That’s not a photograph. No. Incredibly no. Portugal based artist and lawyer Samuel Silva draws hyper-realistic illustrations using ballpoint pens on paper. He started drawing when he was two and made it a hobby ever since. The image above titled Redhead Girl is his most popular artwork yet in which he referenced a picture by a Russian photographer, Kristina Tararina.

From his deviant art profile, he says “he would normally used 8 colors of Bic ballpoint pens, but for this he used 6 colors and black.” And adds, “I don’t mix them nor blend them. Ballpoint pen ink dries instantly and can not be erased. I just cross hatch the different colors in layers to create the illusion of blending and the illusion of colors I don’t actually have.”

Amazing, just amazing. Check out more of his artworks below.

Photos from Samuel Silva’s deviant art page.

[via machoarts]