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.

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Mark Powell is a London-based artist who creates detailed black ballpoint pen portraits on vintage stationery and maps.

Mark has been creating these thoughtful works for years and is inspired by artists like Jean Michel Basquiat, David Hockney and Richard Hamilton. His realistic portraits, which feature both famous and ordinary people alike, are embedded on top of faded magazine covers, city maps and old stationery.

The impact of the subjects’ lives appears to be etched onto their faces through the lines of the maps, referencing the journey each individual has travelled.

By making use of a simple ballpoint (biro) pen he exemplifies how intricate art can be made using uncomplicated tools. “I choose a biro because it is the most simple and readily available tool to hand,” he says on his website. “I want to show how easy it is to have the chance to create. I want it to inspire people to give it a go without feeling the need to spend money on arts and crafts.”

The drawings are available to purchase as originals and as limited edition and open edition prints.

For more information, visit markpowellartist.com.

(h/t) thisiscolossal.com

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Nicholas V Sanchez is a New York City-based artist who creates magically accurate and life-like ink sketches using ballpoint pens in different colours.

The mastery displayed with this technique is evidence of his talent and skills. Making use of shadow and highlights, his work takes on a three dimensional quality. He also manages to capture the nuances of his subject matter in an honest and realistic way.

Nicholas, who has a BFA from the Kendall College of Art and Design in Grand Rapids and a MFA from the New York Academy of Art, has been chosen for artist residencies in Venice, the Dominican Republic and China. His work has been featured in New York Magazine, Vanity Fair and Vogue Italy, amongst others, along with exhibitions in New York, Italy, Venice and China.

View more of his work at nicolasvsanchez.com.

(h/t) thisiscolossal.com

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