X

Extreme toothpick art (photos)

Steven J. Backman's painstaking (and splinter-inducing) artworks require only three things--toothpicks, glue, and plenty of patience.

Tim Hornyak
Crave freelancer Tim Hornyak is the author of "Loving the Machine: The Art and Science of Japanese Robots." He has been writing about Japanese culture and technology for a decade. E-mail Tim.
Tim Hornyak
Backman_cable_car.JPG
1 of 9 Tim Hornyak/CNET

Cable car

San Francisco native Steven J. Backman has been building replicas, sculptures, and portraits out of toothpicks for decades.

Backman began his unusual career by modeling the city's iconic cable cars when he was in college. He decided to work only with glue and toothpicks. This one was displayed at Maker Faire 2011 in San Mateo, Calif.

Golden_Gate_Bridge_by_Steven_J._Backman.jpg
2 of 9 Steven J. Backman

Lit-up bridge

Backman's 13-foot-long Golden Gate Bridge was built from 30,000 toothpicks, a feat that took more than two years.

It's illuminated by 100 LEDs and has been on display at Ripley's Believe It or Not! museum in Hollywood, Calif.

Backman_Golden_Gate.jpg
3 of 9 Steven J. Backman

Golden Gate Bridge

This miniature Golden Gate Bridge, seen in front of the original, was fashioned from a single toothpick.
Miniature_Eiffel_Tower_by_Steven_J._Backman.jpg
4 of 9 Steven J. Backman

Eiffel Tower

Backman recreated the Eiffel Tower out of a single toothpick.
Toothpick_Yacht_by_Steven_J._Backman.jpg
5 of 9 Steven J. Backman

Radio-controlled yacht

Backman's radio-controlled yacht is 4.5 feet long. It was built with 10,000 toothpicks and glue, and coated with fiberglass resin for water resistance.

Check out the yacht sailing in this video.

Empire_State_Building.JPG
6 of 9 Steven J. Backman

Empire State Building

Backman is most proud of his Empire State Building, made of 7,470 toothpicks.

Praised by New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, the 28-inch model was part of a 2006 Backman exhibition in the landmark's lobby to mark its 75th anniversary.

Steven_J._Backman_Making_Toothpick_Art_1a.jpg
7 of 9 Steven J. Backman

Backman at work

Backman works with glue and toothpicks while making a 2D picture.

He spends an average of 10 hours a day on his art, and won't abide any distracting music or phone calls.

Fairmont_San_Francisco_by_Steven_J._Backman.jpg
8 of 9 Steven J. Backman

Fairmont Hotel

Toothpicks, 178 of them, went into this likeness of the Fairmont Hotel in San Francisco, a National Historic Landmark on the city's Nob Hill.
Prince_William_and_Kate_Middleton_by_Steven_J._Backman_Copyright_2011_
9 of 9 Steven J. Backman

William and Kate

Backman also produces 2D portrait art, including this picture of Britain's Prince William and Kate Middleton. See his Web site for more amazing toothpick art.

More Galleries

My Favorite Shots From the Galaxy S24 Ultra's Camera
A houseplant

My Favorite Shots From the Galaxy S24 Ultra's Camera

20 Photos
Honor's Magic V2 Foldable Is Lighter Than Samsung's Galaxy S24 Ultra
magic-v2-2024-foldable-1383

Honor's Magic V2 Foldable Is Lighter Than Samsung's Galaxy S24 Ultra

10 Photos
The Samsung Galaxy S24 and S24 Plus Looks Sweet in Aluminum
Samsung Galaxy S24

The Samsung Galaxy S24 and S24 Plus Looks Sweet in Aluminum

23 Photos
Samsung's Galaxy S24 Ultra Now Has a Titanium Design
The Galaxy S24 Ultra in multiple colors

Samsung's Galaxy S24 Ultra Now Has a Titanium Design

23 Photos
I Took 600+ Photos With the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max. Look at My Favorites
img-0368.jpg

I Took 600+ Photos With the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max. Look at My Favorites

34 Photos
17 Hidden iOS 17 Features You Should Definitely Know About
Invitation for the Apple September iPhone 15 event

17 Hidden iOS 17 Features You Should Definitely Know About

18 Photos
AI or Not AI: Can You Spot the Real Photos?
img-1599-2.jpg

AI or Not AI: Can You Spot the Real Photos?

17 Photos