Search
Items tagged with: shadowArt
Wall Illusions (11 Photos)
Content warning: Which one is your favorite?
From a milkmaid pouring real liquid to a giant frog staring down a visitor in a decaying warehouse—these 10 pieces of street art reshape how we see the urban world. You’ll find gravity-defying illusions in Germany, surreal reflections in Lithuania, and playful architectural deception in Poland. Scroll down for a tour of murals, sculptures, and street interventions that blur the line between art and reality.
1. Floating World — Ray Bartkus in Marijampolė, Lithuania
This remarkable mural by Ray Bartkus was intentionally painted upside-down to create a magical effect. The swimmers, rowers, and swans appear right-side-up only when reflected in the waters of the Šešupė River, which flows through the heart of the city. Visitors to the old dam are invited to rediscover the mural’s beauty time and time again.
As Bartkus explains: “The drawing itself is created in reverse, and its true form is revealed only in the water’s reflection. I hope that every time people pass by, they will discover something new, because this artwork, like our days in life, is never the same as it was yesterday.”
More photos and how it was painted!: This upside-down mural is upright in reflection
2. The Grab — Cosimo “Cheone” Caiffa & Mor Pavone in Nerviano, Italy
A tattooed man emerges from the underpass, his massive arms reaching out past the tunnel walls. One hand grips the corner as if he’s pulling himself out, while the other stretches forward—toward the artist, who appears to flee in mid-crawl.
More by Cosimo “Cheone” Caiffa!: 23 Amazing 3D Murals by CHEONE!
3. Giant Blue Frog — Odeith in Portugal
Painted with shadow and depth, this frog appears to leap out from the peeling wall of an abandoned room. A viewer sits directly across from it, locked in a surreal stare-down.
More by Odeith!: Master of Illusion!: 19 Jaw-Dropping 3D Graffiti Pieces by Odeith
4. Gravity — Leon Keer in Wuppertal, Germany
An enormous box of colorful marbles seems to sit inside the side of a building, with one marble rolling out onto the pavement. The perspective and shading create a powerful illusion of depth.
More photos!: 7 Photos and Video of “Gravity” by Leon Keer in Wuppertal, Germany
5. Grand Lobby — WALLART in Łódź, Poland
This mural transforms a flat wall into the lobby of a luxury hotel, complete with chandeliers, guests in formalwear, and gold-framed paintings. Every detail mimics the real architecture of an upscale interior.
More photos!: Impressive Three-dimensional Mural by WALLART in Lodz, Poland (4 photos and video)
6. The Milkmaid — Oakoak in Saint-Étienne, France
A playful twist on Vermeer’s painting, this urban piece places the milkmaid against a building wall and aligns her jug perfectly with a metal container on the street, creating a seamless real-world interaction.
More by Oakoak!: 9 Genius Street Artworks That Will Change How You See the City
7. Caught in a Glass — Bobby “Rogue-One” in Glasgow, UK
A woman painted in sharp detail holds a drinking glass—trapping a real man inside its transparent cylinder. The artist plays with perspective to stage an optical illusion in full scale.
More by Rogue-One!: 5 Stunning Bobby Rogue-One Murals You Need to See in Glasgow
8. 3D Horse — Nikolaj Arndt in Neustadt, Germany
A photorealistic chalk drawing on a pedestrian path shows a horse half-submerged in a puddle. A seated viewer strokes its nose, completing the illusion of presence.
🔗 Follow Nikolaj Arndt on Instagram
9. Lava Fountain — L’Aquila, Italy
At sunset, the water from this statue aligns perfectly with sunlight to look like a jet of molten lava. The timing and angle make a real-world illusion that feels digitally edited—but isn’t.
More photos!: Molten Magic – Italian Fountain Glows Like Flowing Lava
10. Horizon — Sculpture by Neil Dawson at Gibbs Farm, New Zealand
This massive steel sculpture outlines curves of a floating sheet across a hillside. Depending on your position, it can appear as a 2D drawing suspended in the sky.
More photos here!: You Won’t Believe This Incredible Sculpture in New Zealand Isn’t Photoshopped!
11. The Seeder — Morfai in Kaunas, Lithuania
This clever piece combines sculpture, carving, and light. A statue of a man with a satchel stands before a wall where dozens of black star-shaped elements are embedded into etched recesses. During the day, it’s subtle. But at night, the man’s shadow aligns perfectly with the stars, making it appear as if he’s sowing them into the wall.
About The Seeder and more photos!: Reviving Culture Through Art: ‘The Seeder’ Marks Lithuania’s First Legal Street Art Masterpiece
Which one is your favorite?
This upside-down mural is upright in reflection
“Floating World” by Ray Bartkus in Marijampolė, Lithuania.
This remarkable mural by Ray Bartkus was intentionally painted upside-down to create a magical effect. The swimmers, rowers, and swans appear right-side-up only when reflected in the waters of the Šešupė River, which flows through the heart of the city.Visitors to the old dam are invited to rediscover the mural’s beauty time and time again. As Bartkus explains:
“The drawing itself is created in reverse, and its true form is revealed only in the water’s reflection. I hope that every time people pass by, they will discover something new, because this artwork, like our days in life, is never the same as it was yesterday.”
What do you think about the mural that reveals itself when you look at its reflection in the water?
Login • Instagram
Welcome back to Instagram. Sign in to check out what your friends, family & interests have been capturing & sharing around the world.www.instagram.com
Streets Into a Monster Movie (10 Photos)
Content warning: Which one is your favorite?
From alleyways and abandoned walls to sea rocks and underpasses, these street art masterpieces could be mistaken for stills from horror, sci-fi, or fantasy films. This curated set features massive creatures, eerie presences, and surreal scenarios—all captured in public space with terrifying precision. Here’s how eight artists turned reality into cinema.
More: 14 Powerful Art Pieces Overflowing With Emotion
🧟 1. Grabbed by the Wall — Cheone in Nerviano, Italy
A massive painted figure emerges from the darkness under a bridge, stretching across two pillars to grasp at the real world. The person crawling in front adds to the illusion, making it feel like a scene from a supernatural thriller. More!: 23 Amazing 3D Murals by CHEONE!
🔗 Follow Cheone on Instagram
🦈 2. Shark Attack — Jimmy Swift in Palolem Beach, Goa, India
A hyperrealistic white shark emerges vertically from the sea, painted directly onto a rock. On the right, two swimmers dramatically react, caught mid-scream, adding perfect timing to this movie-like scene. More: 10 photos – Graffiti Artist Jimmy Swift made White Shark out of beach rock
😱 3. Homer Transformed — DavidL in Barcelona, Spain
This warped, monstrous version of Homer Simpson features oversized eyes, dripping teeth, and a horrifying stare. Set in a decayed building, the donut-like tires stacked in front make it even more disturbing. More by DavidL!: 15 Surreal Graffiti Artworks!: From Cookie Monster to Zombie Homer
🔗 Follow DavidL on Instagram
🐝 4. The Bee Is Bigger Than You — By Odeith
A giant, realistic bee is painted on the wall of an empty industrial space. The artist appears to touch it with his brush, creating the illusion that the insect is physically present and ready to react. More!: 19 Jaw-Dropping 3D Graffiti Pieces by Odeith
🔗 Follow Odeith on Instagram
👤 5. Shadow Creature — By SCAF
A monstrous shadow creature is painted stretching from the artist’s feet onto the wall, with glowing red eyes and long clawed fingers. The real man calmly checks his phone—unaware of the beast behind him. More!: 26 Amazing 3D Paintings by SCAF!
🔗 Follow SCAF on Instagram
🐈 6. Smoke Cat on the Wall — By 0331c
A surreal black cat appears to be made of smoke, stretching up the entire height of a building. Its ominous presence towers above a passerby on the street below. More!: Street Art by 0331C – A Collection
🔗 Follow 0331c on Flickr
🐦 7. The Birds
Inspired by Alfred Hitchcock’s The Birds, this stencil mural shows the director’s silhouette dissolving into a chaotic swarm of black birds. It captures suspense and fear with a single static image.
🐍 8. Riding the Snake — SCAF in Lorraine, France
A man appears to ride a massive purple serpent curling up from the ground. The detail in the creature’s scales, expression, and coiled pose turns the scene into a full-blown monster movie fantasy. More!: 26 Amazing 3D Paintings by SCAF!
🔗 Follow SCAF on Instagram
9. Charlie & the Kid — JR’s Mural in Paris, France
Using his signature wheat paste photo style, JR recreates an iconic moment from The Kid, with Charlie Chaplin and the boy peeking from behind a wall. The location—an exposed side of a brick building—makes the illusion striking.
🔗 Follow JR on Instagram
10. The Fisher Girl — Fabian Bane Florin’s Mural in Mons, Belgium
A girl sits peacefully in an orange-framed window, repairing fishing net, surrounded by large sunflowers. The warm light and soft expression create a quiet cinematic moment frozen in paint.
More by Fabian Bane Florin!: Amazing Murals by 3D Master Fabian Bane (7 Photos)
More: 11 Times I Found Street Art Cleverly Using Its Surroundings
Which one is your favorite?
11 Beautiful Artworks That Seem to Grow From Nature
Some artworks don’t just sit in nature—they become part of it. Around the world, artists are crafting sculptures and murals that seamlessly merge with their surroundings, using trees, vines, and landscapes as living elements of their work. These 11 pieces don’t fight against nature; they grow with it.
From giant figures emerging from forests to street art that transforms urban greenery into playful illusions, these eight stunning creations prove that art and nature can exist in perfect harmony.More: 8 Inspiring Sculptures Seamlessly Integrated with Nature
1. “Sleeping Child” by El Decertor (Imbabura, Ecuador)
A mural by El Decertor in Imbabura, Ecuador, depicting a young child sleeping against a concrete wall, with creeping ivy blending into the painting as a natural blanket.
2. “UMI” by Daniel Popper (Illinois, USA)
“UMI” by Daniel Popper at the outdoor tree museum The Morton Arboretum in Illinois, USA—an intricate wooden sculpture of a woman with tree roots weaving through her body, set in a green landscape.About and more photos: “UMI” Sculpture by Daniel Popper in Lisle, Illinois
3. Street Art by David Zinn (Ann Arbor, USA)
A street art piece by David Zinn in Ann Arbor, USA, featuring a small green character with a real grass mustache blending into the pavement.More!: Street Art by Happiness Maker David Zinn (21 Photos)
4. Flower Street Art by Fabio Gomes Trindade (Goiás, Brazil)
A mural by Fabio Gomes Trindade in Goiás, Brazil, featuring a girl’s face with a real tree forming her vibrant pink afro hairstyle.More by Fabio Gomes: How Fábio Gomes Turns Trees into Hair: Stunning Murals in Trindade
5. Sidewalk Flower Experiment
A beautiful example of accidental nature-inspired art—kindergarten children dropped seeds into sidewalk cracks, leading to a spontaneous floral pathway.More photos and about: Kindergarten children dropped seeds in the crack of the sidewalk to see what would happen
6. “Nature Rings” by Spencer Byles (Deep Forest, France)
A series of woven circular sculptures by Spencer Byles made from natural branches, blending seamlessly with the surrounding forest.
7. Willow Archer by Anna & The Willow (UK)
A woven willow sculpture of a female archer by Anna & The Willow, set against a wooded path.
8. Wire Mermaid by Martin Debenham (UK)
A wire sculpture by Martin Debenham of a mermaid sitting on a rock, with the intricate metalwork mimicking flowing water.
9. Snake in the Green — Hyères, France
A plain gray cinderblock wall in a hidden grove was completely transformed into a lifelike snake by street artist Rest4. The viper, rendered in vibrant greens, blues, and yellows, emerges from the shadows of the forest floor. The before-and-after framing reveals the power of imagination to awaken forgotten spaces.
10. Fluentem Colos — Little Milford, Wales
Land artist Jon Foreman created this delicate, wave-like gradient in a woodland clearing using carefully arranged leaves. Starting in green and fading to deep orange, the sculpture blends with the forest floor in color, shape, and motion—appearing to ripple like wind through grass. More by Jon Foreman: 9 Leaf Sculptures That Stir the Soul in the Forest (Art by Jon Foreman)
11. Florinda Camila — “WA” Marko Franco Domenak in Lima, Peru
This creative mural cleverly incorporates a real bougainvillea bush as the hair of a painted woman. A monarch butterfly completes the peaceful scene, adding movement to this blend of paint and nature.🔗 Follow WA on Instagram
More: When Street Art Meets Nature (40 Photos)
Which one is your favorite?
Login • Instagram
Welcome back to Instagram. Sign in to check out what your friends, family & interests have been capturing & sharing around the world.www.instagram.com
Playful Streets (8 Photos)
Content warning: From painted cobblestones in France to a massive cat mural in Russia, these playful interventions turn streets and walls into canvases of humor, surprise, and charm. Each artwork cleverly uses its surroundings — from shadows and railings to everyday mailb
From painted cobblestones in France to a massive cat mural in Russia, these playful interventions turn streets and walls into canvases of humor, surprise, and charm. Each artwork cleverly uses its surroundings — from shadows and railings to everyday mailboxes — to create illusions that make passersby stop and smile.
More!: Absolutely amazing (10 Photos)
1. Rainbow Cobblestones — Le Puy-en-Velay, France
A cobblestone street has been transformed with vibrant paint, each stone filled with bright shades of blue, green, pink, orange, purple, and yellow.
2. Bruce Lee Kick — Oakoak in Saint-Étienne, France
Using a bent railing on a wall, the artist painted Bruce Lee in a yellow jumpsuit delivering a powerful kick that appears to have bent the metal. More!: Wrong but Right: Art By Oakoak (9 Photos)
🔗 Follow Oakoak on Instagram
3. Trompe-l’œil Bowl — Odeith in Portugal
A 3D mural shows a porcelain bowl and spoon with a bird perched on its edge, creating the illusion of depth as though the objects are real. More!: 19 Jaw-Dropping 3D Graffiti Pieces by Odeith
🔗 Follow Odeith on Instagram
4. Hugging the Tree
A painted child in red pants and a striped shirt hugs a real tree that emerges from the wall inside a painted flowerpot.
5. Passing Heart
Two painted silhouettes lean out of window frames, one handing down a red heart while the other reaches up to catch it.
6. Newton’s Apple
A playful stencil on a pole reads “Newt n” with a red painted apple at the bottom, completing the word as a nod to Isaac Newton.
🔗 Follow WOSKerski on Instagram
7. Daily Life in Zeddiani — Vanda Banti in Sardinia, Italy
As part of his “Fake Shadows” series, Damon Belanger painted playful silhouettes on sidewalks in Redwood City, California. This one transforms the shadow of a mailbox into a dinosaur-like monster with sharp teeth. More!: Street Artist painting funny fake shadows to confuse people (20 photos)
🔗 Follow Damon Belanger on Instagram
8. Giant Cat Mural — LexusOne in Nizhny Novgorod, Russia
A striking mural of a cat’s face covers the entire façade of a building. The cat’s piercing green eyes dominate the street, gazing directly at onlookers.
🔗 Follow LexusOne on Instagram
More: Sculptures With True Creativity (10 Photos)
Which one is your favorite?
Absolutely Amazing (12 Photos)
These 12 murals go beyond walls—turning streets, alleys, and facades into unforgettable illusions and emotions. From reflective eyes to 3D rivers to seasonal portraits shaped by real trees, each piece shows why street art is more than just paint. Here’s a collection of works that are absolutely amazing in both craft and placement.
More: Unreal Moments (8 Photos)
1. Girl with Floral Afro — Vinie’s Mural in Paris, France
A playful mural of a girl in denim overalls with her eyes closed and hands in her pockets. Her hair is composed entirely of bright, colorful spheres that blend into the wall, resembling a wild floral afro. The mural uses the corner placement perfectly, extending above pedestrian level into full view. More!: Vinie’s Stunning Murals (25 Photos)🔗 Follow Vinie Graffiti on Instagram
2. Blooming Hair — Fabio Gomes Trindade in Trindade, Brazil
A young girl’s portrait is painted with a calm expression and tilted head, leaning into her hand. Above her, an actual bougainvillea tree is used as her hair, its rich purple flowers forming a natural, voluminous afro. More!: How Fábio Gomes Turns Trees into Hair: Stunning Murals in Trindade (8 Photos)🔗 Follow Fabio Gomes Trindade on Instagram
3. Four Seasons — Tribute to Kora by Bruno Althamer in Warsaw, Poland
Painted by Bruno Althamer as a tribute to Polish rock singer Kora (Olga Jackowska), this mural in Warsaw uniquely incorporates a living tree to form the hair of the portrait. The tree changes with the seasons—lush in summer, blossoming in spring, colorful in autumn, and bare in winter—creating a constantly evolving hairstyle for the mural. More!: Four Seasons Tribute to Kora in Warsaw, Poland🔗 Follow [b]Bruno Althamer on Facebook[/b]
4. Kingfisher — A-MO in Bordeaux, France
This large bird mural is painted directly on the corner of a building, perched realistically above utility boxes. The kingfisher’s feathers are detailed with sharp strokes of blue, orange, and white, giving it a sketched feel.🔗 Follow A-MO on Instagram
5. Reflective Eye — My Dog Sighs in Eccleston, UK
A large, realistic human eye painted on a rough wall with blue and teal splashes radiating from it. The pupil contains a highly detailed reflection of the surrounding landscape and the person taking the photo, emphasizing the interaction between viewer and mural. More!: Eyes That Speak: A Stunning Collection of My Dog Sighs Most Powerful Street Artworks (7 Murals)🔗 Follow My Dog Sighs on Instagram
6. Dream Shelter — By Seth
A mural of a girl with long blue hair, squatting under a colorful structure resembling a giant umbrella with floating cubes and birds. A real person stands beneath it, creating interaction between scale and subject. More!: 34 Murals That Turn Walls Into Wonders: Seth’s Street Art Will Blow Your Mind🔗 Follow Seth Globepainter on Instagram
7. Elderly Kiss — Duek & Fresa Bogota in Tláhuac, Mexico
A mural of an elderly couple sharing an affectionate kiss, painted directly on the facade of a bright blue house. Every wrinkle, detail, and emotion is rendered with care and warmth.🔗 Follow Duek Glez & Fresa Bogotá on Instagram
8. The Gaze — Martín Ron in Buenos Aires, Argentina
A portrait of a woman in a cream-colored cloche hat, painted between two buildings in a narrow courtyard. The mural is monochromatic with soft yellow accents wrapping the figure, and perfectly integrates with the old brick textures. More!: 9 Martín Ron Murals That Redefine Urban Art🔗 Follow Martín Ron on Instagram
9. The Water Carrier — Juandres Vera & Tardor in Riola, Spain
This 3D pavement artwork depicts a woman kneeling beside a stream and scooping water with a bucket. More photos here!🔗 Follow Juandres Vera and [b]TARDOR[/b] on Instagram
10. Horse in the Water — Nikolaj Arndt in Neustadt, Germany
This 3D street art features a brown horse emerging from a puddle, with a woman sitting in front, reaching to touch its face. The optical illusion makes the horse appear lifelike and part of the path.🔗 Follow Nikolaj Arndt on Instagram
11. Boat of Silence — SPURONE in Tampico, Mexico
Created for the Renace Street Art Festival 2025, this mural by SPURONE captures a quiet moment on the water. A man sits in a small boat, while a woman stands at its edge, both lost in thought. The reflections in the painted surface merge with the building’s windows, turning architecture into part of the story — stillness, distance, and memory all floating together beneath a soft light.🔗 Follow SPURONE on Instagram
12. La Guinguette — Patrick Commecy in Brives-Charensac, France
Patrick Commecy’s La Guinguette transforms a narrow building façade into a charming café scene. The painted storefront glows in blue and gold, with a man reading a newspaper at a checkered table, a bartender behind the counter, and a woman leaning from a balcony above. Every detail — from bottles and signs to the flowered window boxes — deepens the illusion of a lively local moment frozen in paint.Patrick Commecy: The era of Saturday night dances, fried food accompanied by the local “Verveine Authentique,” and a nod to Joseph Servant, founder of the Twinning Committee in 1987.
🔗 Visit Patrick Commecy’s website
More: Absolutely Stunning (8 Photos)
Which one is your favorite?
Martin Ron (@ronmuralist) • Instagram photos and videos
349K Followers, 4,070 Following, 1,031 Posts - See Instagram photos and videos from Martin Ron (@ronmuralist)www.instagram.com
oakoak (@oakoak_street_art) • Instagram photos and videos
126K Followers, 305 Following, 862 Posts - See Instagram photos and videos from oakoak (@oakoak_street_art)www.instagram.com