Profile: Illustrator & Cartoonist Benjamin Basso

				French illustrator and cartoonist Benjamin Basso got his start lettering American comics, but for the past five years he has focused on illustration for MAKMA, a French studio that produces scripts, penciling, inking, coloring, and lettering for comics and manga worldwide. Like many, he enjoys music while he works. He cites Mr. Bungle as one of his inspirations, so it’s no surprise that his fearless pencil creates what he calls a “bestiary that comes to life day after day.” He is working on a book of “all these critters,” which will be published soon.
	BEING AN ARTIST IS…?			…build[ing] his own world, and learning each day more about himself.
	WHAT ARE YOU CURRENTLY WORKING ON?			Some comics, including one for National Industrial Property Institute reserved for a professional network. And some illustrations.
	WHAT INSPIRES YOUR WORK?			Oh wow, a lot of artists: Edward Gorey, Bernie Wrightson, Stan, Olivier Vatine, Guillaume Bianco, Bill Watterson, Miazaki, Claire Wendling, Skottie Young, Ben Templesmith, Bobby Chiu, Kei Acedera, Guillermo del Toro, Tim Burton, and a lot of old weird things.
	OF WHAT PROJECT ARE YOU MOST PROUD?			In fact, I’m particularly attached to this bestiary that comes to life day after day in my sketchbooks. A book with all these critters will be out soon.
	WHAT IS YOUR DREAM PROJECT?			A black and white book. Great but dark fairy tales. With monsters, tentacles, trees. And a great ending.
	WHICH ARTISTS DO YOU MOST ADMIRE?			I’ve always had a sort of veneration for the band Mr. Bungle and its members. Always experimenting, always trying new things, and at the same time playing in a lot of existing styles. Mike Patton, Trey Spruance, and Trevor Dunn are part of these artists that I respect the most. The same goes for artists such as Edward Gorey and Bill Watterson, for example. But that’s more obvious.
	IF YOU COULD LIVE/WORK ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD, WHERE WOULD IT BE?			An isolated and quiet place. Where I would have the space to work while listening to music.
	WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST JOB?			A logo for a tire company in a newspaper. I was a 10 years old. It was a rabbit, I think.
	WHAT KEEPS YOU UP AT NIGHT?			All those stories in my mind.
				Visit Benjamin Basso… www.benbasso.com benbassosketchblog.blogspot.com