This is not the type of crayon art your mama used to hang on the refrigerator. Christian Faur’s wacky, pixelated portraits use the iconic wax writing implements in ways that are truly whoa-inspiring. He starts each piece by scanning a photograph. Then, he maps out exactly where to place each crayon on a grid. The result is a photorealistic image that only reveals its humble Crayola roots upon close inspection. His work is definitely the coolest thing to come out Granville, Ohio since… wait… where is Granville, Ohio, again?
Cooler still, he has created a series of crayons that correspond to the letters of the alphabet, allowing him to embed secret messages in all of his pieces. In his Forgotten Children series, he uses this system to spell out the names of the anonymous children he renders in crayon. So what if the secret message thing has a vaguely schizophrenic flair?We’ll let it slide. We’re too busy wondering if our eyes would be more realistic in jungle green or kelly. To explore more crayon possibilities, check out this slideshow.