Artist creates portraits of famous figures using pebbles
SWNS
2023-07-20
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An artist creates mosaic portraits of famous figures like Gandhi, Cristiano Ronaldo and Queen Elizabeth II - using pebbles.
Justin Bateman, 47, first started making abstract art in 2018 using organic materials before moving to portraits.
He came up with the idea on a random day after tracing the outline of his bicycle with pebbles.
Since then Justin has created over 100 pieces and laid over a million pebbles in total.
He's created the portraits of footballers, singers, politicians and many more.
Justin's technique is a slog and it can take up to five weeks to complete a single portrait.
Justin, a full time artist from Portsmouth, Hampshire, spends hours scouting the best locations for stones, which he marks on Google Maps.
He said: "Sometimes the stones in a particular location suggest an appropriate subject.
"At other times the location is selected according to criteria such as proximity, layout, stone composition and urban or natural aesthetics.
"If a suitable location and stones present themselves I will try to make the work.
"I assess a subject's characteristics relating these to the types of stone I will use, simultaneously assessing the scale of stone and textural qualities required."
Justin's art is physically demanding. He can spend hours at a time on the floor creating his portraits.
He said: "I find making the work very tiring because once I begin a piece, all of my energy and focus goes into its completion.
"The work has taken its toll on my body. I still work directly on the floor for long periods of time."
Each piece can take can take between three days and five weeks to create depending on the size and complexity.
He added: "The simplicity of the final outcome is deceptive because it takes a huge amount of time to conduct research, prepare colour maps, collect stones, complete the work and then photograph.
"Each piece takes between a few weeks to well over a month to complete.
"Sometimes I will remake them countless times using different stones to find the right combination. "
Justin chooses his subjects based on suggestions from his social media followers and his personal interest in their faces rather than the personality of the subject.
He said: "My subjects do not represent my spiritual beliefs, opinions or political persuasions; they are not about good or bad, right or wrong.
"The subject is simply a collection of characteristics, an opportunity to explore materiality in new ways with measurable criteria."
Despite the effort, Justin does not monetise the majority of his work as he has values the impermanence of his work.
He said: "At first I chose not to monetise anything at all, I kept my capitalist and creative tendencies very separate.
"Sometimes I accept commissions or requests, if the timing is right or they align with my own intuition as something that should be made.
"Not more than 10% of my work becomes permanent."
Justin Bateman, 47, first started making abstract art in 2018 using organic materials before moving to portraits.
He came up with the idea on a random day after tracing the outline of his bicycle with pebbles.
Since then Justin has created over 100 pieces and laid over a million pebbles in total.
He's created the portraits of footballers, singers, politicians and many more.
Justin's technique is a slog and it can take up to five weeks to complete a single portrait.
Justin, a full time artist from Portsmouth, Hampshire, spends hours scouting the best locations for stones, which he marks on Google Maps.
He said: "Sometimes the stones in a particular location suggest an appropriate subject.
"At other times the location is selected according to criteria such as proximity, layout, stone composition and urban or natural aesthetics.
"If a suitable location and stones present themselves I will try to make the work.
"I assess a subject's characteristics relating these to the types of stone I will use, simultaneously assessing the scale of stone and textural qualities required."
Justin's art is physically demanding. He can spend hours at a time on the floor creating his portraits.
He said: "I find making the work very tiring because once I begin a piece, all of my energy and focus goes into its completion.
"The work has taken its toll on my body. I still work directly on the floor for long periods of time."
Each piece can take can take between three days and five weeks to create depending on the size and complexity.
He added: "The simplicity of the final outcome is deceptive because it takes a huge amount of time to conduct research, prepare colour maps, collect stones, complete the work and then photograph.
"Each piece takes between a few weeks to well over a month to complete.
"Sometimes I will remake them countless times using different stones to find the right combination. "
Justin chooses his subjects based on suggestions from his social media followers and his personal interest in their faces rather than the personality of the subject.
He said: "My subjects do not represent my spiritual beliefs, opinions or political persuasions; they are not about good or bad, right or wrong.
"The subject is simply a collection of characteristics, an opportunity to explore materiality in new ways with measurable criteria."
Despite the effort, Justin does not monetise the majority of his work as he has values the impermanence of his work.
He said: "At first I chose not to monetise anything at all, I kept my capitalist and creative tendencies very separate.
"Sometimes I accept commissions or requests, if the timing is right or they align with my own intuition as something that should be made.
"Not more than 10% of my work becomes permanent."
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