When you think of pencils being used to create art, you're probably imagining drawing with pencils, creating detailed sketches and images on paper… right?
You wouldn't be wrong to think that. After all, some truly incredible art is created that way, and has been for centuries.
But there's actually a lot more you can do with pencils. In fact, you can even grow a garden with some of them, proving that human innovation is always amazing.
Just ask artist Salavat Fidai. He used to have a successful executive job, but two years ago, he quit to become a full-time freelance artist, and he specializes in — you guessed it — pencils.
But he doesn't draw with the pencils. Instead, he carves tiny, but amazingly detailed, sculptures into the graphite. He's created everything from human figures to tiny buildings to busts of famous pop culture characters, and each one is more incredible than the last — especially when you consider how tiny and delicate they are.
Check out Salavat's sculptures below and see what you can do with a pencil besides drawing with it!
(h/t: Twisted Sifter)
Salavat creates his sculptures using X-Acto knives, pins, and a very steady hand. Thanks to the fact that graphite is fairly soft, he can get some amazing detail.
It takes a lot of practice and patience, but the results are striking; they look like tiny objects perched on the point of a pencil!
He can even create moving parts in his sculptures, like this lock and key.
And sometimes he can get pretty deep, like with the above pencil within a pencil.
He also loves movies, TV shows, and other popular media, so you'll find plenty of your favorite characters appearing in his work, like WALL-E here.
And even the recognizable characters, like Yoda, have Salavat's personal twist on them.
Okay, this one stumped us for a moment, too. Can you figure out how he did it?
Hint: he doesn't always carve at the end of a pencil!
This carving shows a balalaika, a traditional instrument from Salavat's native Russia.
Even though they're tiny, his sculptures are incredibly lifelike.
Not only does Salavat create these amazing carvings, but he's also an accomplished painter and photographer.
His paintings, like his carvings, are on the minuscule scale, painted on matchbooks, buttons, and even pumpkin seeds!
He also takes his inspiration from just about anywhere. You can find pop culture icons, famous landmarks, replicas of other artists' work, and images from nature in his extensive collection.
And the dark pewter color of the graphite lends them all a timeless, imposing look. If you didn't see the pencil tip at the base, you might think these were much larger!
To see how he makes these intricate little carvings, be sure to watch the video below!
