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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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#3
Sarah Stalder 5 years ago
I notice a lot of the pictures of people only show one eye. Probably the hardest thing to match up-I can't even get my own eyeliner to match
#9
#21
Lorrie Finley 5 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 5 years ago
If I hadn't known otherwise I would sworn this was a photograph. Amazing.
#35
Stephen Bullock 5 years ago
Blind from cataracts, not at all creepy! Someone loves him/her dearly.
#41
Parker Sheehan 5 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 5 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 5 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 5 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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What do you think ?
Chris DiFonso 5 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 5 years ago
It is hard to believe that they are made from ballpoint Pens!! So beautiful and intricate!! I love them
Draco Malfoy 5 years ago (edited)
No way. These are incredible! No idea how they were done so well! Looks so realistic too!
Becca Gizmo the Squirrel 5 years ago
So I have a stupid question. I think the top said these were made with 8 ballpoint pens. Is there a white pen? I see lots of white.
Draco Malfoy 5 years ago
Possibly! They could have left that area blank, or used a white ballpoint, or paint pen
Load More Replies...
*sigh*, The Yellow Teletubby 5 years ago
How does he do all these different techniques and blending and images and details when I can't even get ink out of a ballpoint?!
Kay Nuehark 5 years ago
you have been blessed with an amazing talent. What I'd like to know - if it's ball point ink, you cannot make a mistake, correct? In other words, you are 100% 'spot on' with each stroke. They are remarkable and mind blowing! God gave you a wonderful gift... My Best wishes on the rest of your artistic journey!
Mason Gilbert 5 years ago
Photorealism requires "perfect" technique and draftsmanship, but in the end it's just... dumb. It's extreme OCD taking weeks to do something Photoshop could do better in minutes, and for what? For a shallow parlor trick that only impresses non-artists. A real artist looks at this and sees a mental problem.
Aragorn II Elessar 5 years ago
I take it you’re not a real artist. Why would someone compose their own songs when there’s other artists out there? Why would someone write a book when there are plenty of authors out there? Why would someone draw an incredible lifelike image like this? The answer to all of these questions is a love, a talent, for what they are doing. And like Inga Viviane says, there’s the depth, the affection, the passion that only a human being brings to it, that a computer will never be able to replicate. I suggest that you stop insulting people’s talent because it can technically be done just as well by Photoshop. To sum it up, this artist creates his masterpieces by hand not because its the only way to do it, or even because its the best way to do it, but because he loves to do it and he is brilliant at it. Kindly keep your negative opinions to yourself.
Load More Replies...
Chris DiFonso 5 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 5 years ago
It is hard to believe that they are made from ballpoint Pens!! So beautiful and intricate!! I love them
Draco Malfoy 5 years ago (edited)
No way. These are incredible! No idea how they were done so well! Looks so realistic too!
Becca Gizmo the Squirrel 5 years ago
So I have a stupid question. I think the top said these were made with 8 ballpoint pens. Is there a white pen? I see lots of white.
Draco Malfoy 5 years ago
Possibly! They could have left that area blank, or used a white ballpoint, or paint pen
Load More Replies... *sigh*, The Yellow Teletubby 5 years ago
How does he do all these different techniques and blending and images and details when I can't even get ink out of a ballpoint?!
Kay Nuehark 5 years ago
you have been blessed with an amazing talent. What I'd like to know - if it's ball point ink, you cannot make a mistake, correct? In other words, you are 100% 'spot on' with each stroke. They are remarkable and mind blowing! God gave you a wonderful gift... My Best wishes on the rest of your artistic journey!
Mason Gilbert 5 years ago
Photorealism requires "perfect" technique and draftsmanship, but in the end it's just... dumb. It's extreme OCD taking weeks to do something Photoshop could do better in minutes, and for what? For a shallow parlor trick that only impresses non-artists. A real artist looks at this and sees a mental problem.
Aragorn II Elessar 5 years ago
I take it you’re not a real artist. Why would someone compose their own songs when there’s other artists out there? Why would someone write a book when there are plenty of authors out there? Why would someone draw an incredible lifelike image like this? The answer to all of these questions is a love, a talent, for what they are doing. And like Inga Viviane says, there’s the depth, the affection, the passion that only a human being brings to it, that a computer will never be able to replicate. I suggest that you stop insulting people’s talent because it can technically be done just as well by Photoshop. To sum it up, this artist creates his masterpieces by hand not because its the only way to do it, or even because its the best way to do it, but because he loves to do it and he is brilliant at it. Kindly keep your negative opinions to yourself.
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