Behind the Isthmus cover — May 2024

Designer and animator Chris Bennett finds the fun in a Madison run

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When brainstorming themes for the May cover illustration, we thought first about local running events and the sometimes wacky characters and costumes at local 5k races. Isthmus art director Tommy Washbush thought Chris Bennett would be ideal to bring that scene alive. 

“He’s an animator so he understands movement and has a kinetic energy to his illustrations,” says Tommy. “The limited color palette and bold outlines really give this piece a lot of punch."

Chris, a designer and animator based in Madison, recently received his master's degree in multimedia and design from Syracuse University. In his free time he animates short films — his latest work, How To Save a Baby from a Snake Attack, premiered at Animation Block Party in New York City and most recently screened at Cinequest Film & Creativity Festival in San Jose. 

In his illustration, Chris showcases the colorful characters who often pop up at sporting events around town, whether at a Forward Madison game or a fun run. In terms of style, Chris says he wanted to emulate a doodle in a notebook using markers, sharpies and highlighters. “I love the scrappy look of roughly drawn characters with color leaking outside the lines because it gives them more charm,” he says. 

For his Instagram at @chris.bnntt, Chris created a timelapse video that chronicles the stages of his final illustration, from start to finish. See more of his work on Instagram or on his website at chrisbennettdesign.com.