Here's a collection of art for the DIGIT-AL age as these fascinating illusions of landmarks, places and even a banana are made using just a pair of hands. The quirky collection of images were created using hand models and body paint to create visions of a castle, church, and two footballers flying into a tackle. London based photographer Ray Massey KNUCKLED down to capture the images with each of the designs each taking a day to paint and shoot with the help of hand artist Annie Ralli. Together they made a FIST of also bringing to life a pen and pencil pot, a ribbon, mosque and cute wildlife adaptations of a daisy and a ladybird. Each image sees the hands and fingers carefully crossed, bent, or partially hidden to the millimetre to cleverly angle the palms and digits into the lifelike images. The intricate detail was then painted on the shapes and blended in to create the illusions, including one creation that sees a hand arch down to appear to become a banana skin. In others a sporting trophy is created by two joined hands bending at the knuckles and two hands are cleverly pushed together to form what appears to be a cosy bed. Ray said professional hand models had to be used for the shoot because fingers are often so unattractive to look at. He said: "Hands are always particularly difficult to shoot, they are not pretty items, they're basically very ugly. "The benefit of a good hand model is not just having good hands, it is also important to be able to pose your hands. "So we had to employ professional hand models. Our biggest concern was to use proper body painting materials, in order not to damage their skin. "Most of the images took four to six hours to paint, the rest of the day is spent capturing images and the hand painting artist adjusting elements accordingly.
WIDE EYED and staring straight down the lens of the camera, this intrigued seal is ready for his close up .
Southern England, the south-west and west Wales have been warned to expect more wild weather, with heavy rain and high tides possibly leading to coastal flooding and travel disruption over the weekend .
A little caterpillar fearlessly scampers down a branch and confronts a praying mantis .
AN ARRAY of colours, from pinks to blues and oranges, fill the night sky to create an amazing collection of interstellar patterns .
Throwing a right hook as he launches onto his opponent with his gnarling teeth at the ready, this is the OTTER-LY ruthless showdown between two otters .
LEAF-ing much to the imagination, this camera trickery is blooming marvellous .
THIS alien-like bug would look more at home in outer-space but it can actually be found wriggling around here on Earth .
IN THE not so MISTY MOUNTAINS of Wiltshire, there lies an abandoned hobbit house .
A cheeky gorilla sticks her tongue out and plays up for the camera at Bronx Zoo .
DIVING down at a speed of 75mph, this is the moment a hungry osprey caught his prey .
A kingfisher’s bright blue and orange feathers glisten in the sunlight as the bird dives into a lake .
A little brown bear cub shows his doting mum that she is always on parent duty as he uses her as a scratching post .