Bright Side

This unbelievably talented artist recreates detailed architectural drawings from memory

Stephen Wiltshire, a London-based artist and art gallery owner, is well known for his amazing drawing abilities. He can reproduce detailed cityscapes from memory after only seeing them once. At age three, he was diagnosed with autism, and later attended a specialist school in London where his talent for drawing began to shine. Despite the difficulties he experienced, he found his own way of communicating with the world — through his art.

Today, Bright Side would like to share Stephen's heartening story with you.

For Stephen, it's easier to communicate with others through his pen and pencils rather than talking. 

The artist admits that he's inspired by urban cityscapes: he finds joy in examining buildings and winding streets.

His technique has attracted both brain development specialists and art experts.

When Stephen was asked about he managed to achieve such levels of detail and what process he used to remember it all, he replied with a simple answer: 'I just sketch in my notebook.' 

One of his most impressive pieces is a detailed panoramic drawing of Tokyo - done entirely from memory - on a 52 ft canvas. Stephen created it back in 2005 following a brief helicopter ride over the city. Since then he's drawn dozens of other cities, including Rome, Frankfurt, Hong Kong, Dubai, Madrid, Jerusalem and London.

Stephen didn't talk when he started primary school, instead he just kept drawing everything he saw. The most amazing thing was that he did it from memory, depicting each object in great detail.

Soon, his teachers noted Stephen's extraordinary artistic skills that went beyond those of his peers. His technique seemed very mature for a kid.

Parents and teachers found ways to nurture Stephen's talent and develop it further. This helped him become an artist and continue doing what he loves most: memorising and drawing.

Stephen has come a long way, from being a quiet child struggling with autism to a YouTube sensation and, finally, a recognised artist who sells his art for thousands of pounds.

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