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Updates

I will be participating at Cape Town's first Comic Con in conjunction with Fan Con and SA International Animation Festival. You can find me in the Artist Alley, CTICC2, from 27 to 30 April 2023. I will be showcasing all of my augmented reality artworks. See you there.

Anyone visiting the city of Vienna in Austria this summer, visit the "Muse" pop-up bar and restaurant with an augmented reality gallery.
Artivive App has launched an exhibition at this venue to promote their online market place. See if you can spot some of my artworks on display. Available to vie...

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Art+AR= New Experience

Apr 15, 2022 – Oct 14, 2022

I am currently part of an Artivive augmented reality art exhibition in Korea. It is the first exhibition of foreign artwork presented by Sunshine Studios. 15 April to 14 October 2022.

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My studio will be available for visits by appointment only. For any enquiries about fine art, illustration, mural & animation products or commissions, please email me at benjcpt@gmail.com with detailed information of your requirements, and I will reply as soon as possible. Call Benjamin now for i...

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Artwork by Benjamin Mitchley can be seen on South African Artists online gallery. View over 300 artworks from which you can purchase or commission an artwork by Benjamin.

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About Benjamin Mitchley


Benjamin Mitchley is a South African fine artist, born on 1 Jan 1967 in the Free State. He studied fine arts from 1985 to 1987 at the Vaal University of Technology and Tshwane University of Technology. 
As a full-time fine artist, scenic artist, illustrator, 2D digital animator and augmented reality artist, he consults and presents workshops on 2D animation and Artivive augmented reality. He does commissions and collaborates with artists by animating their artworks for the Artivive App.
He had his first international art exhibition in Germany in 2005 and 2006.
From 2004 to 2016 he furthered his scenic experience while working in Dubai on the IBN Battuta shopping mall, a sculpture project for the Dubai Municipality horse museum and mural work at the Dubai IMG Worlds of Adventure indoor theme park. 
In South Africa, he worked on a scenic project during the first phase of Monte Casino's East-End Teatro and scenic mural projects for television with Brian Rolfe.
Since 2010, as a self-taught animator, he created a short animated film for a SABC documentary and animation collaboration for corporation info-graphic projects. In 2013 he received a first-place award in a medical animation competition for the Iheed institute.
Technology plays an integral part in his creative process. Augmented reality has made it able to showcase his animation alongside his artwork. In 2019, the introduction of the Artivive app allowed the viewer to use a smartphone or tablet to see these animated artworks come to life. 
This medium has taken him on a new journey with exhibition collaborations with the Artivive company. 
The first exhibition was held at the Venesia Hotel during the Miami Art Basil in December 2021. 
He also participated in the 5th Ranetas VR Fest in Alcaniz, Spain, in 2019. 
In 2020 he received a place as one of the top 10 artists in the Artivive UN Peace Poster International Competition. 
In 2021 and 2022 he was a participant and animation AR consultant at The Junction's Window Wonderland Augmented Reality event in Toronto, Canada. 
In 2022 a selection of his Artivive artworks formed part of the 'Art + AR = New Experience' Artivive exhibition, hosted by Sunshine Studios in Korea.  

What Benjamin says about his work process.
Painting
With a pencil, I draw onto the canvas an outline of the artwork I want to produce. I start filling the canvas with paint medium until all areas of the canvas are completely covered. Once dry, I continue to add transparent layers of paint medium until I've achieved the desired colour, hue and detail. Once the painting is completely dry, it will be sealed for added protection. Reference images used for my paintings are from photographs taken in my surroundings. 
Digital Artwork
I create my digital artwork using design and illustration software such as Affinity Designer, Affinity Photo, Clip Studio Paint EX, Krita and Artrage. I create with an interactive touchscreen monitor and digital pen which mimics the feeling of creating traditional artwork, whether it be drawing or painting. I consider the digital creative process similar to that of traditional media. 
Animation & Artivive Augmented Reality
I create my animation using a variety of digital animation software. Moho Pro is my preferred animation software. Depending on the animation project, I alternate between software like Toon Boom Harmony, Clip Studio Paint EX, Krita and Open Toonz. With Moho Pro I mainly create using a digital 2D cut-out style combined with bones and triangulated 2D meshes. Using photo editing software, I digitally created layers from the photograph. These layers comprised of each moving part in the animation as well as masked areas like props on a stage that the actors can move or hide behind. The background image becomes the backdrop. The cut-out areas in a scanned artwork or photograph are edited and filled with cloned areas of the image to match the proximity surrounding the cut-out areas. Once the layers are ready, they are imported into the animation software. The moving parts are rigged with bones or deform meshes depending on the desired effect. Whether it be a head turn, a bending motion or one layer switching to the next, animating bones, or transforming mesh points along the animation timeline would create a keyframe to freeze or capture a pose or movement. It's a timely process with rewarding results. Sound effects are added to match the actions and style of the animation. Once completed, the animation video is exported. To create the augmented reality, the rendered animation video is uploaded to the project on the Artivive Bridge website. Once processed, the animation video will trigger on the Artivive App when viewing the artwork, photograph or a printed image with a smart device.
Artivive Augmented Reality
The Artivive App has allowed me to upload and link an animation to my artwork or create visual depth perception in front of the artwork with animated or static digital elements. An image of the artwork uploaded to Artivive Bridge becomes the fingerprint or QR code which the Artivive App will recognise to trigger the augmented reality when the App is held in front of the artwork.
My Process for Creating an Artivive Augmented Reality Artwork
The animation video or digital image elements are uploaded along with the target image (artwork) to Artivive Bridge. Here I can manipulate the size, shape, distance and transparency of the uploaded files in the 3D/Pro workspace. Once the project is processed, it is automatically linked to the Artivive App. Once the Artivive App is downloaded to a smartphone or tablet and held in front of the artwork, the Augmented Reality becomes visible. 

A Youtube video about my AR process can be seen HERE

Awards and Competitions
2012 Vuleka competition, SA Art Times Merit Award. 
2013 Iheed Animation 1st place Award.
Click HERE to order Benjamin Mitchley's Artivive Augmented Reality Limited Edition Prints and Postcards.

Click HERE to order Benjamin Mitchley's Anaglyph 3D Artivive Augmented Reality Limited Edition Prints and Postcards.

Visits to his studio are by appointment only. 
Monday to Friday 10h00 to 15h00. 
To make an appointment message or call WhatsApp.

Exhibitions
  • Sanlam Vuleka exhibition, 2003, 2004 & 2012.
  • Obz Art Walk, 2003.
  • 'Soul PIE', '38 Special' Art Gallery, CPT, 2003. 
  • Aroma Cafe, CPT, 2003.
  • Granny Feel Goods, CPT, 2003.
  • 'Picasso', Red art gallery, CPT, 2003.
  • Strada restaurant, Munich, 2005/2006.
  • Koenig Bistro, Munich, 2006.
  • Hof Christmas market, DE, 2006.
  • The Studio art gallery, group exhibition, Clarens, 2007.
  • Richard Renni gallery, Clarens, 2007.
  • Solo - 'Spirit', The ArtB, CPT, 2008.
  • 'My Country, My Land', Hyde Park Gallery, JHB, 2009.
  • 'Green, Organic, Nature, Nurture', Hyde Park, JHB. Food & Trees for Africa, 2009.
  • 'Gallery On The Side' Four Ways, JHB, 2010/2014.
  • 2nd Annual Group Miniature exhibition, Art Lovers 1932 Gallery, 9 May 2013.
  • Portugal Day, group exhibition, Art Lovers 1932, 8 Jun 2013.
  • Don't let that Horse, Ode to Chagall, group exhibition, Art Lovers 1932, 25 Jun 2013. 
  • Turbine Art Fair, JHB, 2013.
  • Art Lovers 1932 - Erotica group exhibition 19 Sept to 2 Oct 2013.
  • Art Lovers 1932 - Mixed Media Duo exhibition with J van Staden with Gordon Froud - Alice in Wonderland group exhibition, 3 Oct to 16 Oct 2013. 
  • The Alfred Mall Gallery, CPT, 2014.
  • PTA Art Association members exhibition, 2016.
  • Annual Group Miniature exhibition, Art Lovers 1932 Gallery, 2017.
  • Solo - Moments, Trent Gallery, PTA, 20 Apr 2018.
  • 'At Midnight' group exhibition, JVH Gallery, 1 Jun 2018.
  • The Unexpected group exhibition, The Viewing Room, Sept 2018.
  • 'Spring' group exhibition, Art Lovers 1932, 13 Sept to 27 Sept 2018.
  • Solo - 'Moments 2', JVH Gallery, 13 Sept to 22 Sept 2018.
  • Comic Con Africa 14,15,16 Sept 2018.
  • End year Group Exhibition, JVH Gallery, 1 Dec 2018.
  • 'Postcards from the edge' group exhibition, JVH Gallery, 20 Jan - 18 Feb 2019.
  • Solo - 'Characters & Concepts', Long Street Art Lovers 1932, 31 Jan - 12 Feb 2019.
  • 'Ophelia' group exhibition, Trent Gallery, 1 - 14 Mar 2019.
  • Language of Light: Photography exhibition. Long Street Art Lovers 1932, 14 - 26 Mar 2019.
  • 'Magnificent Moving Machines' group exhibition, JVH Gallery, 31 Mar - 14 Apr 2019. 
  • FanCon, CPT, 27 -28 Apr 2019.
  • Solo - 'Characters & Concepts 2', JVH Gallery, 1 - 27 Jun 2019.
  • 'Landscapes of my childhood', JVH Gallery, 14 Jul - 2 Aug 2019.
  • Comic Con Africa, 21 - 24 Sept 2019.  
  • 5th Ranetas VR Fest, Alcañiz (Spain,) 15 Nov - 1 Dec 2019.
  • Kinkelkuns, 28 Nov - 1 Dec 2019.
  • End Year Exhibition, JVH Gallery 1 Dec 2019.
  • 'Postcards from the Edge' group exhibition', JVH Gallery, 12 Jan 2020.
  • '0202/2020' Palindrome Group Exhibition, ArtBox, PTA 2 - 25 Feb 2020.
  • 'New Dimensions' group exhibition', curated by B Mitchley, JVH Gallery, 28 Jun 2020.
  • 'Winter Sale' group exhibition, JVH Gallery, 30 Jul 2020.
  • Artivive UN Peace Poster Exhibition, UN Secretariat Building, NY 2020.
  • Comic Con Africa Online 24 - 27 Sept 2020.
  • 'Winged Creatures' group exhibition, JVH Gallery, Oct 2020.
  • '2020' end year group exhibition, JVH Gallery, Dec 2020.
  • 'Postcards from the Edge', JVH Gallery, Jan 2021.
  • 'Still Life Kudos', JVH Gallery, 7 Feb 2021.
  • 'The Rabbit's Foot' group exhibition, JVH Gallery, 2021
  • 'Connectivity', group exhibition, JVH Gallery, 4 July 2021.
  • Solo - 'Flights of Fancy', JVH Gallery, Sept 2021.
  • This Is Art Expo, CTICC, 26 Nov 2021.
  • Artivive - 'Characters & Concepts', Miami Art Basil Artivive AR Cocktail, Venezia Hotel Miami, 4 Dec 2021.
  • The Junction's 2nd <a target="_blank" href="https://torontojunction.ca/pacific-train-mural" rel="nofoll

Contact Us

Contact

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  • 084 039 3645
  • 012 654 6847

Address

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1 Casper Court
128 Bosduif Crescent
Wierdapark
Centurion
0157
South Africa

Opening Hours

Mon:10:00 am – 4:00 pm
Tue:10:00 am – 4:00 pm
Wed:10:00 am – 4:00 pm
Thu:10:00 am – 4:00 pm
Fri:10:00 am – 2:00 pm
Sat:Closed
Sun:Closed
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