Hello, there! I’m Ben Lambert, an illustrator and designer based in Hobart, Tasmania.

I can help you create eye-catching communications that draw people in for a closer look and get your message across in a fun and memorable way. Want to make something special together? Let’s talk.

On the side, I’m working on my first graphic novel: Tangled Pines, a fantasy story for young readers with an autistic protagonist.

lombles_a.jpg

Words from the blog

Blog
Sketchdump Friday: Tangled Pines character designs
Read More →
Character design case study: Doctor Digital

A female-academic-doctor-robot? Here's how I tackled designing a mascot for the Digital Ready program, run by the Tasmanian Department of State Growth.

Read More →
Case Study: Bitlink logo design & character illustrations

Good design should be made to stand the test of time. But every so often, it's necessary to revisit an old project to bring it up to date with changing goals or industry trends. This is the story of how I approached one of my earliest logo design projects, and how it evolved alongside the business it was made to represent.

Read More →
Ziggy Williams: character design

Ziggy's an awkward, introverted kid, and a bit of a worrywart. Being the centre of the story, I've spent more time thinking about how to communicate his personality than any other character.

Read More →
Storyboards – the first step in making a page of Tangled Pines

Storyboards are a tool for planning out the key elements of a visual narrative without the added complications of detailed drawing and rendering. While they're rough and raw, there's a lot of problem solving going on even at this early stage.

Read More →

Latest updates

Toddler! From the outside! Ooooooh! 3yo nephew Lachie is suitably impressed with his card this year. #birthday #toystory #alien #illustration
All caught up on kiddo’s birthday cards! Rachel is 12 and has just started making and selling slime to save up for a school trip to China. Silas is 6, and all about Lego Batman. His thoughts on lobster thermidor are yet to be determined. #birthdaycard #illustration #slime #lego #batman
My eldest nephew Harper turned eleven last week. I introduced him to Undertale around this time last year, and he loved it just as much as I did. So naturally skele-bro Papyrus had to be on this card. #birthday #undertale #ink #illustration
Niece Elvina turned a super seven years old today! She reckons macaws are pretty cool birbs right now. #birthdaycard #illustration #ink #awesomeuncle
Itsa Uncle Ben’s latest birthday card! This one is for Silas, who’s just turned five and is all about his Mario. #birthdaycard #ink #nintendo #yoshi #mario
Just realised there were heaps of cards I neglected to share in previous years. This is a really fun tradition - the kids absolutely treasure these and I encourage all artistic aunts and uncles to give it a go! #illustration #birthdaycard #awesomeuncle
‪Another kid’s birthday is coming up, so time for a new card from Uncle Ben! This one is for Rachel, who’s turning 11. She asked to be cuddling with wolves. #illustration #wolf #birthdaycard #awesomeuncle‬
Here’s my contribution to World Autism Awareness Day 2018. Be a friend to someone who’s different. Let’s embrace neurodiversity. #tangledpines #comics #neurodiversity #waad2018 #autism #autismawareness #autismappreciation #actuallyautistic
The statue...Frost Tooth has come to life! What’s going on? What does this mean?? We’ll find out in Chapter Two: The Secret of Tangled Pines! With that, I have a full chapter’s worth of pencil art! It’s not a finished book yet, but it’s a major milestone and I’m taking it as a big win. Just a few things to sort out before I can get started on the final artwork. Watch this space! #tangledpines #comics #wip
‪Ziggy stirs awake - somehow he’s slept until nightfall. He’s cold, hungry, and no less miserable. Will people always be so confusing, so cruel? Will he always feel an outsider? Alone beneath the park statue, he’s startled by a touch on his shoulder... #tangledpines #comics #wip‬
The world may fall apart, but this little wooded shelter will always be a safe haven for the scared and lonely. #tangledpines #comics #wip
Ziggy races past Mr. Frith and straight out of school grounds. He doesn’t know where he’s going, just that he has to get away. Out of breath, he looks up and sees the same natural shelter where Taliah found refuge all those years ago. #tangledpines #comics #wip
“What. Is. Wrong. With. You.” These words would be cruel aimed at any child, but for Ziggy, they wound his very soul. Mary has seen enough and demands a stop. As a parting shot, Pete knocks Ziggy’s lunch to the floor, ruining it. It’s too much. Ziggy grabs his bag and tears away in blind panic. #tangledpines #comics #wip
Pete closes in with his crony sniggering behind him. Zig has locked up - he knows this means trouble. His worst fears - of being singled out, of being different, of being unwanted - are playthings for the bully, and he is powerless to defend himself. #tangledpines #comics #wip #bullyingsucks
Pete shoves his way through the lunch queue, but the serving lady isn’t having any of that and shoos him off with a wave of her ladle. Thwarted, he casts his eye around for another target... #tangledpines #comics #wip
Mary is quite the chatterbox. Bursting with excitement for her new home in Tangled Pines, she can’t wait to make friends with *everyone*. It’s a bit much for Zig to keep up with, and all the noise in the cafeteria isn’t helping. But just then, bigger trouble walks through the door! #tangledpines #comics #wip
There’s the bell - time for lunch! Ziggy and Mary decide to find the cafeteria together. Not much is said on this page, but it sure was fun going to town on those outdoor details. #tangledpines #comics #wip
Right, time to get on with some maths! *cue groans* This...is kind of okay. Things make sense, and Mr. Frith is a fun teacher. Zig can’t help but laugh during story time. Maybe he was worried for nothing? #tangledpines #comics #wip

Want to make something cool?