Artist creates Lego tribute to Ed Sheeran

An artist has painted a largescale Lego version of Ed Sheeran, complete with an Ipswich Town kit and tattoos.

Ian Last, from Woodbridge, Suffolk, often paints local scenes but also enjoys sculpting pop culture characters.

Stephen Watkins, owner of the W Gallery in Woodbridge, came across Mr Last's work and encouraged him to create the Sheeran figure, which is 25cm tall.

Mr Last said he spent a couple of days working on the piece, which is 25cm (9.8in) in height.

"I do two different types of art - I do traditional works like landscapes of wildlife which are local based, but I'm also a big fan of pop culture, Star Wars and Lego, all things like that," Mr Last, 47, explained.

"A little while ago Stephen had found my work through a mutual friend and he had found my page.

"He messaged me and said could he have some of my work and he really liked my Star Wars Lego men I had done."

While Mr Last had made these sculptures for himself away from his professional work, he discussed with Mr Watkins the idea of creating the Sheeran Lego figure.

"We thought it would be great to make a Lego figure of Ed, and of course with his love of Ipswich as well we thought about putting him in the Ipswich Town kit," Mr Watkins, 48, said.

Mr Last got to work on the figure, making use of an old product called Lego Original - a wooden figure you were able to paint yourself.

He spent a day handpainting the figure and ensured it included Sheeran's tattoos.

The singer's hair was sculpted from a product called Super Sculpt, which was then fired in an oven.

"There was a lot of sanding because it's a wooden character and there is a little bit of grain in it," Mr Last said.

"Being a perfectionist, I don't really want that grain to show through because Lego is by its nature a very sharp coloured plastic.

"I spent almost a whole day just priming and sanding it... so it was probably a couple days' worth of work."

It has been displayed in Mr Watkins' gallery, but the pair are keen to show it to Sheeran himself.

"It would be great if we can get it to Ed or get his signature on it," Mr Watkins said.

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