Artist Creates Miniature Masterpieces on Pencil Tips

(CANVAS STAFF REPORTS) - While many gifted artists sketch out the start of their masterpieces with pencils, one man has mastered the unique art form of creating carvings on pencil tops.

AOL News reported that Dalton Ghetti, who immigrated from Sao Paulo, Brazil, to Connecticut in the hopes of taking on carpentry, has instead become internationally renowned for creating artworks out of pencils themselves.

His works include portraits of Elvis Presley, midget hammers, a church, a chain and also a hand holding a miniature plate and cup.

Ghetti, 49, carved out his craft while going to school in Brazil, because instead of using pencil sharpeners, the students would use razor blades to get their No. 2 pencils to a perfect point.

"I used to carve my name on the wood," the artist explained to AOL News. "Eventually, my work evolved from big stuff to small stuff."

As a child Ghetti first used tree bark and soap to master the art of carving, he told The New York Times in a 2007 interview. He then moved on to chalk before tackling graphite.

Known as a microscopic artist, it takes Ghetti more than two years to handcraft each piece of art on the graphite tip of each pencil.

He most recently sculpted a 9/11 memorial and exhibits his art in museums and exhibitions; he has an exhibition set for Iona College in New Rochelle, N.Y., next month.

The artist told AOL News he does not do any custom pieces and will not sell his pencil art to private collectors, instead preferring that it be displayed publicly. Though he does sell postcards and posters of the sculptures.

The Telegraph posted a slideshow of images of Ghetti's work.