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Russian miniaturist Nikolai Aldunin creates works of art so tiny, a microscope is needed to see them.
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Adunin works between the beats of his heart, in order to keep his hands perfectly still.
Caravan
Who says you can't put a camel through the eye of a needle?
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The artist poses with the tools of his trade in his Moscow apartment. His tools include superglue, syringes and toothpicks. The microscope dates to 1985.
Craftsman
Aldunin poses in the work area of his Moscow apartment.
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Aldunin worked for six months to create this gold AK-47. It consists of 34 individual parts.
Gun on a Matchstick
The artist worked for six months
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The artist has placed his sculpture on the open face of a sliced apple seed.
Tiny Tank
This sculpture rests on the open face of a sliced apple seed.
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Both the tank and the Kalashnikov are crafted of gold. So far, the artist has had a hard time finding buyers for his work.
Precious
Both the tank and the Kalashnikov are crafted of gold
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This microscopic replica rests on next to a grain of sugar.
Russian Samovar
This microscopic replica rests on a needle next to a grain of sugar.
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Aldunin takes his inspiration from a famous Russian tale about Levsha [EM] the name means
Ready to Ride
Aldunin takes his inspiration from a famous Russian tale about Levsha
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A likeness of the novelist Leo Tolstoy has been engraved on this grain of rice.
Great Master
A likeness of the novelist Leo Tolstoy has been engraved on this grain of rice.
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Aldunin's work naturally leads to some frustration. While crafting a miniature rifle, he lost the weapon's butt after having worked on it for two weeks.
Ready to Ride
Aldunin's work naturally leads to some frustration. While crafting a miniature rifle, he lost the weapon's butt after having worked on it for two weeks. "I had a sit-down and a smoke and calmed down," he said, then decided to start all over again.