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Back in the day, when computers with keyboards weren't so accessible and writing by hand didn't feel extremely odd, the ballpoint pen was everyone's favorite tool for creating art. I bet everyone had one or two doodles in their notebooks, but Samuel Silva took it to another level.
This 37-year-old self-taught Portuguese artist, who goes by VianaArts on social media, started drawing with ballpoint pens at school by simply sketching on the back of his exercise books and even after becoming a lawyer, he didn't give up on his hobby. On the contrary, he has perfected it to the point that his hand-drawn artworks look so hyperrealistic it's hard to believe they are not photographs.
Each of these extraordinary drawings takes from 5 to hundreds of hours, up to 8 standard colored Bic ballpoint pens, and lots of patience to complete. "Ballpoint pens are as underestimated as they are a powerful medium. A tool is only as powerful as the Artist who uses it." Silva wrote on his DeviantArt page. "It's not about what you use, it's about how you use it."
Check out the gallery of Silva's astonishingly detailed portraits and let us know if your jaw is still in place!
More info: deviantart.com | Instagram | Facebook
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#21
Lorrie Finley 4 years ago
I like how he shows which color pens he used. I didn't even know Bic pens came in more than black, blue & red.
#33
Unicornstar 4 years ago
If I hadn't known otherwise I would sworn this was a photograph. Amazing.
#35
Stephen Bullock 4 years ago
Blind from cataracts, not at all creepy! Someone loves him/her dearly.
#41
Parker Sheehan 4 years ago
First of all, I cannot do faces. My best efforts ever have been Winnie the Pooh, and Charlie Brown. Otherwise I concentrate on birds, with only mediocre success. Tell me, please, do you personally know the lovely women in Nos. 22, 49, and 50. They just seem to have a personal quality to them. You must have an incredibly steady hand. Finally, number one has got to be photograph, rather than a painting. Please be truthful. I find these works to be phenomenal. Thank you for sharing them with us. It was so nice meeting you if only on social media.
#44
Patty Stier 4 years ago
Exquisite in every detail! So talented! Magnificently lifelike and absolutely gorgeous! The eyes are remarkably real - just looking at them says it all!
#58
Lorrie Finley 4 years ago
I'm amazed at the range of work he does. The amount of artistic talent out of this one man goes past brilliant all the way to the savant.
#59
Rã. R. Field 4 years ago
This one is simply gorgeous... they are all good however it’s a personal matter for myself as an artist and I can draw life like too, though I just find that many can( oddly enough and with biros), I tend to love seeing a drawing as a drawing no matter what is used as tools. *I mix my own dirt colourings, use charcoal with coloured crayon and ink, all together to create some great natural shades. The first picture I recognized, as it was a controversial issue with a book written by a person stating the story behind the face was true,only to find it wasn’t. So I would like to know if you copied this from a photo, as it looks to same same?
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Chris DiFonso 4 years ago
Amazing artistry. Even if I had the talent, I don't think I 'd have the patience to do anything like these
SilverRozFox 4 years ago
It is hard to believe that they are made from ballpoint Pens!! So beautiful and intricate!! I love them
Chris DiFonso 4 years ago
Amazing artistry. Even if I had the talent, I don't think I 'd have the patience to do anything like these
SilverRozFox 4 years ago
It is hard to believe that they are made from ballpoint Pens!! So beautiful and intricate!! I love them
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