We consider ourselves quite the experts on optical illusions here at Creative Bloq. We’ve studied everything from optical illusions that stem from how our brain processes visual data to artistic trompe l’oeil illusions. But we can still be blown away, and sometimes by surprising mediums.
We don’t often think of makeup when we think of optical illusions, but talented and creative makeup artists can create some incredibly realistic visual trickery verging on movie-level practical special effects. That’s the case of an artist who’s been stunning the world on social media.
Artist uses makeup to transform her face into incredible optical illusions from r/BeAmazed
Mimi Choi, @mimles on Instagram, is a Macau-born makeup artist and tutor now based in Vancouver, Canada. Since graduating from Blanche Macdonald Centre in 2014, she’s built a large social media following and has done collaborations with major brands.
Mimi says her inspirations range from patterns and textures from her surroundings, to digital art and surreal paintings from masters like Salvador Dalí and M.C. Escher. She also takes inspiration from her own sleep paralysis, which she says can provoke vivid and frightening visions – hence some of the scary illusions in her art.
Mimi now works as a teacher at Blanche Macdonald and leads masterclasses and workshops around the world. She also freelances as a artistic director, which has seen her work with brands like NYX Professional Makeup, Kryolan, Mehron, Burberry, UNICEF, Warner Brothers and Samsung.
For more recent optical illusions, see Corona beer’s stock photo ads and the clever campaign for Prostate Awareness Month in the UK.
