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Woman Gives Up Teaching To Create Optical Illusions With Makeup, And It’s Messing With Our Minds
Makeup is usually used for slightly adjusting the everyday look but some actually realize its true potential. Mimi Choi from Vancouver, Canada is one of them. She is a 31-year-old makeup artist who creates intense hyperreal optical illusions, and her amazing work has earned Mimi 274,000 followers on Instagram.
Before discovering makeup art, Mimi trained as a teacher and worked in a pre-school for three years. "I felt like my creativity was suppressed. I enjoyed teaching but I wasn't completely happy," she said. "I needed a new challenge." After leaving the classroom, she started experimenting with her makeup brushes at home.
"I've always been arty and had done bridal makeup before, which people really liked. I'd not done anything as crazy as the work I do now, though." Enrolling at a local beauty college really helped Mimi to take her skills to new heights. But things really took off when Halloween was just around the corner. "I wanted to do something different for October 31, so I had a look on Instagram and found a photo of a woman, who looked like her face had cracked."
"I'd never tried any kind of crazy make-up on myself, but I just got out my black and white eyeliner and gave it a go." And the rest is history.
Choi creates her mind-blowing work through masterfully understanding perspective, creating three dimensionality on a flat surface. She manipulates makeup like an artist uses his paint and places shadows onto her body to make her skin either pop out or recede back into the body.
More info: Instagram (h/t: mmm)
This post may include affiliate links.
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Sorai Jordan 7 years ago
someone wrote something about nightmares in the comments before this pic, but I think... this pic here is worst. worst, but best. very nicely done
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Luna Kittenwarrior 7 years ago
Forget my last comment: THIS looks like the girl from the opening scene of Botched.
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Hillary Rossell 7 years ago
If I were her, I'd go out in public and act as if nothing were unusual.
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Sorai Jordan 7 years ago
that's incredibly creative! it's disturbing, but funny at the same time
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Janette Murray 7 years ago
While these are different and get your attention, there is no doubt this lady is loaded with talent. A consummate artist indeed, and why not use the face as a canvas? Most impressive.
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What do you think ?
N G 7 years ago
WOW - these are amazing, i wouldn't want to meet any of these girls on a dark night
Tee Peterson 7 years ago
DAMN!!!! Please tell me you do this professionally!?!!! You are scary talented!
Alusair Alustriel 7 years ago
Wow, super creepy, realistic, great job. Can definately give one hibbie-jibbies.
Sondre Strøm Linde 7 years ago
Holy s**t, these are crazy good!! (I realize someone already said crazy good, but damn, they are crazy good!)
Margie Lazou 7 years ago
Have you tried sending your portfolio over to some horror movie production companies? I think they'd be very interested.
Maggie Collins 7 years ago
VERY talented! You need to send your portfolio to AMERICAN HORROR STORY they would be fools not to hire you. Or even FACE OFF the reality show on SciFi channel. You are an amazing talent, hope you go very far!
Andrew Cas 7 years ago
Awesome just awesome! what's next for art can only imagine what the future brings :)
Linda Morris Eugene 7 years ago
Unbelievable I wish I could use makes up to make my self look 30 yrs younger she probably could do that . What's her number!!!!
Shari Goldsberry 7 years ago
She has a part of a Steven King personality but her work speaks for it self. Good Job!
Spooky Boo (Why Google Why???) 7 years ago
These are great! I can't even make a skull face. lol
Amy Wiggans 7 years ago
This person is disturbed. Why would you want to distort a face like this?
MissKingdom VII 7 years ago
It took me far too long to figure out how she did #2. LOL These are AMAZING!
Chris Jones 7 years ago
I would like to work with them, but I rather not do it drunk or under the influence of anything.
Michael Cowan 7 years ago
It only looks good from a specific angle in the front .. can't walk around with it on and get the effect
Nairad Znaes 7 years ago
These are all photoshopped except that ones that actually do loo like they were done with makeup....
TheReader19 7 years ago
Love this girl, she does some snazzy (are people still aloud to say this, I'm over forty) work. Mind boggling!
Linda Chan 7 years ago
creepy and amazing! I love how some of them, the blacks are so dark that even the shadows of her face disappear. Some, the 'eyes' are so real I have to actually find which are her real eyes by position.
Melody Reid 7 years ago
Unreal! I wonder what she dreams about at night. Probably the best surreal make-up ever!
sexy_scorpio_3MD 7 years ago
The ones that are actual optical illusions are awesome!! The other ones that are like halloween-esque type of make-up looks are not bad but definitely prefer her illusion work more!
Lisa Greene 7 years ago
I've seen many face painters before. But the fact that she can do this so well in herself is amazing! She's talented, creative and I'd love to see her in Face Off, I think she'd win!
Amanda Harker 7 years ago
These are amazing, she's got a great eye for detail. The psychologist in me can't help but be worried about what is going on in her head to think up such weird images.
Melody Lanzatella 7 years ago
You are the most talented I have ever seen! You have an INCREDIBLE career and life ahead of you young lady! How long has the most difficult one taken you?? And which one was it?
Valentine Ganseman 7 years ago
This is so wrong! My mind is lost! Really incredible, creepy and realistic make up
N G 7 years ago
WOW - these are amazing, i wouldn't want to meet any of these girls on a dark night
Tee Peterson 7 years ago
DAMN!!!! Please tell me you do this professionally!?!!! You are scary talented!
Alusair Alustriel 7 years ago
Wow, super creepy, realistic, great job. Can definately give one hibbie-jibbies.
Sondre Strøm Linde 7 years ago
Holy s**t, these are crazy good!! (I realize someone already said crazy good, but damn, they are crazy good!)
Margie Lazou 7 years ago
Have you tried sending your portfolio over to some horror movie production companies? I think they'd be very interested.
Maggie Collins 7 years ago
VERY talented! You need to send your portfolio to AMERICAN HORROR STORY they would be fools not to hire you. Or even FACE OFF the reality show on SciFi channel. You are an amazing talent, hope you go very far!
Andrew Cas 7 years ago
Awesome just awesome! what's next for art can only imagine what the future brings :)
Linda Morris Eugene 7 years ago
Unbelievable I wish I could use makes up to make my self look 30 yrs younger she probably could do that . What's her number!!!!
Shari Goldsberry 7 years ago
She has a part of a Steven King personality but her work speaks for it self. Good Job!
Spooky Boo (Why Google Why???) 7 years ago
These are great! I can't even make a skull face. lol
Amy Wiggans 7 years ago
This person is disturbed. Why would you want to distort a face like this?
MissKingdom VII 7 years ago
It took me far too long to figure out how she did #2. LOL These are AMAZING!
Chris Jones 7 years ago
I would like to work with them, but I rather not do it drunk or under the influence of anything.
Michael Cowan 7 years ago
It only looks good from a specific angle in the front .. can't walk around with it on and get the effect
Nairad Znaes 7 years ago
These are all photoshopped except that ones that actually do loo like they were done with makeup....
TheReader19 7 years ago
Love this girl, she does some snazzy (are people still aloud to say this, I'm over forty) work. Mind boggling!
Linda Chan 7 years ago
creepy and amazing! I love how some of them, the blacks are so dark that even the shadows of her face disappear. Some, the 'eyes' are so real I have to actually find which are her real eyes by position.
Melody Reid 7 years ago
Unreal! I wonder what she dreams about at night. Probably the best surreal make-up ever!
sexy_scorpio_3MD 7 years ago
The ones that are actual optical illusions are awesome!! The other ones that are like halloween-esque type of make-up looks are not bad but definitely prefer her illusion work more!
Lisa Greene 7 years ago
I've seen many face painters before. But the fact that she can do this so well in herself is amazing! She's talented, creative and I'd love to see her in Face Off, I think she'd win!
Amanda Harker 7 years ago
These are amazing, she's got a great eye for detail. The psychologist in me can't help but be worried about what is going on in her head to think up such weird images.
Melody Lanzatella 7 years ago
You are the most talented I have ever seen! You have an INCREDIBLE career and life ahead of you young lady! How long has the most difficult one taken you?? And which one was it?
Valentine Ganseman 7 years ago
This is so wrong! My mind is lost! Really incredible, creepy and realistic make up
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