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Wham! star's iconic photo recreated in 'screw art'

Darren Timby/PA Media Two images of the portrait of singer George Michael created using screws coloured silver, gold and black. It depicts the star as he was in the 80s, with his signature hairstyle. The picture on the right shows the bearded artist - who is wearing a black t-shirt and grey beanie drilling a screw into the left hand side of the canvas.Darren Timby/PA Media
Darren Timby said creating the singer's thick locks was a "particular challenge"

A graphic designer says he has created a George Michael "tribute with a twist" by using 12,000 metal screws.

Darren Timby, from Sunderland, has depicted the Wham! singer by setting zinc, gold-coloured and black screws against a white canvas.

The artwork, which took about 90 hours to complete, has been made ahead of the eighth anniversary of Michael's death on Christmas Day.

Timby said he hoped his art would "find a home where it can be appreciated", either in a gallery or with a George Michael superfan.

'Little squiggle'

Timby, who said he had started creating "screw art" in 2020, said Michael's music had always been a "guilty pleasure".

"I wanted to create a tribute with a twist to remember him," he explained.

The artwork features Michael sporting his signature 1980s hairstyle.

Timby went on to describe how he had used the medium of screws to capture the look.

"A little squiggle here, or a straight line of screws there, can change the highlights and the contrast," he said.

"Sometimes just one or two extra screws can really make a difference, and the hair takes up the majority of the piece."

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