People can't believe this 3D artwork isn't a photo – even after the artist provided proof

Some of the best 3D art can look incredibly realistic, and we've seen lots of examples that made us do a double take. But people are struggling to believe that this piece isn't a photo, even after the artist provided proof.

Plea Ruffin created the artwork in the free 3D modelling software Blender. People refused to believe it when he initially shared it on X, so he followed up by sharing screenshots of the simulation to prove it.

Plea's striking photoreal image shows a man sitting in a chair, while a shadow on the wall shows the same man with a woman standing over him. He says the artwork is based on a Marvelous Designer cloth sim, while the baseball hat is a scan of one of his own with Polycam.

"I’m zooming in, staring at every detail of this art piece and my mind still can’t comprehend how this isn’t a photo of a flesh and blood person even after you posted your process for creating this," one person wrote in response.

Plea is a young 3D artist based in Virginia Beach, specialising in conceptual 3D imagery and visuals. He describes his objective as being to fill in the gaps in the 3D landscape by intertwining culture, technology, fashion and music to create dynamic scenes and compositions that offer a fresh perspective on CG art. You can see more of his impressive photoreal 3D art on his website ruffin.works.

Want to get started in 3D art in Blender? See our roundup of Blender tutorials for tips. We also have some suggestions for alternatives in our pick of the best free 3D apps.