DIGIT-AL ART: HANDY COLLECTION UNVEILED
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.
Other great stories
FISH AND BIRD TANGO
A trout manages to escape the jaws of a hungry cormorant - only to find itself back inside the bird's long beak .
SEALED WITH A BUBBLE KISSED
MEET the underwater British seal who is so friendly he loves to grapple divers like a friendly puppy dog .
KRYPONITE BEACH
LUMINOUS green rocks could easily be a beach from Superman's homeland of Krypton .
CHRISTMAS SNOWMAN ATTRACTS CURIOUS SQUIRREL
Peering curiously into a basket hanging off the arms of a snowman, this little squirrel appears fascinated by the snowy figure .
FIREFLIES ILLUMINATE AN ENCHANTING FOREST IN TAIWAN
Like a scene from a fairytale, THOUSANDS of fireflies create an enchanting glow as they dance in a forest .
SHY SEAL HIDES BEHIND ITS FLIPPER
HIDING behind its flipper, this little seal comes over a little camera shy .
WOMAN CRUELLY NAMED ’TUMOUR GIRL’ FINDS LOVE
A woman who was cruelly called ‘tumour girl’ by bullies has finally found love .
SHOP BRANDED RACIST FOR ‘ZIP UP IMMIGRANT’ AD
A SHOCKING cartoon of a black man carrying bags saying‘’zippadydoohdah zip-up immigrant bags’ has appeared in a shop window and is being investigated by police .
BABY WITH HEART-SHAPED BIRTHMARK CONCEIVED ON VALENTINE'S DAY
An adorable baby girl was born with a heart-shaped birthmark on her forehead - after being conceived on Valentine's Day .
SLOTH SANCTUARY
SNUGGLING up against their teddy bears, these baby sloths could easily be mistaken for one of the cuddly toys .
THE INCREDIBLE BEAUTY OF ICELAND’S ICE CAVES
A stunning ice cave in Iceland is illuminated by sunlight as the bright blue ice appears glow inside .