Incredible Photorealistic Pencil Art Of Paul Lung

When I first read a caption of one of Paul's pictures and it said it was drawn with a pencil, I had to take a second glance and was amazed at the detail. He is able to create textures, patterns and tones with a pencil that are so photorealistic it kinda blows my mind. Paul is a 38 year old graphic artist from Hong Kong. He uses a .05 mm technical drawing pencil and A2 paper. He does not utilize erasers in his process and he spends from 40 to 60 hours per piece.
The video is really nice too and offers some additional pictures with some cool music...

There are some people in artistic circles who are incredibly gifted, and this Hong Kong artist is certainly among the best in the world. His images are black and white, but not for dramatic effect. That is just the way he likes it.
Believe it or not, these stunning images are not photographs - they were drawn using only one pencil. These incredibly realistic images show the humble pencil at its best, and are so exceptional that they can detail the fine hairs of a cat and the wisps of a beard. While most people use a pencil only so they can easily erase any mistakes they make, Paul Lung often spends up to 60 hours sketching out his latest work of art.
His works include stunning photo-realistic images of cats with lifelike fur and impressive drawings of friends and family. He even has to make videos of his work to make people believe they are not photographs. Despite taking so much time on each piece, the 38-year-old has to fit his hobby around his day job as a graphic artist.
"I have loved to draw all my life but I especially like to draw graphite realism drawings," said Mr Lung from Hong Kong
"Each one will take about 40 to 60 hours and I will draw when I get back from the office after work for about three to four hours a day."
"Most of my drawings are A2 size and all are done using a 0.5mm technical pencil. I like graphite realism drawing because I can use just one single pencil to create millions of different textures."
With a talent as prodigious as this, it is small wonder that Lung's images can be found all over the world. How on earth such minute, even photographic detail can be produced by simply putting pencil to paper is a truly wondrous thing. I will happily hang these 'photos' on my walls. They would grace any art gallery worth its salt. What an artist!

www.beautifullife.info...
paullung.deviantart.com...


Hope you guys dig it!

spec

reply to post by speculativeoptimist


Those are just insane.

Thanks for posting this. His work is quite well done. I would call it super realism as opposed to photo realism, but that is a minor point.
Poor guy, I pity him trying to make a living - a) - doing pencil drawings, and b) - working in extreme realism. I used to love drawing and worked along similar ideals but could never make any money with it. There is an extreme prejudice towards drawing with painting being considered a "higher" art form. Also, works in realism are shunned somewhat as well, though I am unsure of why that is.
My avatar is a painting a did way back in the 70's. I've sold every painting I've ever done but never a drawing. That's why I quit art basically as I prefer doing drawings.
Anyway, I wish the artist all the luck in the world. It's not what you can do but who you know that makes or breaks one's career.
I can certainly identify with his love of cats as subject matter.
BTW - using an eraser is not a crime, it's just another tool.
Excellent work Mr. Lung!

reply to post by erumisato

For sure erumisato, thanks for the comment! I have never seen anything like this before.

spec

reply to post by Asktheanimals

Super realism does sound more accurate and I too hope Paul isn't "starving" as many artists do, whether figuratively or literally. 60 hours, hmmm, he would have to charge a lot to support those hours.
Love your avatar drawing, very cool. Did you ever consider setting up an Etsy account? If not look into it, it is pretty cool and low maintenance.
The eraser, glad it's not a crime cause I'd still be in art jail!

Thanks for the reply ATA,
spec

Incredible work! I too prefer drawing. For one, it's not nearly as much cleanup or mess, and two, it just seems to be a "purer" art to me. This guy's work is incredible...and the time he spends on them...wow.

I'd agree with the term "Super-Realism" vs. "Realism".

My own work is more like Realism....

[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/e58d8a3d17f4.jpg[/atsimg]

I think I spent about 7 or 8 hours on this (and it's 8"x10") I do them that size so it's easy to find frames for them.

Paul Lung has some incredible work though...I mean you really can't tell its not a photo. Wow.

He said he uses just one pencil? I can't think of any kind of 0.5mm pencil that could give you the nice darks he gets though... He said graphite, so I guess there are some darker technical pencils. He must go through tons of leads (the darker you get, the softer).

reply to post by Gazrok

Hey Gazrok, thanks for the comment and your drawing is awesome too! You have a lot of tones going on there.
Man that one with the 2 cats on the stump is unbelievable! I wonder if he gets cramps in his hands? I bet his process is strenuous on his eyes too.
They do make.05 in various shades too.
Super Realism, yes.....(maybe in this case super duper grand master realism)

spec

It's the deep blacks that I'm wondering about. I have to get Ebony pencils to do that (very soft lead, I go through a whole pencil during a drawing, just about). And, I have to keep sharpening it. Would be great to find in a mechanical pencil. I need to look other places I guess...

In reply to Gazrok (forgot to reply to your post):

I've got a great set of woodless graphite pencils HH and HB-9b.- they're amazing and I would recommend them to anyone who loves pencil drawing. You can get amazing blacks by building up to the softer ones- like 7b-9b etc. Smudging helps a lot too, but you must know that

I love this artist. I discovered him a little while back and oooo'd and aahhhh'd for a while over his work!

reply to post by speculativeoptimist


There is no way that these were drawn with a pencil.
There is NO WAY.
I will simply not except it.



I like drawing with pencils too, but my drawings come nowhere near the godliness those works of art. Perhaps I need to get more professional pencils than stupid school pencils, I've never really been able to invest that much money into them. Well I know what I'm saving up for now!

reply to post by speculativeoptimist


Man speculativeoptimist! Thanks for finding this. This is absolutely amazing. I find myself beyond envious at this persons talent. I can't even draw stick figures right!

Great find! S&F

~Heff

reply to post by nicolee123nd

There is no way that these were drawn with a pencil.

Denial will get you nowhere!
No, I hear ya, I have never seen anything like it either! If someone showed me one of his pics, then told me it was pencil, I would be in denial too. I'd love to see a sped up vid of his process.

Here's another you might not believe either friend:
www.abovetopsecret.com...

Thanks for the reply,
spec

reply to post by Hefficide


Hey there friend, I'm glad you too enjoyed em'. Talk about mastering super realism, wow! He has some human faces also on his websight.
Might I recommend a couple of other artist's that may blow you away:
www.abovetopsecret.com...
All chalk, and all real...

Banksy:
www.abovetopsecret.com...

Peace,
spec

Thanks for the great thread. My hobby is 'realism' drawing, though i'm way behind this guy

reply to post by speculativeoptimist


www.artprize.org...#
Here is another, recent pencil-drawing; this was the winner of Artprize 2010, an annual art festival/competition in Grand Rapids, MI. This was the winner; it is called Cavalry, American Officers, 1921 and it is 12 feet tall and 39 feet wide, comprised of several separate panels attached end-to-end.
Very impressive piece of work and the winner won $250k.

reply to post by ltdan08



8'x4.4'
Wow, quite impressive! Man on that scale that has gotta take some time!
Thanks for the addition Itdan08!

spec

reply to post by speculativeoptimist


That's just one panel too! There are at least five or six of them side-by-side making up the mural. I saw this one in the Grand Rapids Art Museum and it is larger than life.

Damn,that's amazing!The guy has some serious skills with a pencil.

reply to post by speculativeoptimist


hey thanks for posting this spec,

it makes me feel soo......

talentless...



seriously though, this mans art is incredible, truelly breathtaking.

~meathead

Originally posted by erumisato
reply to post by speculativeoptimist

 

Those are just insane.

Those are beyond insane! I've never seen anything like it.

Peace

I dont say it often about anything, but this guy's work is absolutely brilliant.

You can almost reach right out and pet those animals. Awe inspiring talent to put it mildly.