Typewriter artist James Cook shows 50 author portraits in Colchester

Artist James Cook has turned old-fashioned typewriters into tools for detailed portraits. His latest collection, 50 portraits of authors, is on display at Colchester Library. He uses typewriters, ink and letters, and the show represents three years of work. The collection came about after an American book publisher saw his work on Instagram and suggested a project. Cook said the idea of typewriters and authors goes together well.

The portraits are built from characters rather than conventional lines. In a portrait of Stephen King, the shading is made from facts about him, including that he writes 2,000 words every working day. Cook's work began as a hobby six years ago. He now has 100 typewriters and a million followers on Instagram.

His typewriter art has led to unusual commissions and appearances. A portrait of Tom Hanks, who has his own typewriter collection, was signed by the actor after Cook was interviewed on an American talk show. Cook spent six weeks typing and animating a Wimbledon match using 50 pictures, all typed by hand. He was later invited to Centre Court to finish typing the men's final, and the sequence was turned into a BBC trailer. He has also typed on the red carpet for Mission Impossible.

At the request of American actress Yeardley Smith, the voice of Lisa Simpson, Cook tapped out musical notes on a rare typewriter designed to write sheet music. He finished a portrait of Lisa Simpson with notes coming out of her saxophone. He has been commissioned to type the Rockefeller ice rink in New York for its 90th birthday on a typewriter three times the size. That picture contains two million letters. Cook now also includes himself in his work, and viewers look for hidden messages in the drawings.