An engineer-turned-micro artist from Bournemouth has recently sold six miniature versions of famous paintings for a collective sum of £90,000. David A Lindon’s copies measure a miniscule 0.4 by 0.5mm, small enough to fit into the eye of a needle.

Lindon, who has only recently turned professional, claimed the £90,000 was a “life-changing amount”. Lindon began making micro art in 2018, after being inspired by a TV programme about the British micro sculptor Willard Wigan MBE, who typically places his sculptures in the eye of a needle or on the head of a pin. Lindon then developed his own techniques and skills, first creating miniature sculptures of famous musicians such as Freddie Mercury and Amy Winehouse, before progressing on to recreating famous masterpieces. Lindon explained, “it seemed a natural progression to explore paintings and to discover just how small I can go.” The six miniature works are recreations of Edvard Munch’s The Scream, Johannes Vermeer’s Girl with a Pearl Earring, Claude Monet’s Water Lily, Banksy’s Girl with Balloon and Vincent Van Gogh’s The Starry Night and Sunflowers.

Lindon discusses his tools and techniques on his website, where he writes: “I create with a variety of micro plastics and I use my own special tools and techniques that I’ve been crafting over the years. I carve and paint my art, slowly adding details and colouring.” Whilst his new interpretations of famous paintings are evidently popular, Lindon explains that they are very difficult to make.  He describes the process as a “physical challenge and a mental battle”, and that he enters an “almost emotionless trance” to avoid any distractions whilst creating the works.

British artists are leading the way in the field of micro art. Willard Wigan, who was complimentary of Lindon’s work, stated that, “the best micro-artists in the world are from the UK. You have me, Graham Short and David A Lindon.” Graham Short, another successful micro artist who creates miniscule engravings, agreed, claiming that, “we’re doing better than most countries”. Despite the high calibre of artists from the UK, the main market for micro art is elsewhere, in countries such as Germany, the US and Japan.

Lindon’s first exhibition, A New Beginning, will feature these six works and others, and can be seen at the Lighthouse Media Centre in Wolverhampton until 29 October. Hammond Galleries, who represent Lindon, announced that a second series of miniature recreations are in the works and, whilst the exact paintings that Lindon will recreate have not been released, Lindon revealed an Andy Warhol might be included.