Hi, I am Ben. I draw and sell things on eBay for a living.

You’ve been in the art game for awhile now. What would you consider was the big break into your career?

I don’t know that I have made my big break yet. About 4 years ago I started working with an art director that got me some of my bigger clients like Fall Out Boy which helped turn my freelancing into a full time job. About 3 years ago I started working with bands like As Blood Runs Black, Suicide Silence and Whitechapel just as they were becoming super popular. I think that helped me find my place in the band merch world.

What sort of stuff are you into that inspires your work?

Growing up in the 80′s was extremely inspirational. All the gross cartoons, toys, skateboards and comics I grew up with have been ingrained in my brain forever and I think it definitely shows in my art. I’ve always been pretty obsessed with band tees too. I remember being totally mesmerized by Guns N’ Roses shirts when I was a kid.

I’ve read you enjoy Taco Bell more than any one person should. Do you think the amount of sauce packets you use on your food affects the quality of your work in any way?

Taco Bell is the best. I stopped eating meat last year and TBell is totally still there for me. I haven’t found a correlation between sauce and artwork, but I think you may be on to something…

Who were some of your favorite clients to work with?

I love working with small, unsigned bands. They usually have the craziest ideas and aren’t afraid to take chances. Rockstars seem to think they deserve everything for free.

Describe your typical work day.

I have no set schedule but on an average day I will check my Email, Facebook, Myspace, Twitter and Emptees a few hundred times, make a burrito, take a walk, sketch, nap, paint, write song titles with no lyrics, play scrabble on my iPhone with random people and work on my current projects.

Are there any other artists you admire?

Horrible! Way too many to name. Josh Belanger, Chad Lenjer, Brandon Heart, Godmachine, Dan Mumford, Derek and Tyler Guidry, Michael and Jeremy Shantz, Matt Gondek, Matt Skiff, Derek Deal, Horsebites, Laurie Shipley, Gaunty, Jeff Finley, Garret Egles, Angry Blue, Felix LaFlamme, Derek Hess, Alex Pardee, Pushead, Jim Philips, Egon Schiele, Marcel Duchamp, Caravaggio, Danzig and the guy that did Ren and Stimpy.

Would you rather be Hulk Hogan for a day, or a ninja turtle for an hour.

Definitely a Ninja Turtle. I’ve hated wrestling ever since my parents told me it was fake. Ninja Turtles are real.

If you weren’t making a living doing artwork, what do you think you’d be doing?

Probably bagging groceries or working at Hot Topic. Or dead from autoerotic asphyxiation.

Any last words?

If Josh Belanger, Chad Lenjer, Brandon Heart, Godmachine, Dan Mumford, Derek and Tyler Guidry, Michael and Jeremy Shantz, Matt Gondek, Matt Skiff, Derek Deal, Horsebites, Laurie Shipley, Gaunty, Jeff Finley, Garret Egles, Angry Blue, Felix LaFlamme, Derek Hess, Alex Pardee, Pushead, Jim Philips, Egon Schiele, Marcel Duchamp, Caravaggio, Danzig and the guy that did Ren and Stimpy aren’t available, hit me up for artwork!

You can learn more about Benjamin Lande at his website benjaminlande.com.