Spotlight On: Blaine Henderson / Very_Blank_Canvas
From sketching Swansea to taking his place among the wildcard artists on Landscape Artist of the Year, illustrator Blaine Henderson is building a creative practice rooted in characters, storytelling and experimentation.
When Landscape Artist of the Year arrived at Margam Country Park for filming, Swansea-based illustrator Blaine found himself experiencing the programme from the other side of the screen.
Currently studying for a postgraduate degree in Illustration at University of Wales Trinity Saint David (UWTSD), Blaine – who works under the name Very_Blank_Canvas – was invited to take part as one of the programme’s wildcard artists after producers approached Urban Sketchers Swansea in search of local creatives.
“I’m part of Urban Sketchers Swansea and we sketch around areas in or near the city every month,” he explains. “One of the researchers from the TV show reached out to the organiser of the group as they were looking for local artists and art groups near the area to participate as wildcard artists for the Margam Park episode.
“When I saw the opportunity, I thought I had to give it a go. It would be a good experience for me, and I wanted to check out Margam Park anyway.”
Arriving to find the cameras, crews and production equipment surrounding Margam was initially daunting.
“It was a bit overwhelming as everything was going on, but seeing Margam Park in person was a wonderful sight, which helped my nervousness. I gradually got used to seeing the cameras, setup and staff throughout the day, and it helped that I became more absorbed in sketching the environment around me.
“It was interesting seeing the amount of equipment they had too – almost getting a behind-the-scenes look at how an episode is produced.”
Finding a different view of the landscape
Landscape art sits slightly outside Blaine’s usual practice. His illustration work is heavily influenced by character design and narrative, combining analogue and digital techniques in an expressive mixed-media style. Rather than attempting to reproduce the whole Margam landscape, he approached the wildcard challenge in much the same way he approaches his wider creative work: looking for individual details that could tell a story.
“Instead of capturing the entirety of the scene, I narrowed my subject into smaller sections — some trees or foliage, rooftops of the castle or the people going by.
“I wanted to capture scenes that I thought could be useful as research for future illustrations.”
Armed with a brush pen and water brush, he began sketching whatever caught his attention before experimenting with watercolours and wax pastels. Not every experiment quite worked.
“I don’t normally use watercolours when I’m outdoors because I don’t like carrying painting supplies around, but I still gave it a go. Unfortunately, the results weren’t as great as I expected but it was worth trying regardless.”
And his memories of the day?
“Going around Margam Park was one of them. Seeing the buildings and environment was awe-inspiring, and I would love to go back and do more sketches. I also had the opportunity to meet Stephen Mangan briefly as he was going around greeting the wildcard artists.
“I also got sunburn on my face and neck, which stood out, you could say!”
Creating characters and worlds
That willingness to experiment is central to Blaine’s wider practice Taking inspiration from artists including Yoshitaka Amano and Sui Ishida, his work combines traditional and digital media, with illustrations centred around expressive mark-making, characters and subtle storytelling.
“I feel immersed in my work when I’m playing around with various materials and expressing my mind or feelings through layers of marks and textures,” he says.
“I believe there is a language within mark-making, where each tool has its own connotations. I use that within my mixed-media process and within the underlying narrative or atmosphere of my pieces.”
Characters have long fascinated him, drawing together his interests in fashion, figure drawing, comics, games, mythology and folklore.
“I enjoy creating characters with an identity or a story behind them. It’s fun to make characters just for the visual element, but when you build a narrative around them, it almost feels like you’re creating a world within them.
“I don’t like to focus on myself in my work. I think these characters are sometimes a form of escapism, even when they are influenced by parts of me.”
Building a creative practice in Swansea
Blaine graduated from UWTSD in 2024, receiving the Rhys Bevan Jones Illustration Prize, and has since continued at the university at postgraduate level while exhibiting work at galleries including Mission Gallery, Mostyn, Oriel Myrddin and Glynn Vivian.
He has also been expanding his practice into printmaking, particularly lino and monotype screen printing.
Receiving the illustration prize at the end of his BA was an important early confidence boost.
“It felt like all the effort I tried to put into my BA, and into understanding how to be my illustrator self, was acknowledged and appreciated. It has helped with my confidence down the line whenever I sometimes feel uncertain of myself.”
That uncertainty is also something he believes other emerging artists should learn to navigate rather than fear.
“Taking on constructive criticism can help you grow as a practitioner, but don’t let it knock your confidence. Advice is subjective and it may or may not apply to you, but I think it’s worth taking it on board. If it doesn’t work, at least you’ve tried.
“I also believe you should create whatever it is that you’re passionate about and let it drive you to be who you want to be as a practitioner.
“Networking can be intimidating, but it is necessary to get yourself out there. And lastly, looking after yourself is important.”
What comes next?
There is no shortage of directions Blaine wants to explore next.
Recent work has seen him experimenting with skies and clouds, including their relationship with mental health and emotion, while he is also considering creating a short story zine or comic strip and returning to lino printing.
“There are so many ideas that I think about every now and then, which I save onto a list so I don’t forget them,” he says.
“Ultimately, I’d like people to see my passion for creating characters and expressive mark-making in my illustrations. More than that, I want them to feel that sense of an underlying narrative or emotion; something that they might resonate with or have felt previously.”
From a wildcard day at Margam to exhibitions across Wales, Blaine’s practice is still evolving – and that willingness to experiment, learn and keep adding new ideas to the list is exactly what makes him one to watch.
