Top 10 Exceptional Pencil Artists Around the World

If you hear a voice within you saying you cannot paint, then by all means, paint and that voice will be silenced”― Vincent Van Gogh. After a long, busy day in our crowded world and messed up reality, one is in need of escapism for a while; your escape ticket can be some lines, curves or shapes where you can gaze on and forget about the difficulties of every day.

Art is a magical realm to which artists reach by verity of means like music, dance, colors, pens etc. Among all these types some artists have hooked by the pencil, and with it they created magic. They must have fallen in love with the duality of simplicity and depth this drawing medium provides, something you will probably share with them once you see their breathtaking artworks. The word pencil derives from the Latin ‘peniculus’ which means brush. Pencil illustrators use graphite pencils, charcoals and pastels; actually almost every great artist, such as Michaelangelo, Rembrandt, Van Gogh and Picasso, drew some sketches in pencil. Today There are artists specialized in pencil sketching. In this article, Topteny brought you 10 of the best pencil artists whose artworks may impress you and clear your mind from everything but beauty.

10 Waqas Ahmed Shaiq 

He is a Pakistani artist. What makes him unique among many other artists and painters is that he can transform your image and visage into a beautiful work of art, showing the beauty inside and outside with A3 sheets of paper and pencils, for as real artists should be, he has the ability to see what lies within. Shaiq not only makes a living out of his sharpened talent and well-earned skills, but he has also had his talent and skills spoken of in magazines such as Weekend and Social Diary Magazine. His Fb page is called WAQAS AHMED SHAIQ – ARTIST, Detailed Drawings & Portraits.

Samples of Shaiq’s artworks

9 Graham Bradshaw

And here is an exceptional graphite artist from England. Graham Bradshaw was born in 1977 in Liverpool. Drawing has become his hobby since he was 7, and graphite realism has been his favorite style. Graham describes himself as a self-taught as he didn’t formally study fine art after leaving school, however, he hasn’t forsaken his talent and in 2010 he started sharing his work online. Bradshaw states that he loves creating surreal situations that could never be captured by the camera. Recently he discovered a new passion for capturing motion and feeling of dancers. His work of art is mind-blowing for it is so much alive.

Samples of Graham Bradshaw artworks

8 Renee French

An exceptional artist from USA who is well-known as comics writer and illustrator; Renee French. With her rich imagination and talent she expresses the deepest thoughts and feelings in bewitching simplicity; using fine pointed graphite pencils, she creates fuzzy blurred drawings that say a lot wordlessly.  Renee’s characters are saturated with life due to the realism and depth her skillful hand adds to them.

Samples of Renee French’s artworks

7 Ryota Hayashi 

For the more talented artists, one proudly presents Ryota Hayashi. Hayashi has started producing artworks with coloured pencils since 2009. Hayashi had the opportunity to participate in Ginza Milaisa Gallery, in 2011; it was the first exhibit where Hayashi’s artworks were displayed. Since 2011, Hashaki has been participating in Ginza. Hashaki has been globally rendered well-known when he was featured as a pickup artist in the American “Colored Pencil Magazine”. In addition, he has had created his solo exhibition to demonstrate his peerless works. He has a Fb page called Tokyo Sketch.

Samples of Hayashi artworks

6 Jeremy Bresciani

Who said that you can’t draw using one theme without being accused of running out of ideas must be wrong, or never introduced to Jeremy Bresciani. Unlike many artists, Jeremy had no formal art education; his parents got him into papers and pencils when they gave him the book”Learn to Draw” at the age of nine. When you read his profile, you will find it unexpected of him to work as a professional artist as he had inbuilt tendencies for sports as rock climbing, skydiving, inline boarding and windsurfing; he is also a university student. So, Bresciani’s work combines the two most beloved fields to his heart: art and sports. His Fb page is Jeremy Bresciani- Graphite (Pencil) Artist.

Samples of Bresciani’s artworks

5 Ann Kullberg

Ann Kullberg is a unique artist with mesmerising artistic skills and vision. Checking her profile, you will find her catchy story that conveys her journey with art. Ann never thought of approaching an artistic career as she was an English teacher. After some difficulties in her life, she decided to give her skills and talent a chance and let it all flow. What makes Ann Kullberg quite superb is that she teaches painting and drawing through books, videos and tutorials she prepares herself. No many artists will think of delivering artistic messages worldwide and giving prolific qualities to the younger generation, However, Kullberg did it.

Samples of Ann’s artworks

4 Jennifer Parks

Jennifer Parks is an American illustrator who loves to draw with pencils and inks. She is also a ceramic artist. Parks who currently lives in Portland, Oregon is fascinated by details that add richness and spiritual depth to her creation. She is also a cartoonist whose writes and drawings are inspired by childhood memories, dreams and nightmares; Jennifer is a believer in ghosts, and magic is a resident motif in many of her works like the lovely winged Celestial Cat and Full Moon ritual. She is also into horror movies which explain her recent artwork, Decay.

Samples of Jennifer Parks artworks

On her blog, Jennifer says about this piece of art ‘Nightmare forest’ that its about waking up from nightmares by closing the eyes and float or fly towards the sky which symbolizes consciousness.

3 Veri Apriyatno

Veri Apriyatno is an Indonesian talented artist considers his ability to draw as a gift deserves gratitude. He was born in 1973 in Jakarta, studied fine art at the Bandung Institute of Technology, and got his Bachelor’s degree at the age of 25. Veri has had many exhibitions, solo and group, since 2013. He has also produced 6 books so far that teach the art of drawing. Starting from 2000 he has received three awards; Windsor & Newton Millennium World Wide Award, Jakarta Art Award in 2010, and Bandung Contemporary Art Award. Apparently Veri Apriyatno has numerous fans of his rich character and artworks; his Facebook page, Drawing Pencil, has crossed eleven million likes! Once you see the magic he creates using pencils, you will realize why.

Samples of Veri Apriyatno artworks

2 Vania Zouravliov

Labeled as prodigy child, Vania Zouravliov is an exceptional artist whose talent emerged from an early stage of his life. He was born in Russia and now lives in London. His macabre illustrations found their way to magazines, books and galleries all over the world, and were shockingly as well as curiously received that he showed up in many Russian television shows. By the age of 13 Vania was exhibiting his work internationally. During his adolescence, he was influenced by rich contradictories; The Bible, Dante’s Divine Comedy, early Disney animation and North American Indians. Vania’s multicultural personality is manifested in his masterpieces. His brilliant creation is a combination of dark and light with spiritual and mystic dimensions.

Samples of Vania Zouravliov artworks

 1 Rachel  M. Bray

Rachel is a Canadian artist, born in Montreal and now based in Acadia where she lives and work. She studied and majored fine art studio, art theory, criticism and was hooked by the pencil’s simplicity at the Nova Scotia Collage of Art and Design. Rachel M. Bary received many awards such as Joseph Beuys Memorial Scholarship which  she was awarded twice. Rachel is a fan of nature and classical Asian vistas. With bottomless imagination and using a combination of pencil and graphite powder, she produce work of high level of dimension. Here creation’s richness and depth are really beyond description. However the silence and stillness in her works are radiants with life, Rachel M. Bray has recently grown interested in capturing what she describes as “heightened levels of living vibrancy”. Her drawing, Hound, express this new tendency excellently. She rocks with heightened movement as she has been doing with tranquility.

Samples of Rachel M. Bray artworks

Something notable about these exceptional illustrators, as well as every great artist, is that their artworks are fragments of their inner worlds; truthful mirrors of wealthy spirits and imaginations. Once you now some about each one and see his/ her production, you easily realize that. This was a tour through the land of pencil art carefully prepared for you with a great hope that you will find it both informative and enjoyable.