If you're captivated by meticulous drawings, then look no further than this piece by French artist Xavier Casalta. He recently completed an impressive portrait of a leopard that was drawn using only a Rotring 0.10 technical pen, a sheet of paper, and a lot of patience – it took him about 100 hours to complete. The realistic image showcases well over a few hundred thousand marks, including minuscule-sized dots and gingerly drawn lines that make up the fur.
It's hard to ignore Casalta's awe-inspiring attention to detail. The stippling is neatly placed on the page and adds a lot of texture to the big cat. Dots are clustered in places like the nostrils, mouth, and eyelids, and creates a nice range of shading. Occasionally, the artist will layer them with long lines and make this image even more visually complex.
Casalta's drawing is enjoyed both up close and far away. The detail photographs allow us to marvel at his fantastic skill, and once zoomed out, we're able to take in how all of these small, abstract elements make up a cohesive portrait.
