Rebecca Yanovskaya uses ballpoint pen and gold leaf to craft mythological retellings and otherworldly narratives.The Toronto-based artist moves between personal gallery work and illustrations. Among her influences, she counts “decorative arts, neoclassical and Pre-Raphaelite arts, and theatrical costuming.”
“Despite most artists in her genre using digital and traditional painting tools, she has made the choice to construct her pieces with ballpoint pen and gold leaf,” a statement says. “As one of the only primarily ballpoint pen artists working in fantastic realism, her work is easy to identify. A combination of epic scope and moody atmosphere define her signature style, in what can be described as the ‘Art of the Sublime.’”
Yanovskaya’s clients include Magpie Games, Easton Press, Princessa Productions, and Royal Canadian Mint. She’s had recent shows at Haven Gallery in New York and Arch Enemy Arts in Philadelphia.
Using ballpoint pen, Helena Hauss draws scenes that she says are “about self-acceptance through self-deprecation and satire.” The process is laborious for the Paris artist, who has said the choice of pen is deliberate in its stubbornness. The below work, "Afternoon Delight," took 300 hours to complete.