Like any art form, creating a detailed drawing takes time. But for French stippling artist Xavier Casalta, he spends hundreds and even thousands of hours, sometimes over the course of years, on a single piece. Casalta’s breathtakingly intricate drawings of architecture, botanicals, and more come to life through the painstaking application of millions of tiny dots on paper. The pointillism technique demands an extraordinary level of patience, but the end results are totally worth it.
Using a simple black fineliner pen, Casalta adds form, tone, and depth, dot by dot. “I’m truly fascinated by the technique,” Casalta tells My Modern Met. “With my newest piece, a monumental still life, I’m aiming to push its boundaries. It’s an ambitious project that will take around three years to complete. I’m still in the early stages, but I look forward to sharing more.”
For another recent work, depicting a sculptural bust of Marcus Aurelius surrounded by countless flowers, Casalta spent around 2,400 hours and over 15 months adding approximately 48 million dots to the 140 x 100 centimeters (about 55 x 40 inches) artwork. “[It] was by far the most challenging piece I’ve ever done,” the artist shared on Instagram. “Sitting in front of the same drawing almost everyday for 15 months straight is really testing your patience and discipline.”
Casalta’s dedication has earned him collaborations with numerous prestigious brands over the years, including Dior. The renowned fashion house commissioned him to create an architectural drawing of La Galerie Dior in Paris. Similarly, Casalta devoted 1,400 hours to creating a detailed drawing of the 18th-century Louis Vuitton building at Place Vendôme, where the artwork is now proudly displayed. Casalta wrote on Instagram: “It is an honor for me to see my work exhibited in such a setting, alongside a House that has celebrated craftsmanship and savoir-faire for decades.”
Check out some of the artist’s incredible stipple drawings below and follow Xavier Casalta on Instagram for more.
Stippling artist Xavier Casalta’s breathtakingly intricate drawings come to life through the painstaking application of millions of tiny dots on paper.
Using a simple black fineliner pen, Casalta adds form, tone, and depth, dot by dot.
The pointillism technique demands an extraordinary level of patience, but the end results are totally worth it.
Watch how the patient artist creates his amazing drawings.
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Xavier Casalta: Website | Instagram
My Modern Met granted permission to feature photos by Xavier Casalta.
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