WORDS Michaela Stehr IMAGES via @oscarukonu on Instagram
Lagos-based visual artist Oscar Ukonu creates mesmerising hyper-realistic drawings and portraits using only a ballpoint pen.
Oscar, who is self-taught, mastered the skill of photorealism using what he felt most comfortable with, the humble ballpoint pen, which he says gives him more control than any other tool.
What makes Oscar’s art even more impressive is that he often draws his subjects from memory, without photographic reference. A piece can take anywhere from 200 to 400 hours to complete, a process he calls, “a practice in time and patience”.
Here are 10 of our favourite pieces:
See more of his work at oscarukonu.com or follow Oscar on Instagram.
