INTERVIEW: The 5683‏

1.Some people in this world might not know who you are and what you do, could you enlighten them please?

I'm a London based mixed media 2d artist that illustratively puts the fun back in the frankfurter, takes a bunch of puns from the punnet of bananas, in a kind of bedknobs and boobsticks kind of way. I paint with brushes and adore 0.5mm clicky pencils and fineliners. All these things transpire into character based images on paper, canvas, wood and objects.



2.When creating a your characters and other visual delights, where do you get you inspiration from?

Inspirationally there was one strip in The Beano in the early nineties called Calamity James and the story-lines were twisted and the attention to quirky details was abstractly finite for something so simple. These things put it one notch above the other childish tripe that filled those pages. But that was yonks ago and if we get all realistic and psychological its probably all to do with creating a visual treat for myself that shows the beginnings of a far more interesting story-line that's far removed from my insanely inane life that exists outside the corners of the canvas or paper I'm working on. Thus the inspiration is the escapism of it all. I also like fancy dress and talking crap; both these things inadvertently help. Another motivation is the mystery of what drives a human to draw, paint or stencil the same picture for months and months on end. That's something that should be avoided at all costs.

3.How did you get in laying down lines?

My magnificent father was a mover and shaker in the stationary industry. His stationary business was his first and most important child. Because of this, at home there was an abundance of paper and various products to make marks on said paper. I couldn't escape the f**king stuff and now I start clucking if I'm not near a ream of paper or a stick encased mixture of graphite with clay in different degrees of hardness. Tony Hart helped too. R.I.P.

4.Is there any process or techniques that you would like to experiment with to push your styles boundaries or just for plain fun?

Ive had this Dremel engraving gun for a few years now, and used it for the first time on a skateboard the other day. It worked a real treat and I,m keen to do some larger more intricate pieces with it asap. I need to get a few more fine nibs for it but I don't know where to get wood from that isn't some low grade laminate cack and haven't entirely got the time or patience to go wood shopping.


5. Tell me and the fine readers of this blog about Biteproof (A TRULY AMAZING ZINE) and what else have you in store for bite proof?

Biteproof is the answer to the question "why do i keep on seeing the same old bloody images in every other magazine, website, blog or gallery?". Biteproof presents a collection of brand new works specifically made for the mag by internationally recognised artists who for the most part have their feet planted in character based work. Each time, the content consists of pieces that illustrate a set of words that is the issue title. Issue 2 which is coming out soon is called "Cybernetics, Dianetics, and a hypodermic of Mutant genetics". It has aspirations to be a quarterly mag, and issue 3 is to be called "American lies, American highs, and an indigenous dose of Red Indian highs".
The mag challenges the artist to do more than donate 'any old image' and I like to think that they enjoy that and that there is an intrigue as to what take on the title fellow contributors would have made. Its a great way to see how these artists interpret words and how they chose to narrate them. Its also not open to general submission so I can guarantee what I can consider to be the cream of the crop in their game. I want it to keep on looking more professional by the issue whilst staying clear of adverts and unnecessary space wasting text. Its all about the art. The public have been conned by the repetitive banality of streetart and i hope this is a showcase for actual skill and ingenious aesthetic design. Biteproof is for the real connoisseurs of the genres it encompasses.
Keaton Henson(Above)

6. is there anyone you would like to throw a some Borat style high 5' at?
I'd definitely like to say a big thank you to all the past, present and future contributors of Biteproof. Without you its nothing. Obviously. And extra special 5683 goes out to Jenism, who is easily one of the best female drawers out there right now. She's one to watch. Other men said they have seen angels, but I have seen Jenism, and that art enough. Oh yeah and "Ban the stencil, Long live the Pencil!"

See more at : http://www.biteproof.com/