Hyperrealistic pencil drawing by Chris LaPorte
American artist from Michigan has been drawing for 18 years, and has drawn 85,000 people for this period. And for this 13×26 foot hyperrealistic pencil drawing called “City Band” he got the ArtPrize 2012 at the Grand Rapids Art Museum, in Grand Rapids, Michigan. In fact, the artist used an 80-year-old photo of his grandfather and his high school marching band to create a life-like version of it. Meanwhile, it took him 1,200 hours and more than 100 pencils to draw this masterpiece. Chris LaPorte graduated from the New York Academy of Art. The talented artist has participated in many art exhibitions in Michigan and New York City.
According to the artist, drawing is always cool—no matter what your age or background. As for Chris LaPorte himself, he has pursued drawing as a vocation his whole adult life. In addition, he has taught drawing at GVSU, GRCC, Kendall College of Art and Design, and Aquinas College, as well as educational institutions in New York and Michigan. Besides, his caricature and portrait business has financially supported his education, travel, and his fine arts studio.
“One of the obvious differences between a photograph and a drawing is that a photograph is largely instantaneous and this drawing (“City Band”) probably took a year. So you see time in it, in a way you don’t see time in a photograph.” Christopher Knight.
Hyperrealistic pencil drawing by Chris LaPorte
