Can you find the faces in these stunning optical illusion paintings?

Optical illusion paintings
(Image credit: Oleg Shupliak/Future)

Ah, optical illusions. It seems the internet's appetite for having its collective mind boggled by all manner of brain-twisters will never abate – but it isn't every day that we see illusions as stunning as these.

Ukrainian artist Oleg Shupliak creates elegant paintings with faces hidden inside them – sometimes obviously, sometimes not so much. He's been creating works for over 30 years, and not a week seems to go by without another painting going wild on Reddit and Twitter. (Looking for more inspiration? Check out the best optical illusions online.)  

Oleg Shupliak optical illusion

(Image credit: Oleg Shupliak)

"Oleg Shupliak’s optical illusions will compel you to stare at them for a long time, not because of how brilliantly they are created, but because what each illusion contains," reads the artist's official bio. Concealed within the beautiful surroundings of nature, hides a picture of a face. 

Indeed, at first glance, most of Shupliak’s illusions look like abstract depictions of faces. But look a little closer, and you'll see that you're actually looking at something else entirely, whether it's a landscape (above), or multiple bodies (below).

Oleg Shupliak optical illusion

(Image credit: Oleg Shupliak)

Born in 1967, Shupliak has been a member of the National Union of Artists of Ukraine since 2000, and his work has been displayed in galleries across the world. Not to mention online – his illusions bend minds on Twitter almost every day:

Indeed, in a world of simple geometric shapes (and a whole load of animals), it's refreshing to see such richly detailed and textured optical illusions. Like the oldest illusion of all time, Shupliak’s designs are as artistic as they are mind-bending. If you're inspired to create your own, check out our guide to the best art supplies for painting.

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Daniel John
Design Editor

Daniel John is Design Editor at Creative Bloq. He reports on the worlds of design, branding and lifestyle tech, and has covered several industry events including Milan Design Week, OFFF Barcelona and Adobe Max in Los Angeles. He has interviewed leaders and designers at brands including Apple, Microsoft and Adobe. Daniel's debut book of short stories and poems was published in 2018, and his comedy newsletter is a Substack Bestseller.