With nail and copper..Iraq's civilization at the doorsteps of Guinness

Shafaq News / "There is no limit for dreams as long as we seek to achieve them," said 27-year-old Ali Khaled al-Rawi, an artist who hopes his efforts to master drawing by "nails and copper" do not go in vain.

Ali al-Rawi, an Iraqi citizen of Ramadi district, al-Anbar governorate, has recently completed a drawing depicting the greatness of Iraqi civilization in a quest to make a space for himself in the Guinness Book of World Records.

Al-Rawi began practicing his hobby in 2015 by drawing with pencils until he mastered it. He then opted to pursue non-traditional techniques and ultimately create his unique style and join elite artists worldwide.

Contemplating through a torrent of techniques and schools, he finally decided to pursue drawing with nails and copper wires. The relatively unusual concept of this art encouraged him to go further. Long nights later, he became a master of this art, acknowledged by the experts and stars in the art sphere.

"After mastering drawing by nails and copper, I proceeded with drawing the historical statue of Lamaso, the winged bull, which is one of the most monumental features of Iraqi civilization. By doing so, I sought to convey a message to the whole world that Mesopotamian civilization is still majestic."

"The 204 square meters painting was completed using about 1,000 nails and about 250 kg of copper wires," al-Rawi said.

After nearly six months of extensive work, Ali al-Rawi was able to complete the artwork on a wood painted with heat and moisture-proof material, scratch-resistant, etc., and achieve one of his goals, namely, "erecting the painting in a public place in al-Anbar, after obtaining the local government's approval".

"Since my early days into mastering this school of art, I was aiming to apply for a Guinness record. Although I was initially held back by fear of failure, I managed to devise a plan that would boost my career. It took an entire year of my life to materialize. If I had made a single mistake, I would not have been able to complete this painting."

Spurred by the lack of records in this category, he is eying to apply for a section in Guinness. Al-Rawi has a good chance to be registered in the chronicles of the prestigious organization, given his new technique and the short list of competitors. Surprisingly, the section of the largest string cast in the world is still empty until the moment.

Al-Rawi's painting stands huge at 204 square meters. Too large for a drawing, his record would not be broken any time soon as he hopes.

"When I proceeded with my drawing, I reached out to Guinness, which said it would accept my application for the record if it meets their qualifications. They asked for photographs and videos that prove the authenticity of the drawing. I provided them with everything they asked for, but they keep asking for more every time."

"I will do send them the evidence they requested; hopefully, I could make a world record to my name. This is one of my biggest ambitions and dreams."