Micro sculptor uses scalpel and pin vice to transform ordinary pencil leads into mind-blowing miniature artworks
Yash Soni uses brittle pencil tips as his canvas
If you’ve ever broken the tip of your pencil by leaning too hard on the page, you’d know how incredibly delicate graphite is. Despite the lead’s fragility, Yash Soni uses brittle pencil tips as his canvas. Covering a range of subjects, he transforms ordinary pencils into mind-blowing miniature sculptures by hand carving detailed forms on the tip. Each tiny artwork showcases this artist’s admirable patience and steady hands.
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Soni, an event manager by profession, came across micro sculpting in 2014, when he saw a few artists doing chalk and crayon carvings on social media. Since then sculpting pencil leads became his passion. “I carve sculptures on a regular pencil lead on a spread of 2b to 6b. I have two more variants to choose from—graphite and lead. I use both, depending on the design. I use a scalpel to shave, and pin vice to drill holes,” says Soni.
What initially started off as a hobby has now become a small side business. “I never thought I would be able to sell this art, until a few art lovers decided to buy my work,” says Soni. Every piece that he carves needs a minimum of seven to eight hours. After carving the desired design on the lead, he works on the details. Often, he sculpts the same piece over 14 times. “There’s a lot of trial and error that goes into it,” he says. This art also involves a great deal of wood carving techniques. Soni has also started exploring wood as one of his canvases and has been sculpting wood pieces into fashion accessories. “Once I start carving, all my anxieties go away. I basically meditate when I’m carving,” he says.
Price: Rs 6,500-Rs 15,000
To Order: @yashsoniart
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