For most of us, drawing in elementary school consisted of stick figures with smiley faces, structurally unsound two-dimensional houses, and small animals that were incredibly disproportionate to their human counterparts. The sun was drawn out of its astronomically accurate position with rays in every direction, cars were box-shaped, bulky and varied greatly from the Corvette we fantasized about — we’ve all been there. Enter these two precocious adolescents, 7-year-old “Yung Lenox” and 11-year-old Wynn Salman – both of whose artistic prowess exceeds that of most people twice their age.
Yung Lenox is easily the dopest second grader alive. Armed with felt markers and a vast imagination, the Seattle-based youngster uses Hip Hop’s most distinguished album covers as his muse to render shockingly accurate reproductions. From Raekwon’s Only Built 4 Cuban Linx to A Tribe Called Quest’s Low End Theory to Dr. Dre’s The Chronic, Yung Lenox has capsulized Hip Hop culture with only his father’s guidance and his inherent whimsical creativity. At only 7 years of age, he has already accomplished more than most of his college-degree-wielding contemporaries. Last summer he had a solo art show appropriately titled “Parental Advisory” in conjunction with Seattle skate shop, Alive & Well. By the end of 2013 the young virtuoso inked a t-shirt collaboration with”Coke Magic” bearing his version of the 2 Live Crew’s As Nasty As They Wanna Be. Now with a website where many prints of his dope artwork can be purchased for a very modest price as well as updates of his progression via his father’s website and Instagram – he’s sure to be a household name in the near-future.
The phrase “jack of all trades, master of none” doesn’t apply to 11-year-old, New York artist Wynn Salman. With an arsenal of techniques, ranging from (but absolutely not limited to) 8-bit to caricatures — the talented pre-teen’s artwork will leave you with your mouth agape, saying “there’s no way he’s only 11!” A simple skim through Salman’s Instagram account displays the constant evolution of his creative mind — as soon as he nails one style, he’s on to the next one.
The 11-year-old’s artwork is personal — tailored to the things most important to him — his friends, his family, celebrities, and most of all comic book heroes and villains. Wolverine seems to be a favorite, as his likeness can be see throughout his Instagram, although his bio explicitly declares “My favorite Marvel character is Deadpool“. Some of his other artwork has included personalized caricatures of celebrities like Jeff Staple and Bun B, as well as many to loved ones in lieu of a mundane birthday card. His latest work however, includes cutting and pasting portions of photos from magazines to paper and drawing the the rest in a sketch/collage hybrid. The kid’s infinite brilliance and ever-expanding range is the reason why he’ll be raved about in years to come.
Check out work from the future leaders of the art world — Yung Lenox and Wynn Salman — after the jump.
– Khari Clarke (@KINGCLARKEIII)
