Time for a spot of reflection: Mirror image pencil portraits which look like photographs



Heikki Leis creates incredible artworks in painstaking detail

He is inspired by the people of his home city of Tartu, Estonia



The portraits show ordinary daily events that everyone can relate to

Each piece shows a person staring into a mirror doing ordinary things such as washing their face, tweezing their eyebrows or shavin g

You would be forgiven for mistaking these stunning drawings for photographs of people getting ready in the morning.

But Estonian artist Heikki Leis’ works are actually hyper-realistic drawings that show the ordinary morning rituals that everybody carries out.



Leis, who was born in Tartu, has become the master of modern realism through his Everyday Reflections series.

Realism: Heikki Leis' series features people doing mundane chores that they would carry out everyday

Curl: Here, he portrays an older woman styling her hair with tongs

Hair: A man combs his beard and moustache as he peers into a mirror Strands of hair: Leis' has a talent for capturing the smallest details, including the hair on this woman and the man's moustache

Rouge: A woman puts some colour in her cheeks as she applies her make up Bald: A man shaves off his hair. Leis in inspired by local artistic people in his city Expression: Leis' attention to detail manages to portray both the shine on this woman's hair and the expression in the man's eyes



‘That is why I like to draw older people since their faces have been marked by a lifetime of stories.

‘I also find people's hands to be very characteristic and expressive and they are heavily featured in my drawings.’

He graduated from Tartu Art Grammar School and later masonry and sculpture faculty in Tartu Art School in 1991.



Detail: A woman grimaces as she concentrates on plucking her eyebrows

Face mask: Leis said that he finds people's faces and hands characteristic and enjoys drawing both Mask: The character in the eyes comes through (left), and Leis' depiction of this semi-translucent face mask is especially impressive (right)



He has lived and worked in the same city for most of his life, taking inspiration from the local people around him.

His work also includes photography, sculpture and working with food to create art.

The drawings are for sale as originals or digital prints on the artist’s website .

Intense: Leis portrays an intimate moment as a man squeezes a spot on his face

Portrayal: A bearded man looks out of the frame as he brushes his teeth. These everyday moments manage to make Leis' work special Personal: These two images show intimate moments such as bursting spots or brushing your teeth





