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A Black Artist Drew an Amazing Photo of Black Panther’s T’Challa and Chadwick Boseman Took Notice

By | Published on April 2, 2018
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“Black Panther” may have fallen at the box office, but the hype surrounding the most successful superhero flick of all time has yet to die down. After one fan showed her appreciation for the movie by drawing star Chadwick Boseman as T’Challa, the actor himself took notice.

“Ballpoint pen drawing of @chadwickboseman as T’Challa from @theblackpanther. The time-lapse video will be out on Monday,” Los Angeles-based artist Krystle Hickman tweeted Saturday, March 24 more than a week after unveiling the finished piece.

A day before the video was posted, Boseman glimpsed the artwork and tweeted Sunday, March 30, “Krystle Hickman, your pen work is incredible. Thank you! #BlackPantherFanArt.”

After Boseman’s tweet, many gushed over the moment the “Black Panther” star applauded the artwork that took nearly 47 hours to complete.

“So dope,” someone tweeted.

“AWESOME!!!!!! What a GIFT!” said another.

“That’s incredible!” someone else said. “It looks like a photo. Wow!!”

chadwick boseman black panther

Krystle Hickman’s artwork isn’t just limited to pen sketches — she also does sugar art and acrylic paintings. (Krystle Hickman/Facbook)

Hickman, whose other works include Baby Groot from “Guardians of the Galaxy” and former President Barack Obama, told Atlanta Black Star Monday, April 2 that Boseman’s response came as a shock.

“I’m completely humbled and surprised that Chadwick Boseman decided to share my work with his fans,” she said. ‘Black Panther’ means so much to me. It’s extremely rare to see such positive representation in the media. Also, it’s a good movie. Chadwick Boseman is going to be an icon. I’m just really appreciative.”

And users are certainly appreciative of Hickman’s skills, despite the fact that the artist herself said she still feels she has “a way to go.”

“Just shows how great artists don’t need fancy utensils to create art,” someone tweeted.

“She drew with a pen? 😳 A freaking pen with no eraser to correct any flaws???” an astonished user wrote. “How?? Wakanda sorcery is this? 😂😂. Amazeballs!!! 👏🏽 👏🏽 👏🏽.”

“That’s freakin’ amazing!!! ❤👏,” said someone else.

As for any advice for other Black artists who may be struggling to get a foot in the door of the art world, Hickman said there’s no other way to begin your career but to “just to start.”

“In the beginning, you’re never ready. I posted a few early pieces that weren’t that great but you have to start somewhere,” she said. “If you keep working hard and dedicate yourself to your craft who knows what you can accomplish. Also, there will be a lot of people out there telling you what you can and can’t do. If you feel like you can do something I think you owe it to yourself to at least try.”

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