Put your hands up (Picture: Russell Powell)

Who needs canvas when you have your own palms?

Well certainly not Russell Powell, who has a talent for painting beautifully detailed portraits on to the palm of his left hand.

Russell – who works full time as a teacher in San Jose, California (yes, he’s a good person too) – has to work quickly, as once his portraits are complete he stamps them on to paper.

The resulting prints have a ghostly feel, with the lines on Russell’s hands merging with the faces he’s drawn.


Here are some familiar faces as you’ve never seen them before…

Bob Marley



Daenerys Targaryen, Game Of Thrones

(Picture: Instagram/pangaeanstudios) (Picture: Instagram/pangaeanstudios) (Picture: Instagram/pangaeanstudios) (Picture: Instagram/pangaeanstudios)

Robin Williams

John Lennon

(Picture: Instagram/pangaeanstudios) (Picture: Instagram/pangaeanstudios) (Picture: Instagram/pangaeanstudios) (Picture: Instagram/pangaeanstudios)

Cara Delevingne

Tupac Shakur

(Picture: Instagram/pangaeanstudios) (Picture: Instagram/pangaeanstudios) (Picture: Instagram/pangaeanstudios) (Picture: Instagram/pangaeanstudios)

And this is how the palm portraits come into being…

Want to see more of Russell’s amazing palm portraits? Then follow him on Instagram.

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