Photo: dailymail.co.uk
This 3-micron motorcycle sculpture was crafted by English artist Willard Wigan in early 2013, but since we seem to have missed this mind-boggling feat then, we guess it would be really neat to give you something which is both amazing and worth thinking about as 2014 ends. It looks like size does matter after all, even though it may be in the very opposite direction we think in the first instance.
Wigan’s amazing miniature shows exactly how big the tiniest of things can actually be, and a 3-micron bike is exactly what we needed to remind us about this. His chopper measures only three microns. If you’re not that familiar with measurement units, we’ll add that a micron is a millionth of a meter and a thousandth of a millimeter, so we’re talking about microscopic dimensions here.
The 3-micron bike was crafted after a 5-week-long effort, with as much as 16 hours of painstaking work. The motorcycle was sculpted in a smack flake from a chain. No less than 12 individual specks of gold have been used to create the sculpture. Because Wigan wanted to outperform everything he had done before, he thought to insert the bike in a hollowed out strand of his own facial hair.
He picked a tiny stubble stuck between his fingerprints after he shaved and hollowed it out until it became transparent, thus creating a puzzling display case for his motorcycle. The bike itself is smaller than a blood cell and according to Willard Wigan, “not even a dust-mite could ride it”.
Often referred to as “the eighth wonder of the world” his bike adds to a growing series of miniature sculptures which has also resulted in HM. Queen Elzabeth II appointing him as MBE (Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire) for services to art, with HRH. Prince Charles presenting the distinction in July 2007.
According to Wigan’s website, “owners of Willard’s work now including HRH. Prince Charles, Sir Elton John, Sir Philip Green, Lord Bath, Mike Tyson and Simon Cowell to name but a few. Willard’s latest piece, the Coronation Crown was requested by HRH Queen Elizabeth II in tribute to her celebration to her Diamond Jubilee.”
Custom diamond-tipped tools and a microscope help a steady hand
Willard Wigan’s best friend is a microscope, as his tiny art pieces are impossible to craft other way. He uses special, custom design tools with a diamond tip which allow him such a tremendous level of detail. Of course, nothing would be possible without Wigan’s “ninja-level” steady hands, as his sculptures could be easily crushed by movement as small as the very pulse in his fingers.The 3-micron bike was crafted after a 5-week-long effort, with as much as 16 hours of painstaking work. The motorcycle was sculpted in a smack flake from a chain. No less than 12 individual specks of gold have been used to create the sculpture. Because Wigan wanted to outperform everything he had done before, he thought to insert the bike in a hollowed out strand of his own facial hair.
He picked a tiny stubble stuck between his fingerprints after he shaved and hollowed it out until it became transparent, thus creating a puzzling display case for his motorcycle. The bike itself is smaller than a blood cell and according to Willard Wigan, “not even a dust-mite could ride it”.
Often referred to as “the eighth wonder of the world” his bike adds to a growing series of miniature sculptures which has also resulted in HM. Queen Elzabeth II appointing him as MBE (Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire) for services to art, with HRH. Prince Charles presenting the distinction in July 2007.
According to Wigan’s website, “owners of Willard’s work now including HRH. Prince Charles, Sir Elton John, Sir Philip Green, Lord Bath, Mike Tyson and Simon Cowell to name but a few. Willard’s latest piece, the Coronation Crown was requested by HRH Queen Elizabeth II in tribute to her celebration to her Diamond Jubilee.”
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