Russian artist Salavat Fidai carves miniature sculptures on the lead tip of pencils, an art form he was inspired by another well-known miniature master Dalton Ghetti. Using a delicate knife and a magnifying knife, Fidai creates popular figures, characters from pop culture, famous monuments and still life objects. It takes an enormous amount of patience to carve a single pencil, and Fidai isn’t always successful the first time. The Darth Vader sculpture did not come until the seventh try and several broken leads.
The son of art teachers, Fidai was a lawyer near his home of Ufa, Russia, when he was laid off last year. Rather than find another office job, Fidai devoted himself full-time to art. By his miniature works, photographs and regular-size paintings, Fidai says he is able to provide for his family. His customers are from across the world.
Aside from pencil sculptures, Fidai also draws miniature paintings on pumpkin seeds, perfecting tiny copies of Van Gogh’s Starry Night or Vermeer’s Girl with a Pearl Earring.
