Carl Burton’s oddly hypnotic animated GIFs depict a range of monochromatic scenes: a strange, pulsating cylinder or mysterious beams of light in a lush forest. No matter the subject matter, though, the style remains the same.

It’s a look the New York-based artist came up with while experimenting on his laptop at the NY Public Library, and he’s since gone on to illustrate everything from articles by Margaret Atwood to the second season of true-crime podcast Serial. "They're influenced by nature, architecture, mundane environments, and the news," he says of the GIFs.

They may also be more than just moving images at some point in the future. "I'm also currently working on a game in this style," he says. In the meantime, you can check out more of his work on Tumblr.