iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Jay // Work Account @jaybendt.bsky.social · 22/12/2025

Time to go into hibernation and just push paint now that its too cold to go outside and do anything

Jay // Work Account @jaybendt.bsky.social · 01/09/2025

Would have LOVED to grab this one with the cover, but given the whole tariffs situation it’s just too cost prohibitive for me right now so i’ll have to look at it fondly from afar.

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Jay // Work Account @jaybendt.bsky.social · 01/09/2025

This was my humble purchase, plus an A6 techo with no cover. I use my weeks for memory keeping vs actual planning so love having it in my bag, while my A6 is for health tracking and daily habit building/reflecting.

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Jay // Work Account @jaybendt.bsky.social · 23/08/2025

The way my life currently revolves solely around sticking things on paper and watching LOTR in the theater needs to be studied.

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Jay // Work Account @jaybendt.bsky.social · 17/08/2025

Finally in one place! My “collection” is a mix of very expensive (to me) and very affordable (mostly jinhao’s) fountain pens. I love keeping the jinhaos in my bag and at work, since I wouldn’t feel so bad if I lost them, so they are the majority of this hoard lol finally got a case!

A collection of fountain pens in their case

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Jay // Work Account @jaybendt.bsky.social · 05/08/2025

Are you checking in app? Last i changed settings i could only do so on a browser at ybsky.app/moderation - couldnt do it on the app itself for some dumb reason.

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Jay // Work Account @jaybendt.bsky.social · 05/08/2025

Today’s tube of paint in my cart is sponsored by the lovely folks still funding my little patreon tip jar. Going to use those funds to buy this michael harding tube in Forest Green i’ve had my eye on since forever, and dedicate the drawing to my patrons for their support 💚 now.. what to draw?

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Jay // Work Account @jaybendt.bsky.social · 29/07/2025

Having no time to create when my brain finally decides to un-screw itself is so frustrating. Smol baes during a break.

Two little beings, in their fancy clothes.

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Jay // Work Account @jaybendt.bsky.social · 05/07/2025

The amount of lust I am feeling over this thing…

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Jay // Work Account @jaybendt.bsky.social · 27/06/2025

Tyrion lannister is that you? 😆 these character sheets are so lovely!! Amazing work, Vilhelm!

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Jay // Work Account @jaybendt.bsky.social · 26/06/2025

@anruik.bsky.social you’re right. From now on I’m bringing this energy.

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Jay // Work Account @jaybendt.bsky.social · 18/06/2025

At home distracting myself from being sick by painting swatches. I am so close to being done with all my paints! Been at this on and off for a couple of months now so it’s so nice to be almost done 💕

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Jay // Work Account @jaybendt.bsky.social · 25/05/2025

Campground shenanigans. As an illustrator who makes art for children’s books, spending holidays at a campground is a blessing. Watching kids (including mine!) in their realm making memories, running around totally feral, full of hotdogs and sugar basking in that new summer energy, is so fun!

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Jay // Work Account @jaybendt.bsky.social · 17/03/2025

Putzing along. I’m basically adding a layer here and there as I pass by my studio painting table and have a minute to spare… final coming Summer 2025

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Jay // Work Account @jaybendt.bsky.social · 16/03/2025

I updated the book covers section of my portfolio (fresh on my mind as I work on my next one), then tried to do the editorial work and... going through 4 years' worth of monthly work, unposted, got overwhelming fast. There's so much work I didn't even remember making. How on earth do I pick?!

screenshot of Jay Bendt's Books portfolio section

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Jay // Work Account @jaybendt.bsky.social · 16/03/2025

I’m so excited to be able to share my cover for Holding on for Dear Life by Dusti Bowling, which is coming out October 2025! A huge thanks to the @bloomsburybooksus.bsky.social team and Dusti for the opportunity, Canyon’s story is truly amazing and I feel truly honored.

Art cover for Holding on for Dear Life of a young cowboy riding a bull on a dusty arena, faint and broken music notes falling about him.

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Jay // Work Account @jaybendt.bsky.social · 09/03/2025

Bell Drops. Addicted to drawing these little floofs, don't ask me why.

bunnies hanging around bell flowers, enjoying the first days of spring.

#art #jaybendtart

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Jay // Work Account @jaybendt.bsky.social · 29/01/2025

BLUBERRIESSSS. Two things of note: I am RUSTY AF with a brush. Canson XL paper hates my rusty af hand even though I love its convenience. :( still made for some fun late-night doodling.

7 blueberries on a twig with two green leaves, painted with watercolor.

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Jay // Work Account @jaybendt.bsky.social · 10/12/2024

I have come into possession of some new markers and got to try out these little midori notebooks so naturally I had to combine the two and decorate the cover of one by drawing my fiddle leaf. I like how the paper handles the ink of these! Excited to doodle more in it. #sketchbook #midori #tombow

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Jay // Work Account @jaybendt.bsky.social · 30/11/2024

Drawn after Matinée de Printemps by Georges Leonecc, 1924!

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Jay // Work Account @jaybendt.bsky.social · 26/11/2024

People always ask me what my early influences are are and I’d love to quote some fancy artist but lets be real, it’s Candy Candy. It was my first anime love as a child and lives rent free in my head. To this day it influences how I draw.

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Jay // Work Account @jaybendt.bsky.social · 08/11/2024

In other news, here’s some of my latest illustrations for scientific American that I have done but haven’t posted because I havent been posting editorial work in years

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Jay // Work Account @jaybendt.bsky.social · 31/01/2024

Someone posted this on reddit, and I think it shows alt-goldgrun really well

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Jay // Work Account @jaybendt.bsky.social · 18/01/2024

Good to know for the shimmers! These are my pens, and i’ve never put anything through them except document/pigment inks and a couple of noodler’s colors, quite honestly. I definitely dont need more pens but man they’re pretty to look at.

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Jay // Work Account @jaybendt.bsky.social · 17/01/2024

Oh no *faints* I started looking at inks, which led me to look at pens, and now I have been filled with want and need

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Jay // Work Account @jaybendt.bsky.social · 14/01/2024

🍊🧡🟡 Putzing around with art supplies

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Jay // Work Account @jaybendt.bsky.social · 28/12/2023

One of my husband’s Christmas presents to me was a book of A.J. Casson’s entire works, signed by the artist himself. The book is old, one can tell the pages are beginning to yellow around the edges, but having access to large reproductions of one of my art idols’ works over his career is a treasure!

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Jay // Work Account @jaybendt.bsky.social · 07/11/2023

First thing I saw upon opening the first tome. I love this because I think we can all relate. Regardless of whether we’re Eyvind Earle or the smallest and most untried of artists, this resonates.

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Jay // Work Account @jaybendt.bsky.social · 07/11/2023

My Eyvind Earle books came in! These books are ginormous and definitely not meant to be moved around much. Each one feels like it’s minimum 15lbs. Excited to spend hours studying these.

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Jay // Work Account @jaybendt.bsky.social · 25/10/2023

Given that the internet is now completely filled with garbage thanks to AI, I’ve decided to go back to collecting my inspiration and reference pictures the old way: from books. Got this one on swords and weapons fairly cheap off thriftbooks, but have my eye on several books I want from museum shops

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Jay // Work Account @jaybendt.bsky.social · 22/10/2023

The most pleasant part of traditional art making is seeing my painting and printmaking roots organically emerge again 🥰

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Jay // Work Account @jaybendt.bsky.social · 21/10/2023

I got my daughter a set of these brutfuner oil-based colored pencils off temu after a fb ad showed them to me since she kept stealing mine and I have to admit I’m impressed. They’re similar to my polychromos, if a bit softer, and very sturdy.

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Jay // Work Account @jaybendt.bsky.social · 21/10/2023

Same thing happened with a neutral tint and now my hands are stained af

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Jay // Work Account @jaybendt.bsky.social · 21/10/2023

note to self: sennelier watercolor does not dry/harden no matter how long you leave it. Do not stack color wheel on top. I poured this tube about 4mo ago… just went to grab a wheel from my stack and— 10 secs later it started settling. Definitely not dry. Keep in tube form.

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Jay // Work Account @jaybendt.bsky.social · 03/10/2023

Putsing around with markers and pencils nothing in particular and it ended up looking like Draco Malfoy lol

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Jay // Work Account @jaybendt.bsky.social · 17/09/2023

One of my joys is curating watercolor palettes! I have found this practice makes it easier to pick cohesive color stories come painting time, and get the most out of my tubes.

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Jay // Work Account @jaybendt.bsky.social · 10/09/2023

Putsing around with watercolors, learning to go with the messy flow of the medium and looking at Yoshida Hiroshi for inspo.

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