STONE me! An artist recreates famous faces from Shakespeare to David Bowie just using pebbles.
Art lecturer Justin Bateman, 46, of Portsmouth, Hants, has made 60 mosaic-style masterpieces.
He has depicted figures as diverse as Cupid and Robert De Niro, ranging in size from one square metre to eight.
Each face can take up to five weeks at a time and he works mainly in the UK and Thailand.
Currently in Thailand, Bateman said: “The location is rather opportunist – if I discover a reasonably level location with stones nearby, I log it on my Google maps.
“I also bury stones in locations I will be revisiting, marking their colour palette on my map as a supply for future use – a bit like a squirrel with his acorns.
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“I’m a minimalist, so it’s very useful to have a ready made canvas, easel and palette on the floor.
“They are extremely time consuming. They vary wildly…This really depends on how cooperative the stones are being.
“For a small one, location selection and stone collection takes a few days.
“If the piece works easily it will take between three and twelve days to create. Larger pieces can take four or five weeks to complete.
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“Once the subject has made itself known, my attention starts to filter the world in accordance with stone type/colour/size, locations, weather/light conditions and access.
“If these elements align I will start collecting stones. Once I have enough stones to complete the eyes of my subject, I carry out an experiment to see if the piece will work.
“If the eyes do not work I reconsider the elements or abandon the piece.
“Most people are very surprised to see my work. Some appreciate the fact it references traditional art forms with a more contemporary approach, some because it celebrates the possibility of the everyday and others due to the aesthetic.”
