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Incredibly Intricate Sculptures Carved from the Tips of Pencils

Ever since he was a child, Jasenko ordevic (aka @TOLDart) has been drawn to miniatures. As an adult, this fascination grew, leading him to develop an incredible craft carving intricate sculptures from an unconventional material–graphite. Now, ordevic transforms the tips of pencils into small works of art, depicting subjects like flowers, animals, and portraits, all of which have to be magnified to fully appreciate the minute details.

To craft these awe-inspiring works, the Bosnian artist uses an X-acto knife and tiny chisel. With these simple sculpting tools he creates their overall form, implies texture, and even carves tiny words into the thin stick of graphite. This expert handling creates the illusion that these artworks were made from another material. The graphite resembles a dark, hard stone, and from up close, you might never know they're composed of something quite as simple as an ordinary pencil.

TOLDart: Website | Instagram | Facebook

Sara Barnes

Sara Barnes is a Staff Editor at My Modern Met and Manager of My Modern Met Store. She is a graduate of the Maryland Institute College of Art where she earned her BFA in Illustration and MFA in Illustration Practice. Sara is also an embroidery illustrator and writer living in Seattle, Washington. She runs Bear&Bean, a studio where she stitches pet portraits and other beloved creatures. She chronicles the creativity of others through her website Brown Paper Bag and newsletter, Orts. Her latest book is Threads of Treasure: How to Make, Mend, and Find Meaning Through Thread, published in 2014. Sara’s work has been recognized in Be Creative With Workbox, Embroidery Magazine, American Illustration, on Iron and Wine’s album Beast Epic, among others. When she’s not stitching or writing, Sara enjoys planning things that bring together the craft community. She is the co-founder of Camp Craftaway, a day camp for crafty adults with hands-on workshops in the Seattle area.
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