Star Press:
Welcome to my home on the web! This site serves as a documentation of my artwork, a regularly updating blog, and a fun place for me to work on and make my own! The blog runs once a month with irregular longer-form writing. This site is continually evolving, so follow and check back in if you like!
The name 'Shooting Star Press' comes from a triple pun - a 'shooting star press' is a pro wrestling move, shooting stars show up as a motif regularly in my work, and 'press' as in printmaking or the regular blog that I keep.
I have a NEWSLETTER. It's currently not running because the newsletter provider I use doesn't support sending from public domains (like gmail) anymore, but I'm working on it.
I'm Ellis Benji! I'm a UK based Illustration student, I use she/her pronouns, identify as a lesbian, and am white. I'm in year one of my BA, and I spend my free time when I'm not studying working on side projects or commissions, writing or drawing for myself or reading or watching things related to my interests.
I draw a lot of fanart for things I enjoy, as well as my own OCs and story ideas - I'm really into comics, and starting to make my own small self-written comics is one of my goals. I keep a sketchbook that I mostly use for experimenting with materials and practising techniques, and my digital art is more elaborate, finished pieces.
I'm a printmaking hobbyist, I enjoy linoprinting, risoprinting, and hope to try some home screenprinting soon. I've started attending art fairs in my local area, especially with homemade badges, and I keep a small online shop. I love experimenting with new art techniques and playing around. This year I'm trying to introduce more texture into my digital art and get better at colouring.
my favourites & interests!
✦ Annihilation by Jeff Vandermeer (I like the rest of the Southern Reach books, but Annihilation is the best.)
✦ The Locked Tomb series by Tamsyn Muir
✦ Embassytown by China Mieville
✦ The Masquerade/Baru Cormorant books by Seth Dickinson (one of the best fantasy serieses, hands down)
✦ House of Leaves by Mark Z Danielewski
✦ King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard (my favourite album is Nonagon Infinity, favourite song is Robot Stop or Gila Monster)
✦ Martha (my favourite album is Blisters in the Pit of my Heart, favourite song is Ice Cream and Sunscreen)
✦ Psychedelic Porn Crumpets (favourite song is Hymn for a Droid)
✦ Ada Rook (favourite song is Gravity Weapon or 999999999 In A Dream
✦ 100 gecs (favourite song is 757)
✦ PUP (favourite album is Morbid Stuff, fav song is Kids or Familiar Patterns)
✦ The Spook School (fav album is Try To Be Hopeful, fav song is Friday Night or I'll Be Honest)
✦ some one off favourite songs: Once Around The Block by Badly Drawn Boy (my favourite song of all time) or The Lovecats by The Cure
✦ i got into professional wrestling in spring 2022 after watching AEW Revolution 2021 and CM Punk vs MJF in a dog collar match! it's still a match i really love
✦ i've not been watching wrestling as much recently, but when i do watch wrestling, i tend to watch a variety of promotions across america, the UK and japan.
✦ i love high-flying and acrobatic wrestling, especially joshi, and i'm super into the storytelling side of wrestling. i think one of my favourite wrestling stories is Hangman Adam Page's story with the Elite
✦ wrestling shows i've attended are AEW All In, RevPro 11th Anniversary show, and NJPW Royal Quest.
✦ some of my favourite wrestlers are Kenny Omega, Hangman Adam Page, Kris Statlander, Will Ospreay, and AZM.
✦ i've been watching minecraft youtube and playing minecraft since i was about 10, but recently i've been watching it again & it's become a special interest of mine!
✦ i watch Hermitcraft and my favourite hermits are FalseSymmetry and GoodTimesWithScar. hermits i watch & like are PearlescentMoon, Tangotek, Zedaph, Zombiecleo, Rendog, Mumbo, and Grian.
✦ i watch the Life Series; my favourite seasons are Double Life and Third Life, my favourite story arcs are Martyn and Ren in Third Life and Pearl in Double Life.
✦ out of the minecraft youtube i watched as kid, my favourite series was Flux Buddies. it's kind of bad but i loved it as a kid and i still think i can rewrite it better.
✦ i play minecraft myself sometimes, mostly modded, and mostly building on creative mode