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.
With one hand rested on his belly and the other propping his head up, this lazy lizard takes an afternoon break .
AT first glance these images could easily be mistaken for photographs, but they are in-fact real life drawings created using nothing but coloured pencils .
LYING flat out on his back, this little meerkat makes the most of the English sunshine .
CAUSING a splash, this determined kingfisher goes hunting for dinner .
Like a scene from a fairytale, THOUSANDS of fireflies create an enchanting glow as they dance in a forest .
BURSTING from the water, a beautiful but deadly Sumatran tiger jumps for food in an Indonesian zoo .
FLAUNTING its new accessory, a fashionable green dumpy tree frog poses for the camera while wearing a SNAIL as a hat .
PICKING up a tiny tea-pot with its paws, a little red squirrel struggles to prepare its morning tea .
BOXING DAY has come early for this pair of feisty squirrels, as their Christmas party quickly turns sour .
WITHOUT A care in the world, this little snow monkey puts his feet up and settles in for a snooze .
A diver attempts to control rising numbers of lionfish by feeding the venomous species to Caribbean reef sharks .
A tiny puppy who lost his front legs after being hit by a train has been given and new LEASH of life with a set of wheels .