These highly realistic three-dimensional paintings are the handiwork of Italian artist Luca Luce. He’s a makeup artist by profession, but he uses his extensive knowledge of colors and shading to create surreal optical illusions on his own palm.

Luca is an ace at clever shadow placement and photorealistic drawing. He brings these two aspects into every artwork in his unique palm painting series, creating astonishing images that will make you to a double take. For example, he painted a jigsaw piece taken out of his palm, with a gaping hole left underneath. The whole image is so realistic, it really does look like a piece of his palm has been lifted and placed aside.

Some of his other paintings include a crater in his palm with a scary face peeping from within, a four-eyed face that seems to be talking to him, a reptile erupting from his wrist, and the skin of his palm peeled backward to reveal a power outlet.

There’s no questioning Luca Luce’s mastery of hyperrealism. No matter what subject he chooses to paint on his palm, you can expect it to turn out convincingly realistic.

We’re big fan of body-painted optical illusions and recommend you also check out the masterpieces of Oregon-based artist Natalie Fletcher and Craig Tracy.

Photos: Luca Luce/Facebook

via My Modern Met