Artist creates mesmerizing optical illusion makeup displays

ByJustin Sedgwick KGO logo
Wednesday, June 22, 2016
Artist creates stunning makeup optical illusions
Dain Yoon creates art you have to see to believe.

Step back and take a look into the mesmerizing optical art of Dain Yoon.

Using bodypaints, acrylic paint, numerous cosmetic products, and a hair-straightener, the artist from Seoul, South Korea has created some of the most visually-stunning makeup art displays on the web. Yoon blends herself into her videos and photographs, resulting in a breathtaking, artistic optical illusion.

"At first, the audiences would simply give interested looks, rubbing their eyes to confirm that what they have just seen is just a 'face,'" Yoon told ABC via email. "It is the beauty of my art for the audiences to discover new 'perspectives' on my painting as they adopt closer looks."

The 22-year-old artist says her work can often take anywhere from 3-12 hours to complete. Since she is often the subject of her own pieces, her visually-stimulating work can be challenging to bring to life.

"This is a very difficult process since it is even hard to realistically capture the subject on paper," Yoon said. "Drawing on my own body through the reflection on mirrors is a very difficult process. Hours of painting through mirror often makes me dizzy."

"I have to constantly switch back and forth between mirror and cameras in order to evoke a successful level of illusion. This process is indeed very intricate and difficult."

Despite her demanding process, Yoon has been able to find an enthusiastic audience for her work online. More than 25,000 people across the world follow Yoon's work on Instagram.

"I honestly did not expect to receive so much interest and attention to my works. Some even say that I am a pioneer to a novel paradigm of art," Yoon told ABC. "Everything they say really is a big driving force of my works and a factor I am absolutely grateful of."