Posts Tagged ‘pencil’
Coffee-Stained Portraiture of Alessandra Maria
In honor of National Coffee Day, we thought it fitting to showcase an artist who (subtly) uses the magical brown elixir to make art. Maui-based mixed-media artist Alessandra Maria creates beautifully detailed, dark and delicate portraits using little more than a pencil, black ink and gold leaf on coffee-stained paper. Inspired by Austrian symbolist painter…
Read MoreThe Secret of Nature’s Beautiful Designs… in Color
In an effort to come full circle in recognizing the very polarizing Common Core testing in New York over the past two weeks, we bring you another “math meets art” post. This time it’s the work of Venezuelan architect and illustrator Rafael Araujo, and his very technical approach to capturing the mathematical brilliance of nature.…
Read MorePencil Portraiture on the Pulse of Social Media
Most 20-somethings use social media to simply keep up with friends and publicize their weekend exploits. But young Italian artist Atena Neezy takes to Facebook and Instagram to showcase her stellar pencil portraiture. Neezy also posts time-lapse process videos on YouTube that are simply amazing. What a terrific use of social media to disseminate one’s…
Read MoreFriendsbook
People show appreciation for their friends in many different ways. Milan-based illustrator/artist Thomas Cian reserves pages of a Moleskine journal for emotive pencil drawings of those closest to him. And given his supreme illustration skills, we’d say each mini-masterpiece is quite a tribute. His sense of composition and use of the spreads is terrific. The…
Read MoreGood Things Come in Small Packages
Cape Town artist, and self-described miniaturist, Lorraine Loots is big on talent. Back in January 2013 Loots began painting a miniature piece each day, aptly naming the project 365 Paintings for Ants. And when we say miniature, we mean minuscule… some are barely as large as one’s thumbnail. Her love for detail, however, is not…
Read MorePencil Drawings… For Real!
In this age of computer-aided design and art, we have a certain appreciation for good old pencil to paper. And if some of our past posts are any indication (here and here and here), we are really taken with what is often referred to as “hyperrealism”. So when we stumbled across the work of self-taught…
Read MoreTerrifically Turbulent Portraiture
French illustrator/designer Florian Nicolle employs mixed media to create wonderfully complex portraits that are so bold, yet nuanced, that they almost seem to move. With newsprint, watercolor, pencil, ink and Photoshop in his arsenal, Nicolle’s meticulously crafted chaos has been sought after by some pretty high profile clients, including Nike, Puma, Los Angeles Times and…
Read MoreIconic Illustration
What often sets an illustrator apart is style. And skill varies, of course. London-based illustrator/designer Alexis Marcou has the total package, so to speak. The level of detail and realism he achieves is quite remarkable, but his style is also extraordinary. In this self-initiated series spanning more than two years, Marcou captures something really special…
Read MorePhenomenal 3D Drawings by Pez
French illustrator Pez has a passion for pencil drawing, and it shows. Using different grades of pencils, Pez achieves stunning three-dimensionality. His attention to detail is truly awe-inspiring. And the composition of these sketchbook shots is impressive too. Via Behance
Read MoreMade by Molloy
New Jersey-based multidisciplinary designer and illustrator Michael Molloy has an incredible archive of illustrations that showcase not only his freehand skills, but also his Photoshop proficiency. What could easily turn into a gratuitous marriage of pencil and Photoshop, is actually really well balanced in Molloy’s care. His excellent drawing skills are only punctuated by the…
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