Nail artist puts his canvases under the hammer for results sharp as a tack

The Yorkshire artist has shown how a hammer and nails can be as precise as pixels in producing striking images. He has created artworks using at least 2,000 nails that no one believes are done through carpentry until they take a closer look.

Mr Levine, 49, who is born in Leeds and studied art alongside another of the city’s famous artists, Damien Hirst, at Jacob Kramer College, which is now called the Leeds College of Art, has created the eye-catching sculptures by banging thousands of nails into aluminium panels.

“It takes weeks to hammer in all the nails so I have to be 100 per cent sure of the pose,” the Leeds-based sculptor said.

Early work showed images mainly as outlines, but he has now progressed to detailed works that look as if they are done using delicate strokes of pencil or charcoal rather than employing nails.

He says the trick is to use different-size nails and plant them closer together to fill in every tiny detail.

“I want people to love what they see – not just because it’s done with nails,” he added.

Pop-up displays of his work are planned in York, Leeds and Manchester this year before more exhibitions around the country.