These stunning cycling images aren't photographs

These stunning cycling images aren't photographs

Hyper-real hand-drawn art inspired by mountain biking

This is not a photograph

Instagram / Mark Everson

Aoife Glass

Published: April 12, 2017 at 11:00 am
This is not a photograph - Instagram / Mark Everson
The finished piece - Instagram / Mark Everson
The completed image, mounted on the wall - Instagram / Mark Everson
Everson is an expert in photo real pencil art - Instagram / Mark Everson
The detail gives you both a sense of the scale Everson works on, and the attention to detail - Instagram / Mark Everson
Preparation is key, talent is essential - Instagram / Mark Everson
Painstaking work, which requres a whole lot of patience - Instagram / Mark Everson
The 'during' photos give a sense of how much work goes into these images - Instagram / Mark Everson

Have a look at these stunning images, then look closer. They may look like great black and white photographs with some clever Photoshop editing, but they're not. They're hand-drawn pencil sketches, by a very talented artist with a love of mountain biking.

The drawings are the work of pencil artist Mark Everson. Each drawing takes days to produce. Literally days; just doing the outline on some of the images he's produced takes 10 hours or more.

This is not a photograph - Instagram / Mark Everson

Precision, patience and a very steady hand are important skills, and Everson painstakingly plans out his images before adding stunningly detailed shading to produce the depth and tone that makes the images almost indistinguishable from photographs.

The detail gives you both a sense of the scale Everson works on, and the attention to detail - Instagram / Mark Everson

Everson is also a keen mountain biker, and has put his talent into producing these incredible photo realistic images inspired by his love of the sport.

Painstaking work, which requres a whole lot of patience - Instagram / Mark Everson

If you do fancy putting your creative skills to use in the world of hyper-real mountain bike art (or indeed any subject matter you fancy), then Everson has some handy tips to get you started.

  1. Patience. If you're getting frustrated that a drawing is taking too long, you need to slow down!
  2. Patience. Do you complete drawings in less than ten hours? The outline of this piece took 10 hours.
  3. Patience. Double check everything, proportions, dimensions, values, etc!
  4. Patience. If you can finish a fairly good drawing on Monday, you could probably finish a fantastic drawing on Friday!
  5. Subject matter. If you decide to draw a bike gear component pick a single speed model!

Are you spotting a theme emerging?

If you want to see more of Everson's work, then pop over to his Instagram account or Facebook page.

Aoife Glass

Digital Strategist, BBC Wildlife Magazine

Aoife is an experienced journalist, editor and podcaster with a background in science communication and a passion for the environment and adventure, particularly when it’s by bike! Prior to joining BBC Wildlife she worked as a freelance writer for the likes of Red Bull, Trek Bicycles, MBUK and Jane Goodall’s Roots & Shoots amongst others. Before that she was women’s editor on BikeRadar and deputy editor on Total Women’s Cycling, and before that she worked at the Natural History Museum in London. She loves mountain biking, gravel riding and road cycling, and has tested a huge amount of cycling and adventure kit and bikes. Her first degree was in geology, so be prepared to have interesting rock features pointed out to you. She’s currently studying for a masters in Environmental Law and Sustainable Development and working on the Spindrift Podcast which she produces and hosts. @Silverstrange
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