The Pencil Portraits of Kei Meguro Look Like Black-and-White Photographs

Japanese artist Kei Meguro is known for her incredibly detailed portraits created mainly with pencil and graphite, which blur the line between drawing and black-and-white photography.

Born in Tokyo, Japan, Kei discovered the joy of drawing at an early age, and she was encouraged to explore her talent by her family. In 2006, she entered the School of Visual Arts in New York and graduated in 2010 with a BFA in graphic design. In 2012, after working as a graphic designer at a major advertising agency in the US, she became an independent artist, and in 2016, she published her first portrait book aptly titled ‘Faces’. She has been one of the most highly-regarded portrait artists ever since, scoring collaborations with big-name brands like Adobe, HBO or Tiffany & Co., and also finding great success on social media. 

Photo: Kei Meguro

Kei Meguro is best known for her “babe work” series, which consists of portraits of young women with a surrealist touch characterized by delicate pencil shading, expressive eyes, and a focus on subtle textures like skin and hair.

According to Wikipedia, Kei showed great talent for drawing in middle school, but “never dreamed I would be able to do what I love as a job.” A big animal lover, she says that if she hadn’t ventured into the art world, she would probably become a veterinarian.

“Choosing what to draw often comes from a blend of intuition and intention,” Kei Meguro said in a recent interview with MyModernMet. “I draw inspiration from a wide range of sources—personal experiences, nature, the human figure, emotions, and sometimes even dreams. Many of my compositions are deeply personal, reflecting themes I’m working through emotionally or stories I want to tell visually.”

For more stunning pencil portraits, check out the stunning works of Mayor Olajide, the ultra-realistic portraits of Brazilian artist Sheila R. Giovanni, and the elegant masterpieces of Alena Litvin.