Eighteenth century author Samuel Johnson once said, "Great works are performed not by strength but by perseverance." 


Swedish criminologist by day, uber-cool artist by night, Julia Koceva lives by Johnson's mantra. To create her beautiful and unique artworks, she spends 70 hours dotting ink from a ballpoint pen onto paper, according to her Instagram. 
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The technique Koceva uses is a basic drawing method called stippling.

A YouTube video by Alphonso Dunn, author of "Pen and Ink Drawing: A Simple Guide," explains how to outline and shade using the technique. In the 15-minute tutorial, viewers will go from basic shading in boxes, to creating realistic eyes. 

According to Dunn, stippling, unlike other drawing techniques like cross-hatching or scribbling, "creates a unique texture but requires patience and a meticulous approach." 

Koceva uploaded a video taken by Dust magazine to Instagram, which begins with a zoomed-in view of her stippling. When the camera pans out to show a lifelike man's back with his hands over his head, viewers can't help but to be awe-stricken. 

The video has received an astounding 13,200 likes. Comments in Dutch, Greek, Spanish, Swedish, Persian, and French, among other languages, show the global appeal of this art form. English-language comments range from "Relaxing af uh?" to "need a crazy amount of patience to do this."  

You can buy this and other stippling works by Koceva on Etsy. Subjects include celebrities such as Jack Nicholson, Anthony Hopkins and David Bowie. Nature and animals also feature prominently on Koceva's online site. Choose a butterfly or flower print to soften your home, or make a bold statement with a roaring tiger. 


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A photo posted by Julia Koceva (@juliakocevas) on



A photo posted by Julia Koceva (@juliakocevas) on


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A photo posted by Julia Koceva (@juliakocevas) on