“I use graphite and probably always will. It taught me a lot about patience, resilience and focus, allowing me to fully immerse myself in my work,” Lipnikas said. “Working with graphite demands my attention, and I love that. In a world full of distractions, it gives me time to think. There are a lot of changes from the initial sketch to the final sketch to the final drawing. I love that my ideas can change architecturally, in character, and emotionally. During the rendering process, it gives me a lot of room to reconsider my original point of view.”
Graphite is a signature feature of Lipnickas’ work. It’s not just the quality it leaves on the page – its smoothness and depth. It’s the brutalist fantasy he uses it to create.
Look closely at a piece of unrefined graphite and you’ll see some cliffs. You’ll see ledges and ridges. Highlights and deep darks. You’ll see stairs and caves. Lipnikas’ current work captures and incorporates the actual physical properties of graphite into his images.
Working with graphite demands my attention, and I love that. In a world full of distractions, it gives me time to think. ”
Of course, there are options for tinted and colored graphite. But in grayscale, Lipnikas continues to lean toward the natural, raw state of his chosen medium.
“I’ve always been attracted to black and white. I find it mysterious and timeless. It removes all noise, narrative and becomes minimalist. I focus more on shapes, light, shadows and patterns. I get lost when there’s a lot of color or movement. It’s part of my thought process and makes sense to me,” he said.
Lipnicas’ structural narrative shows us how to incorporate the medium into the work, making the artwork feel immediate, necessary and inevitable. His scenes take us to the edge of madness, in search of hope. They are simplified horrors that pull tension from the void and ask us to project ourselves into structures rising from the abyss. Yet there are still flickers of light. There is a way out. If only there were those who could figure out how to get there. *
This article appears in High Fructose Issue 71 as our special insert, printed on toothy sketch paper. You can support our work by getting a print copy here .
