Tatsuo Horiuchi, 80, from Japan is a sensation in the painting world.
His paintings depict the beauty of the landscapes of Japan and the rich cultural and natural heritage of the nation. Have a look at a few of them yourself before you read ahead.
Here are the iconic cherry blossoms from Japan:
Look at these beautiful ones too:
But what could be so special about these paintings?
Horiuchi does not use pens, pencils, and a canvas. Instead, he paints on Microsoft Excel!
Yes, what you read is right!
About twenty years ago when Horiuchi was due to retire, he began looking to pursue a new hobby – painting. But, he also did not want to invest in expensive art supplies and software. So, he decided to use his computer instead. And what software did he opt for?
Microsoft Excel!
He had never used the tool before but with much practice and diligence, he mastered it. He also participated in the Autoshape Art Contest in 2006, and won it.
“I didn’t expect it [my painting] to improve immediately, so I made a 10-year plan,” Horiuchi told AFP.
“For the first 3 years, I concentrated on ‘drawing’ and drew all the things that could be seen, such as vegetables such as carrots and Japanese radish, and wild grass, in Excel. For the next 3 years, I practiced combining the motifs one by one to construct a painting.”
He has now been painting for around two decades, and his masterpieces are just getting more intricate and better with time!
At the age of 80, isn’t this a remarkable feat that Horiuchi has achieved? He is testimony to the fact that age is just a number and that humans must be lifelong learners!
What do you think about these art works? Do let us know your views in the comments section below!
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