Can you believe that these images are pencil drawings? Upon first glance, artist Rick Fortson’s celebrity portraits appear to be photo stills of some of the most famous television, film, and music stars. However, each picture has the artist’s name legibly etched into it, all in pencil!
Fortson, who sometimes refers to himself as Dr. Pencil, is a self-taught illustrator based in Illinois. With an extensive background in real estate, the incredibly gifted artist had treated drawing like a hobby. It is increasingly clear that his talent is much more, given the precision and time he devotes to his craft. Each piece takes several hours to create, and some take up to 17 hours!
In the end, it’s all worth it, considering the photorealistic results. Fortson’s flawless creations retain the most recognizable features of a celebrity to the most minute detail. He captures the sparkle in Bradley Cooper’s eyes and every crease in Clint Eastwood’s iconic face. For more celebrity pencil drawings by Fortson, you can view and purchase them through his blog, where he has assembled a large portfolio of his work.
