Although this may seem like a simple, black-and-white image of a Pandora Sphinx moth, you'll definitely do a double take upon realizing that a woman is actually camouflaged as part of the moth. This is the work of award-winning fine art body painter Paul Roustan, who is a master at creating intriguing and deceptive body paintings. Looking closely at the images and video below, it's startling to see the painting come to life as the model opens her eyes and moves around. Her body has been painted with amazing detail and texture to blend into the moth's downy wings, creating an incredible illusion.
It took the artist five hours to paint the background and an additional two hours to paint the model. He says, “On average it takes me three hours to paint the entire body. This one was a bit more meticulous lining things up, which is why it took so long for just a portion of the body.”
Roustan only started painting bodies in 2005 “out of curiosity,” but he has quickly become an expert at the technique. He says, “The coolest thing about painting a person is that when they start to move they evolve into a newer artwork, and you can look at it as if someone else painted it. I'm addicted to that. I think most people can relate to the frustration of not liking your finished artwork. We are all our own toughest critics, the life a model adds to the painting allows you to be a spectator.”