How this Guy Makes the World’s Smallest Handmade Sculptures | Obsessed | WIRED

Imagine making a sculpture so tiny, your eyelash is the paintbrush. Dr. Willard Wigan MBE, does just that. He makes the world's smallest handmade sculptures and the results truly incredible. A tiny replica of the Mona Lisa, smaller than the top of a matchstick? Check. A realistic replica of heavyweight champion Tyson Fury standing on the head of a pin? Yes. What else? The rest has to be seen to be believed.
Additional Photography by Paul Ward - paulward.net/
Director: Charlie Jordan
Director of Photography: Jonathan Young
Editor: Parker Dixon
Talent: Willard Wigan, MBE
Producers: Anna O'Donohue, Wendi Jonassen
Line Producer: Joseph Buscemi
Associate Producer: Melissa Cho
Production Manager: Eric Martinez
Production Coordinator: Fernando Davila
Sound Recordist: Matt Jones
Cam Op/Gaffer: Christopher Chadderton
Production Assistants: Mihail Caracas, Daniel Stasiw
Post Production Supervisor: Alexa Deutsch
Post Production Coordinator: Ian Bryant
Supervising Editor: Doug Larsen
Assistant Editor: Andy Morell
Special Thanks: John Bowden, Shoot Factory
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[@philip9661]

This was just incredible. Not just the staggering patience of him as an artist, but his whole point of view. His mention of the bee and how there is so much life in the tiniest of things.

[@ice9594]

Agreed. That’s why I respect all life & avoid stepping on bugs 🐜 🐞 🐛 (unless they’re deadly or in my kitchen😁)

[@kimt1776]

@@ice9594 seriously. Lol! I try to be kind, but also, "Get out or you just might die" 🩴

[@AiyaSGC87]

I cried at the end when he said all that. Beautiful mentality

[@stephenschenider4007]

Makes you think about abortions in a different light.

[@extraterrestrialgripetg8611]

Lmao

[@MDV_Ghost]

His art is breathtaking. The skill this man has is insane, but looking that good at 65 is even more impressive

[@hcwaytobe1104]

Yeah I swear I thought he was 45 when the video started.

[@SaItogaming202]

breathtaking because you literally cant breathe near it

[@TrickyTricky914]

Taking breaths is exactly how we ended up losing Alice #1 😔

[@SuperiorRecaps]

@@TrickyTricky914 Top tier humor.

[@-Reagan]

The baby inside the hair shaft blew my mind 🤯😨

[@JoseRamos-mv2ty]

My wife blows me on the dialy basis

[@Zendarkdagger]

​@@JoseRamos-mv2tywhat's her number ?

[@ratatat9790]

He said he made a hole in the hair ..amazing

[@johndef5075]

How do you sculpt basically a piece of lint? Omg

[@a_khabyb]

this person should be cast in Ant-Man Quantumania immediately

[@princekashyap943]

He is actually Kang

[@jannivannibell]

He has much better things to do than star in that crapsterpiece

[@jobowisheshewasnomo4171]

@@jannivannibell I'm sure that Disney money wouldn't hurt.

[@Emz1738.]

When he said “this took me a long time…4 months” I was wtf 4 months!!?? That looks like something that would take me four-ever to do😭😂😂 get it?

[@utoobkid8816]

propmaster

[@chrys9256]

Fun fact, a human egg cell is about 100 microns in diameter, so that baby sculpture could actually fit inside one.

[@lesibac]

Wow

[@monsterbooks1059]

@@lesibac bet he's kicking himself now

[@beanzburriton4263]

Nice, you know how to use Google. It's great

[@extraterrestrialgripetg8611]

Fun fact... no one cares

[@ShmoopDooper]

@@extraterrestrialgripetg8611 Bro wtf

[@jopo7996]

This guy is so amazing, it's the least I could do to carve out a tiny bit of time to watch this.

[@Mussi93]

What a cute comment :)

[@khalilahd.]

Couldn’t agree more. This is insane ❤

[@leif1075]

How can he do just tbis and not get bored or fed up with it..doesn't he want to be a microsurgeon too and or maybe a musician or scientist ?

[@batmeme9349]

Nah, it's just because of genes and chromosome

[@khalilahd.]

I can’t even imagine the amount of patience and talent it takes to do something like this repeatedly!! He’s absolutely incredible i don’t know how this is the first time I’ve learned about him. He’s incredible 👏🏽👏🏽

[@dbuc4671]

just like ray mak i see u everywhere 🤣🤣

[@WilkinsonX]

This guy is undoubtedly the best in the world at what he does; not a lot of people can say that. I doubt he’ll ever have an equal too.

[@miguelg1370]

I bet he has a lot of competition, haha

[@suomynona8416]

The person Who makes sculptures out of the led on the penicil maybe

[@extraterrestrialgripetg8611]

He copied people.... he not the original ..but okay id....t

[@RainRemnant]

​@@extraterrestrialgripetg8611 you can just say it, idiot

[@discerningx3375]

As a sculptor, I am blown away. It is hard enough to sculpt at normal scale. To maintain proportion at that scale...just wow.

[@finalfantasy84]

the inhaling alice story made me laugh out loud on the train 😂

[@perropequeno]

I just wrote an essay about this guy in school today! This guy is amazing!

[@glowx6882]

Really? That’s so cool!

[@Azraenore]

That means you're amazing too :D

[@khalilahd.]

What?? That’s amazing!

[@senakuma9985]

Great choice

[@leif1075]

How does he keep.doing it if it's not enjoyable..doesn't he want time and energy for other things in life??

[@robm3007]

He could bring his whole portfolio in a matchbox 👌👌also proberly the only person that could put a haystack in a needle 😉

[@vinchinzo594]

Man sometimes I go months without seeing a truly clever YT comment. That bit at the end there was legitimately clever. I choose to deduct no points for "proberly", you get a pass! (Joking, don't hate me)

[@christopherwellman2364]

Hey that's what I just commented about the matchbox

[@robm3007]

@@vinchinzo594 yea i should buy know chuck my spelling b4 i post it 😂😂😂😉

[@JG-gj4op]

I've seen these artworks before, and always assumed that they were made using a micromanipulator, a machine that scientists use to manipulate very small things like cells. I can't even imagine how far above average his fine motor control must be. Even a steady hand looks shaky under a microscope.

[@photographing42]

I've seen them before too, but at his museum in Bath 20 years ago. When saw this video went 'oh, is it him?' cause he worked in the building and would come out most days to chat - was amazing to hear him talk of regulating breathing & working between heart beats to get them. Really cool to see how his art has developed in 20 years since then!

[@diatom625]

“I didn’t get bitter; I got better.” -so powerful and inspirational!

[@witch_hat49]

This is insane, there is no other word to describe it.

[@batmeme9349]

Genes and Chromosome

[@rayellebishop8168]

Snas harmless though.

[@Rubyclaygirl]

He's totally blowing my mind

[@tyrfree5733]

No..he's..."OBSESSED" (see what I did there?)

[@PeterHarket]

Hahah, this is amazing! Laughed so hard when he said he inhaled Alice

[@Faesharlyn]

He called Alice when she was just small

[@maggiepie8810]

I'm incredibly fascinated by this, how does someone get into making microscopic sculptures? I'm blown away.

[@Seimonster27]

You should check out the guys that sculpt pencil leads too!

[@littlelilacbunny]

His mum encouraged him to make smaller and smaller sculptures 😊

[@5shakewell]

Amazed how he came up with the idea of catching floating fibers

[@boomerhgt]

Yeah and drilling a hole in a human hair insane

[@MRLONG758]

How does one even discover they have this talent?

[@aferalunicorn1832]

This is the product of 50 years of dedication and perseverance quite honestly. He said it himself.

[@dr.oopsie2593]

It starts with so many emotions, patience and lots of meth

[@alwayschange1100]

When you are so rich and have all the time to your hobbies I sure you will stumble in this at some point

[@amikkelll]

@@dr.oopsie2593 he was 15 when he started

[@dr.oopsie2593]

@@amikkelll what are the odds?! I was a sophomore when I took my first hot rail.... so... come up with an Argument and come back when you are ready

[@085cur1ty]

“I inhaled Alice” 😂

[@stinkynoodle]

HOW TF AM I JUST HEARING ABOUT HIM NOW?? THIS GUY'S ARTWORK IS INSANELY COOL

[@okallup8012]

It’s so amazing to see this man, at 65 years of age, receiving his flowers for his amazing talents. He’s a tremendous artist, I hope he keeps creating for many years to come.

[@marashdemnika5833]

Absolutely agreed

[@futuristic.handgun]

👏👏💯💯

[@channieult8474]

I love miniatures but this is on a whole other level. This is the coolest thing I've ever seen.

[@ice9594]

Quantum respect for this man!

[@thecomplexcurveradio]

He's definitely been added to my list of favorite humans.

[@stinkynoodle]

sameee

[@ceejay8328]

“Im just sculpting something cool” “Oh really, where is it?” “Here” “Where” “HERE” “BRO I CAN’T SEE ANYTHING”

[@Hillers62]

HOLY SH*T!!!!!! I have been an award winning professional wedding cake designer, a professional Calligrapher, and a machine design embroiderer...It took me years to learn these skills (I'm now 60 years old) ...but all of my skills are like that of a preschool student when compared to this man's art...it is beyond incredible...People think autism is a handicap...Is it??????

[@Faesharlyn]

It's a superpower when harnessed

[@fivesidedpixels4991]

depends on the person and their experiences. Some people see it as a blessing in disguise, others desperately wish they were born without it

[@jerrell1169]

@@fivesidedpixels4991 Also depends on their position on the spectrum. Almost all autistic people are not savants.

[@RedHair651]

It very much is a handicap for many, many autistic people. Not only is it very varied, but it also touches many people with autism in very particular ways that only make you unable to function in society to any meaningful degree. This man seems to be able to function and communicate well enough (whether he just could or actually had to learn by working hard).

[@shaunla.1098]

Amazingly impressive. The tangible skills that it takes along with the balance of the mind to create these sculptures are signs that he has true talents.

[@G_Signer]

how gentle must he be in handling even the tools, its incredible

[@iRLGiRL]

this makes me really anxious for some reason

[@BiB0005]

Absolutely amazing! That kid who gave him his first microscope must have seen something special in him.

[@watsonwrote]

It's amazing how much detail he can add to the sculptures at their scale! Finding sculpture material even in dust motes does seem to to change the potential of the small things around us

[@goldengilmaky6788]

The amount of patience and focus this talent requires is just astonishing. We live in a world where things change so rapidly, and people do not take the time to appreciate the present. This man shows us how LITTLE things can make BIG differences.

[@mugin11223344]

That was just amazing. These things are what make us humans such an amazing creature.

[@syncradar]

The amazing power that humans have is the power to change theirselves.

[@3coins.]

What a discipline! Amazing! His own tiny tools 🛠️

[@batmeme9349]

That's because of dna and chromosome

[@bfgtech48]

This has got to be one of the most incredible and inspirational things I have ever seen.

[@jadersanctem]

This doesn't seem possible, but here it is. People amaze me quite often

[@orleansartist6095]

He made me cry. This is truly amazing. I live tiny things. I aspire to such greatness. I love his philosophy.

[@Danne313]

"i never got bitter, i got better" 🙏🙏

[@quinnmcdonald3763]

I watched this and was completely blown away by the level of complexity, skill, and integrity he makes these creations.

[@camerongray7767]

As someone who is so shaky I am actually concerned I have early onset Parkinson’s, this is incredibly impressive

[@augustlavdal6187]

Remember, you can always train your muscles in your hand. The muscles that stabilize your hand :)

[@camerongray7767]

@@augustlavdal6187 please teach me. I am unable to use binoculars or take clear photos or have neat handwriting because of it

[@mareir]

Alice nooooooo 😂 What an incredible man, he has a rare vision, literally and figuratively.

[@Opaque.2theeye]

That piece with the camels is definately quite amazing! It could be called the Silk Road in a needle‘s eye. I would however think twice about that comparison towards the whole branch of surgeons;)

[@-Reagan]

Really, bc it’s based on the biblical phrase, Isn’t it? It’s harder for a rich man to get into heaven than a camel to fit through the eye of a needle

[@Stevonz1234]

I've done microsurgery, even the tiniest lymphatic surgery is much larger that this. To be fair it's in a farless controlled environment.

[@fungdark8270]

@@-Reagan Matthew 19:23-24 23 And Jesus said to his disciples, “Truly, I say to you, only with difficulty will a rich person enter the kingdom of heaven. 24 Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.”

[@dbsirius]

This guy must have the patience of a saint!

[@onkelpappkov2666]

It blows my mind how patient people can be. I am almost the opposite. When I try to untie a knot, balance something or stick something small through a hole, I have a window of about half a minute before I start breathing heavily and getting increasingly agitated until I smash something. It's weird, it's completely brain related. But I feel so much more comfortable with big enough things and I can spend hours moving stuff around in a zen-like state if I can properly grab it. But when something is so small, it's out of reach, I get frustrated super-quickly to the point of aggression.

[@yourma-uh5um]

I went to see this guy's sculptures at an exhibit in Liverpool about 15 years ago. I wrote in the message book there "Not bad, but I bet you can't put a Fruit Pastille in your mouth without chewing it."

[@bikeindublin]

OMG! This guy is a LIVING LEGEND!

[@EyesOfByes]

He could actually make a descent CPU. It would just take him a few million years.

[@Valetravelgames]

*I ' v e i n h a l e d a l i c e*

[@kimt1776]

Wow. I love his philosophy at the end there. It truly is the little things❤

[@kimbermichelle3922]

How did he drill a hole in a single piece of hair 😳

[@tyrfree5733]

With a hair drill. Obviously.

[@samsonfikadu9407]

Mans is hella talented and dedicated. He needs all the appreciation.

[@ImaginarySpace]

If someone thinks a surgeon has a hand more steady than this guy.... they have been living in a lie XD

[@gogo-word]

Incredible. The best to you Willard Wigan!

[@JoseDiaz-bk9mh]

That Alice in the wonderland story was hilarious🤣

[@BlankityBlank]

It hit hard when he said it was "...impossible to enjoy it". Here's a guy that is using his talents at their FULLEST.

[@lisaquackenbush9436]

What an amazing human being!! What an inspiration!! Blessed be, master artist!!

[@devilis6]

Crazy how the universe is just as infinite when you go smaller instead of bigger.

[@ferris_wheel9868]

So true

[@yousifking4047]

Bruh my heart beat went up watching this video. I cannot imagine the frustration and anxiety he goes through with every artwork.

[@amenamen205]

Incredible talent. This is genius in its purest form.

[@aisling664]

He's such an inspiration 💗

[@coppertonegoddess8271]

"It is easier for a camel to pass through an eye of a needle"...but caravan of them... That's my favorite one.

[@KoalaMeatPie]

More stories like this, ASD, please, I think I need it.

[@dondappa1000]

This is the most talented person I have ever seen, honestly.

[@SpiritualVegetarian]

He’s a professional in his craft. Marvelous.

[@sekra4503]

"I don't get bitter - i get better." Thats the mindset of a winner right here.

[@matthew7535]

What a lovely video! Appreciate his dedication and intricacy! Blessings!

[@hamzaf19]

This guy is a genius

[@Nomad_Wanderer]

This is hero level it sure takes nerves of steel and hands of steel with great eye and hand and eye coordination pure dedication

[@diversify210]

So I am amazed by the artistry, but I am envious of the amount of patients and focus this man must have to do something like this.

[@TheDarkArtist66]

Wow, just WOW. Dude is insanely talented

[@Bettinasisrg]

Great advice and incredible art

[@jutkafarkascatchthef]

Wow this gentleman is incredibly talented I have now words ❤❤❤❤❤

[@morningsidedriverock]

In the grand scheme of things, when it comes to the universe, we’re smaller than his amazing sculptures.

[@mohdkhizarhussain]

What a artists with blessed gift

[@pedrosantiago6210]

Absolutely amazing ❤

[@wastedtalent666]

This man is amazing he is truly an inspiration to create.

[@finchisneat]

Man this is years old. Still amazing. I forgot about this

[@dianarose4122]

There is not enough words to say what all I would love to say! Thank you for sharing your beautiful fantastic art! 💖💖

[@elvinegonzales9886]

Perseverance and dedication, it really pave off

[@CircaMay85]

This is one of the most amazing things I have ever seen.

[@HuwDouglasEvans]

Impressive on every level!

[@chazmitchell839]

Impressive focus. Amazing fellow!

[@Puppy_Puppington]

That’s so cool!!! Ever since I was a kid, I have loved tiny things. Little scaled down models. Or versions of stuff just downsized!!! The tinier the more crazy cool.

[@zargonfuture4046]

He is worthy of a statue, a statue that just proclaims, "Here is a good man."

[@arona4620]

Absolutely amazing

[@dgchotboyz2266]

AMAZING capacity of this individual. Wow 😲

[@mcsuchnsuch]

His closing statement was awesome.

[@shoshannafachima1306]

Extraordinarily gifted

[@user-tl5uc1wr7c]

65 wtf that man looks like he is in his early fiifties 😱

[@Opaque.2theeye]

Seems like all he really labored were his brain, hands and eyes🪄

[@aftab277]

The other day I was doing micro soldering and i was pissed. But it is usually the initial effort that is frustrating. But this guy is on some other level. Patience is a big thing really!

[@NYHeeb]

Absolutely awesome and amazing The skill is amazing

[@gladitsnotme]

this is fascinating

[@user00000x]

his works is the most amazing things i ever seen 🤩🤩🤩🤩

[@Rubyclaygirl]

Such beautiful works, 💯

[@KinkieKait]

Now that's probably the hardest craft ever 😂😱😍😍😍

[@arjaygee]

Just amazing!

[@camerica7400]

Drawing under a magnifying glass used to be one of my favorite activities. Making entire pictures/scenes in a spot that looks smaller than a dot by a pencil.

[@CNNBlackmailSupport]

Respect for the man seeing a bad circumstance as a blessing in disguise. If I had any doubt about true craftsman spirit, that one little anecdote proved he's the real deal.

[@deonrich3149]

This man is absolutely incredible