Coronavirus: Art student creates nurse 'hero' portrait

The drawing is made using the word hero over and over again

A fine art student has drawn a portrait of a nurse wearing PPE by using the word hero over and over.

Jessica Wilcox-Drew, 18, of Bradley Stoke near Bristol, created the piece after being inspired by NHS key workers.

The image took about 15 hours to complete and has received praise on Facebook.

Ms Wilcox-Drew is going to have her picture made into postcards which will be sold for NHS Charities Together.

After taking part in the clap for carers and seeing so much about the work of nurses during the coronavirus pandemic, she said she wanted to do a picture "thanking nurses and giving them recognition".

The outline for the picture was first done in pencil and then in a fine-tipped pen "completely freehand".

"I get my face really close to the paper and just go for it," she said.

"It was good when I finally finished and stood back to see the whole piece."

The image took about 15 hours to create

Although she has "no idea exactly how many times" she wrote the word hero during the 15 hours, she estimates it to be "tens of thousands easily".

She said drawing the nurse's hat was the "most difficult to get right".

The artwork was shared on the Bradley Stoke Journal's Facebook page and attracted hundreds of shares and reactions.

Comments included people saying the work was "absolutely brilliant", "stunning" and "amazing" with many praising Jessica's artistic talent.

Ms Wilcox-Drew said the comments on Facebook had made her "so happy" as she was a "perfectionist" so it was "quite a big step for me to share it".

She was inspired by an artist she had found on Instagram who uses celebrity names to produce the outline of a portrait.

"I prefer more in-depth detailed work so I took the idea and made it my own."

The fine art student is currently at South Gloucestershire College completing a foundation diploma ahead of going to Plymouth College of Art.

• SCHOOLS: When will children be returning?

• EXERCISE: What are the guidelines on getting out?

• THE R NUMBER: What it means and why it matters

• AIR TRAVELLERS: The new quarantine rules

• LOOK-UP TOOL: How many cases in your area?