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 A wide smile plastered across his face, this little gecko is ready for his close up .
Leaping out of the ocean, a group of gentoo penguins fly through the air before landing safely on an iceberg .
Splashing around in the water, a mother otter and her son are tangled in a family feud .
SWIMMING next to 40 tonne whales, dare-devil divers take the plunge with these gentle giants of the sea .
Hot on the heels of a little rabbit, this cheetah is on a mission to catch his prey .
An elegant snowy owl spreads her wings and glides effortlessly above the snow covered field .
HUDDLING under a leaf, a pair of adorable Javan scops owls take shelter from the rain .
The claws come out at meal time as a group of white tailed eagles brawl over road-kill .
HUDDLED together in the hollow of a tree, it would be easy to overlook these two sleepy owls as they blend into the trunk .
WITH the phosphorescent blobs and mesmerising patterns, these spectacular images may look like the hall marks of an enchanted forest but it is in fact the scene of thousands of dancing FIREFLIES .
ARMED with her camera, bikini and flippers, this brave diver goes swimming with SHARKS .