Singaporean artist Keng Lye, has masterfully woven beauty and illusion together by using resin and paint to depict a small, life-like octopus in a bowl.
The photos look incredibly life-like, as if it’s a real, squirming, writhing octopus. Only upon closer inspection, however, does the 3D illusion slowly begin to unravel.
Keng Lye achieves this beautiful effect by painting delicate paintings onto layer upon layer of crystal-clear resin. As the layers, and the painting, grow, the octopus gains depth and appears to be partially submerged.
Keng Lye was inspired to create these works by Japanese artist Riusuke Fukahori, who created similarly masterful works with 3D goldfish. However, Lye takes the additional step of adding a pebble to create a three-dimensional head for the octopus that he incorporates seamlessly with the painted resin layers below, helping the illusion along. This work is only the latest in his beautiful Alive Without Breath series. His work has gained enormous popularity online, and his fans are waiting for him to create more of his sold-out works. To see more, check out his work on deviantart.com and Facebook.
