idea came by coincidence while I was watching television and writing a letter at the same time a few weeks ago. Reading my letter before putting it in the envelope, I saw in transparency the television behind the paper. I then realize it would be great to make something similar in a single image showing 2 different actions.

I went outside and Drew « Pencil Vs Camera 1 » which is very simple and shows 2 chairs with a small table. About ¼ of the scene is represented on the paper, the other ¾ happens on the photo. So this is roughly how the project started. In my other « Pencil Vs Camera » images, I tried to introduce weird elements on the paper (such as dinosaurs, ufo’s, double pair of eyes…) to contrast with the realism of the photo.









I particually like this one of the Koala bear. Obviously all of the pieces have their own meaning but this one touches me the most. He has based it on Koalas because they are rapidly decreasing in numbers mainly because of road accidents and bush fires.
The feact that Heine has set the drawing on fire to represent the bush fires wiping all the Koalas away is really clever.