Artist Took 1,000 Hours to Draw This Stunning Snapshot of London

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When sifting through his portfolio, it becomes clear that Jack Nolan is invested in the details. With the help of fine liner pens, the London-based artist has drawn intricate cityscapes and architectural landmarks for years, achieving a startling level of realism. But his most recent project is also one of his most ambitious: an exhaustive snapshot of Central London, requiring about 1,000 hours of work across 10 months.

Drawn with 0.03mm pens, the composition captures everything from London’s iconic landmarks to its hidden gems. As Nolan says, they are all “woven together into a stunning visual representation of the city.” Peppered throughout are impressive skyscrapers sitting alongside charming apartments, each rendered with a masterful sense of perspective, shadow, and contrast. As expected, London in 0.03mm rewards a patient and curious eye, but not just because it’s incredibly detailed. It also incorporates a range of easter eggs, further encouraging viewers to immerse themselves within the city, its singular character, and its remarkable architecture.

“London in 0.03mm was more of a way to one-up my previous works by going a bit bigger and bringing in all of the different landmarks,” Nolan said in an interview with the BBC.

Upon first glance, this drawing seems to be a lesson in patience, although Nolan disagrees with that sentiment: “A lot of people ask me where I get the patience. For me, it doesn’t really require patience—it’s just the discipline of working and I do actually find it very therapeutic.”

London in 0.03mm is, of course, more than simply “therapeutic,” especially since Nolan has been sharing his progress with the piece for several months. The response to his work has been enormous, with many people finding the joy in looking closely and discovering something unexpected.

“A lot of people have compared it to a ‘Where’s Wally?’ type of drawing,” Nolan says. “People have actually reached out to me to say that I’ve managed to draw their house.”

With London in 0.03mm now complete, Nolan has set his sights on similar top-down drawings of other London boroughs and other cities across the globe.

To learn more about the artist, visit Jack Nolan’s website and follow him on Instagram.