Japanese Artist Shin Shinrashige has found a highly creative outlet for one of his bad habits by utilizing everyday cigarette ash.
This portrait series by Shinrashige was constructed by carefully separating gray and black cigarette ashes right after the artist finished enjoying a smoke. By carefully arranging each different color, he was able to create these hyper-realistic grayscale portraits of figures such as Steve Jobs, Johnny Depp and even Soviet Union Dictator Joseph Stalin.
One can only imagine the painstaking work it took to meticulously separate the ashes by color shade, let alone the time it took to actually arrange them into these stunning pieces of ashtray art. Smoking may be bad for your health, but on the bright side, at least this addiction resulted in one-of-a-kind artwork.
Cigarette Ash Portraits
These Striking Grayscale Portraits Were Done Using Nothing but Ash
Trend Themes
1. Alternative Art Forms - Using uncommon and everyday materials to create art presents an opportunity for artists to stand out and create something new.
2. Sustainable Artmaking - Using materials that may otherwise be discarded has the potential to lessen waste and environmental impact, and may present opportunities for innovative, sustainable art practices.
3. Hyper-realistic Portraiture - Hyper-realistic portrait art presents an opportunity for artists to showcase their technical skills, and using unusual materials can add a unique and creative aspect to the work.
Industry Implications
1. Art - The trend of using everyday materials for art allows for new opportunities to merge unexpected mediums to create something fresh and engaging.
2. Sustainability - Exploring creative uses for discarded materials can help reduce waste and environmental impact while encouraging innovative practices.
3. Marketing/branding - The unique approach to creating portraits with cigarette ash could be a standout marketing opportunity to sell unique and customizable art to a specific niche market.