Artist Andrew Myers Screws His Paintings

When artist Andrew Myers makes a painting, the subjects of his portraits get screwed -- literally.

That's because Myers, a sculptor based in Laguna Beach, Calif., is, so far, the world's only proponent of "screw art," and he turns screws into three-dimensional portraits of his subjects.

Myers didn't start out being a screwy sculptor, but, you know the drill, once he saw the concept in his mind's eye, he decided to see if if he could nail it for real.

"I liked the ideas of using screws because of the industrial aspect and the harshness that comes with using it as a material," Myers told AOL News.

The initial inspiration came while he was working in a church.

"I was doing bronze reliefs depicting the life of Saint Catherine and decided to work with screws," he said.

First, Myers makes a grid and drills in screws at certain points, such as the tip of the nose, to establish the depth.

Baldemar Fierro Photography

Each piece has an average of 7,000 to 10,000 screws and, unlike other artists, Andrew Myers doesn't rely on a computer.

The first painting took about six months to complete, mainly because Myers needed to figure out certain things.

"I didn't know if I wanted to paint one screw head at a time," he said, a big deal since each piece has an average of 7,000 to 10,000 screws.

Also, unlike other artists who have done similar pieces, Myers doesn't rely on a computer to pixelate the shots.

"For me, I consider this a traditional sculpture and all my screws are at different depths," he said. "There's nothing planned out. I draw out a figure on the board and figure out the depths.

"The real challenge comes when the sculpture is done and I have to get rid of the flat drawing. It's hard because of the screws -- you can't get a brush behind them. I did figure out a way to do it, but I'm keeping it a secret."

Although Myers sells his work for as much as $35,000, he's not doing it for money.

"This kind of art is unique enough that I have to keep going with it, but it's not financially the best for me. It takes a lot of emotion and effort," he said.

It also appeals to people for whom appreciating art is difficult, such as guys who'd rather hang out at a hardware store more than an art gallery and people who are unable to enjoy traditional paintings.

Reaching an untraditional audience is one reason San Diego gallery owner Alexander Salazar chose to exhibit Myers' work.

"People literally stopped in their tracks while we unloading it," Salazar told AOL News.

Of course, being able to touch people is one reason Myers became an artist, and he admits that, in some cases, people have to touch it in order to grasp the concept.

"One of my highlights is when a blind guy touched the art and knew immediately what it was," Myers said. "I don't want everyone touching it, but, in some cases, you have to."

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