It’s hard to figure out which one is the photograph and which one is drawn using simple Bic ballpoint pens. Samuel Silva is a 29-year-old from Portugal. He draws photographic quality images using everyday Bic ballpoint pens.
Samuel Silva :- Ballpoint pen is not my only medium, it’s just the one I’m currently trying to master. At this point in my life I’m proficient with chalk, pencil, color pencil, pastels, oils and acrylics…Ballpoint pens are as underestimated as they are a powerful medium. It’s not about what you use, it’s about how you use it.
For work this good you would think Silva is a professional artist. Perhaps the most unbelievable part of this story is that this guy is a lawyer! He makes these amazing drawings in his free time. The picture above is based on a photograph by Kristina Tararina and only took him about 30 hours to complete
Q:How many colors do you have and what pens are these?
A: I have 8 colored Bic ballpoint pens, for this I used 6 of them plus black. They are just common everyday ballpoint pens.
Q: Where do you get them? I have never seen them.
A: Staples, Ebay, Amazon, and pretty much any good office supply store, just because you haven’t noticed them before doesn’t mean they don’t exist.
Q: Do you use any other medium mixed with the ballpoint pens?
A: No, I just use ballpoint pens for these drawings. Everything is 100% ballpoint pen.
Q: How do you mix the colors? How do you blend them?
A: I don’t mix them nor blend them. Ballpoint pen ink dries instantly and can not be erased. I just cross hatch the different colors in layers to create the illusion of blending and the illusion of colors I don’t actually have.
Q: Are you a professional Artist?
A: No, I’m just a lawyer, art is just a hobby for me, although it takes from 5 to 50 hours to finish each drawing. I started drawing when I was 2.
For more art, visit Samuel Silva’s website at www.vianaarts.deviantart.com
