Introduction to a Masterpiece
A Seattle-based artist spent more than 250 hours on a near perfect pencil drawing of Michael Jordan’s famous free throw line dunk.
In the process he captured worldwide attention and the praise of Jordan himself.
The Artist’s Vision
When artist Keegan Hall decided he’d sketch one of the most famous images in sports history, he always knew it would draw interest.
“I was like, ‘Man if I can pull this off, it will be pretty special,’” he said.
He didn’t know it would attract the attention of the photo’s subject.
A Dream Come True
“I got a call from someone on his team, probably just screening me to see if I’m crazy or something, but ultimately it led to a request that MJ wanted me to create an original drawing for him,” he said.
Jordan himself was so impressed, he commissioned another piece, with one catch.
“I had to personally deliver the original artwork to him at his golf course in Florida,” Hall said. “So he flew me and my family out to his course. I got to hang out with MJ for about a half an hour. It was incredible to present some artwork to him, but also to have MJ marvel at my work say ‘hey this is amazing. It didn’t even compute.”
Jordan signed the sketch of his famous final shot as a Chicago Bull.
The Artist’s Journey
Hall first went viral about five years ago.
“It ended up being one of the most uploaded posts in the history of Reddit,” Hall said. “My website crashed. It created this whole whirlwind.”
The free throw line drawing took between 250 and 300 hours of work.
“My plan was to make the background blurry because there were so many faces,” he said. “I thought that would be easier to take on, and once I realized how much time it was taking anyways, I was like ‘I’m just going to see if I can go all the way and capture every single face.’”
He included his own face in the sketch as an easter egg.
Timeless Art
But because of the enduring popularity of Jordan, the iconic nature of the photo, and the painstaking detail in pencil, his free hand drawing of the free throw line dunk continues to be widely shared online.
“Anything that’s done at a high level is timeless and people are always going to be discovering kind of great things and want to share,” he said. “This is kind of my crown jewel and its cool to be it shared literally around the world.”
Giving Back
Hall has put his viral fame to good use teaming up with athletes and entertainers to create prints of his artwork for charity.
So far he’s almost $800,000 for various non-profits.
Conclusion
The picture perfect free hand drawing of Michael Jordan’s free throw line dunk is a testament to the power of art and dedication. Keegan Hall’s masterpiece has not only earned him praise from the man himself but has also inspired a new generation of artists and fans. The drawing’s enduring popularity is a reminder that timeless art can transcend time and boundaries.
FAQs
Q: How many hours did Keegan Hall spend on the drawing?
A: Keegan Hall spent between 250 and 300 hours on the drawing.
Q: What was the response of Michael Jordan to the drawing?
A: Michael Jordan was impressed by the drawing and commissioned another piece from Keegan Hall.
Q: How much money has Keegan Hall raised for charity through his artwork?
A: Keegan Hall has raised almost $800,000 for various non-profits through his artwork.
