Kevin Hart Responded On Twitter To Talented Young Artist Who Drew An Incredibly Realistic Portrait Of Him

There are many talented people out there, who create breathtaking works of art that deserve the attention of the whole world. However, the art scene can be a snobby and fickle place, and it seems that sometimes the right ‘names’ get far more attention than their talents merit. It is, therefore, refreshing to see a truly gifted young artist get their big break and enjoy global attention.

Nigerian art is thriving, with this diverse country producing an array of creative talents that demand wider attention. A particular area of interest lies in hyper-realistic pencil drawings, with artists such as Ken Nwadiogbu producing the kind of portraits which are so detailed you would swear they were photographs. Young artist Eli Wuduba Yusuf, based in Kaduna state in north-central Nigeria, is a pencil magician that can conjure up hyper-realistic portraits using nothing more than a simple lead pencil and some paper.

He's recently reached out on Twitter to Kevin Hart, his favorite comedian, hoping to show the astonishingly accurate portrait he drew of The Upside actor. After thousands of retweets hoping to gain Hart’s attention, the comedian saw Eli’s piece and was so impressed by the young artist’s undeniable talent and initiative that he offered to buy it. Not only that, but he also commissioned Eli to do three drawings of his friends, giving Eli a nice little public portfolio to kickstart his career.

It is fair to say that this represents Eli’s big break and demonstrates the power of social media for young artists who wish to gain exposure. People across the world are now admiring Eli’s work, it is truly a life-changing event for him.

Eli knew this and used Twitter in a clever way to gain the attention of his idol. People quickly recognized his talent and were happy to help him reach his goal. Some days after his initial tweet, it all kicked off. “Isn’t God amazing??” he wrote. “I just joined Twitter a day before yesterday, and my work just went viral, my phone can’t stop buzzing.”

The hyper-realist scene in Nigeria had first grabbed the world’s attention in 2016 when Lagos-based artist Oresegun Olumide’s oil paintings went viral. People could not believe that they were not photographs. His success inspired a new generation of hyper-realist artists. Using just pencil and paper, artists like Eli spend hours crafting and shading these incredible portraits, frequently of famous people and incorporating themes such as African cultures, black power, and gender equality. The genre has really taken off giving the youth a real outlet for their creative talents.