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LOOK: Pinoy artist shaves off own hair to make portraits of bald celebrities
Have you ever stopped to think about how our hair can be used for other things besides protecting our heads from the heat and making us look good? This Filipino artist has, and the result of his creative gears may leave you completely in awe.
Crispin Valdez, a 22-year-old freelance artist from Isabela, had crafted realistic portraits of former Miss Universe host Steve Harvey and actor Dwayne Johnson. However, instead of using oils, acrylics, or color pencils, Valdez made use of his own hair to make his masterpieces.
In a video posted on his Facebook page PIPAT Draws, Valdez recorded himself cutting off his own hair using an electric shaver to make portraits. Ironically, both of the television personalities are recognized for being bald, which is why Valdez humorously considered them the perfect subjects for his pieces.
In a short chat with PhilSTAR L!fe, Valdez shared that he decided to have a new haircut because he had been struggling with his long hair. However, he didn't want to just simply throw away his hair after he was done, which is why he got his creative juices flowing on how he could recycle it through what he does best: making art.
"Since I'm an artist, I thought, 'What if I use my own hair to make an artwork?' And I planned to make a tricky artwork wherein if you see it, you would probably say 'Wow!' So that's where I thought of drawing the famous personalities without hair like Steve Harvey and Dwayne Johnson [using my own hair strands]," Valdez said.
He first cut the strands into even shorter ones for easier use and began styling and arranging them meticulously using glue until they started to resemble the faces of Harvey and Johnson. After three to four days of dedication, his works of art were finally finished.
"The difficult part about making them is applying the glue because sometimes the hair doesn't stick to the paper," Valdez said.
During the video, he emphasized how important it is for artists to believe in themselves, recounting how he would often receive words of discouragement in the past regarding his passion for art.
"Kung walang naniniwala sa'yo na ibang tao, na feeling mo walang kwenta 'yung talento mo, unang una, maniwala ka sa kakayahan mo kasi balang araw, 'yung mga hindi naniniwala sa'yo, dadating din ang panahon na bi-believe din sila sa talentong tinataglay mo," Valdez said.
"Noong una, ako lang din ang naniniwala sa sarili ko. Nasabihan pa nga ako na walang kwenta raw 'yung pagda-drawing ko, na wala akong matutunguhan sa pagda-drawing. Hinahayaan ko ang lahat ng mga salitang 'yan dahil alam ko na balang araw, 'yung ginagawa kong pagsasakripisyo ay magbubunga rin sa tamang panahon," he continued.
He revealed to PhilSTAR L!fe that he took up architecture as his course, but had to stop studying for almost two years now because of his asthma. To relieve himself of stress and keep away from depression, he found solace in making art, which is now his source of income.
"Many people said that I had no destination in my drawing. It was painful to hear, but I just let them because their insults are what motivated me to work harder and sharpen the talent that I have," he said.
When asked for advice on how to encourage artists to hone their craft, here's what he had to say: "Don't be shy to show [your talent] to the world. And don't let poverty be the reason to stop your dreams. Instead, make this an inspiration to show to the world that no matter what happens, your dreams will win."