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God is in the details, they say, and they’re not wrong. If you take a closer look, you may find something very surprising… for example, that you are quite an artist.

Today, we take a look at what happens when thanks to pure coincidence, some luck, and a little je ne sais quoi (“I don’t know what” in French), people come up with impressive pieces of unintentional art, from a paint stain that looks like a magic forest which would leave Rembrandt in awe to an accidental drop of paint that probably turned out better than an actual painting ever would.

So below we wrapped up some of the most interesting unintentional “art masterpieces” that are neither quite art nor quite a masterpiece, yet still very impressive. Upvote your favorites as you scroll!

Psst! Don't forget to check out our previous feature with more accidental art.

#1

The Wear And Scuff Marks On This Boat Look Like An Island In The Sea

The Wear And Scuff Marks On This Boat Look Like An Island In The Sea

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    #2

    My Windshield Looked Like A Watercolour

    My Windshield Looked Like A Watercolour

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    DustTea
    Community Member
    1 year ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Anything rain touches is art (Edit: that wasn’t meant to be so poetic but thanks lol)

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    Interestingly, accidental art is not a new concept born on online forums and cultivated by various subreddits. The idea that art can stem from something completely unintentional can be traced back to Leonardo Da Vinci, who, scientists claim, gave some interesting advice to an artist struggling from creative block.

    Christopher Turner, a British writer and art historian, quotes Da Vinci in an essay published on Tate: “If you look upon an old wall covered with dirt, or the odd appearance of some streaked stones, you may discover several things like landscapes, battles, clouds, uncommon attitudes, humorous faces, draperies, etc. Out of this confused mass of objects, the mind will be furnished with an abundance of designs and subjects perfectly new.”

    #4

    Broken Plate

    Broken Plate

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    Lorraine
    Community Member
    8 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I'm a woman and I not only understand, I share the excitement.

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    #5

    Rust Formed On This Old Spool Of Wire In One Of The Coolest Ways I've Ever Seen

    Rust Formed On This Old Spool Of Wire In One Of The Coolest Ways I've Ever Seen

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    This fresh idea proposed by Da Vinci, Turner argues, encouraged the viewer to search for hidden meaning in chaos. “It referred back to myths about the origin of art in accidental shapes. In De Statua, Leon Battista Alberti supposed that artistic imitation emerged when our ancestors came across a gnarled tree trunk or a piece of clay, whose contours ‘needed only a slight change’ to look strikingly like something else.”

    #7

    I Took A Picture Of This Strange Lighting Under A Bridge At The San Antonio River Walk

    I Took A Picture Of This Strange Lighting Under A Bridge At The San Antonio River Walk

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    #8

    The Way This Car Froze

    The Way This Car Froze

    LAINKORNE Report

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    Cindy Cole
    Community Member
    1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    When this happened on our windows my grandmother would say, "Jack Frost has been here!"

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    #9

    Pigeon Poops Portrait Of Itself On A Leaf

    Pigeon Poops Portrait Of Itself On A Leaf

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    The artists were mesmerized by the idea that natural artifacts and nature as a whole can be full of artistic readymades, “if only you are patient enough to look for them."

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    Throughout the years, for artists and historians alike, accidental artistic gestures like stains or blots offered a new mode of interpretation. “The meaningless stain, which invites the universal urge to project meaning, is the humble stage on which all arguments about art are rehearsed,” Turner concludes.

    #10

    I Snapped A Photo Of My Dog Through A Window Screen That Looks Like An Old Painting

    I Snapped A Photo Of My Dog Through A Window Screen That Looks Like An Old Painting

    PhatWalda Report

    #11

    Old One From When I Worked At Lowe’s

    Old One From When I Worked At Lowe’s

    Wikeni Report

    #13

    Picture Of My Cat Through A Screen Door Makes It Look Like He's Painted On Canvas

    Picture Of My Cat Through A Screen Door Makes It Look Like He's Painted On Canvas

    -SkeptiCat Report

    #14

    These Clouds Look Like A Child’s Drawing Of Waves

    These Clouds Look Like A Child’s Drawing Of Waves

    SpencerLass Report

    #15

    I Took A Picture Of Sidewalk Chalk On A Tire

    I Took A Picture Of Sidewalk Chalk On A Tire

    whatup-my-glip-glops Report

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    #16

    The Way The Oil And Rain Created This Electric Masterpiece

    The Way The Oil And Rain Created This Electric Masterpiece

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    #17

    The Reflection Of These Sticks Makes Interesting Shapes

    The Reflection Of These Sticks Makes Interesting Shapes

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    #18

    At First, I Thought This Was Mosaic Tile Until I Got Closer And Found It Has Been In The Sun Too Long

    At First, I Thought This Was Mosaic Tile Until I Got Closer And Found It Has Been In The Sun Too Long

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    Ronstantin
    Community Member
    1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    It's a piece of the famous Chinese artist "Sun Too Long" (I'll see myself out …}

    John
    Community Member
    1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I'd cover that in epoxy and use it! It looks really cool.

    Geordie Girl
    Community Member
    1 year ago

    This comment has been deleted.

    Amberlie Mikelsen
    Community Member
    1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Dude, guarantee you that businesses wouldn't get in trouble for actually doing a mosaic tile for these signs on their buildings/restroom/dressing room areas (true, said business would actually have to have a handicap accessible restroom/dressing room, but still)

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    #19

    This Rusty Lock Gate Looks Like A Painting

    This Rusty Lock Gate Looks Like A Painting

    rOlFmaIeR Report

    #21

    Accidentally Created A Porcupine By Pouring Instant Coffee Over An Americano

    Accidentally Created A Porcupine By Pouring Instant Coffee Over An Americano

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    #23

    The Window Of This House I Rented Looks Like A Painting

    The Window Of This House I Rented Looks Like A Painting

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    #24

    I Found A Cat On My Paint Palette

    I Found A Cat On My Paint Palette

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    #25

    A Clock In A Server Room Where I Work Is Accidental Modern Art

    A Clock In A Server Room Where I Work Is Accidental Modern Art

    liamski1902 Report

    #26

    The Way The Soap Bubbles Look Floating Over A Wire Basket

    The Way The Soap Bubbles Look Floating Over A Wire Basket

    diarmada Report

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    AutumnSong2009
    Community Member
    1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    It’s like those science videos that show you your cells but they’re disco balls

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    #28

    The Way The Mud Froze On My Truck Looks Like A Painting Of The Forest

    The Way The Mud Froze On My Truck Looks Like A Painting Of The Forest

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    Bec
    Community Member
    1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    At first, I thought I was supposed to be seeing something in the circle 😂

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    #29

    Work Of Art Created By A Small Overnight Leak Of Insulating Foam

    Work Of Art Created By A Small Overnight Leak Of Insulating Foam

    War_gasmic Report

    #31

    Countless Hours Of Wind Moved The Chains To Get This Piece Of Art

    Countless Hours Of Wind Moved The Chains To Get This Piece Of Art

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    #33

    I Dropped Some Coffee And It Looks Like A Bird

    I Dropped Some Coffee And It Looks Like A Bird

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    #34

    My Dirty Coffee Cup Looks Like A Pine Forest

    My Dirty Coffee Cup Looks Like A Pine Forest

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    #36

    How The Sunlight Reflects Off The Wall From The Vase

    How The Sunlight Reflects Off The Wall From The Vase

    supertrooper74 Report

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    Sawdust
    Community Member
    1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Looks like a map of an old European city. Maybe there's a spot to mark a hidden treasure. :-)

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    #37

    Natural Shell That Looks Like Someone Sketched A Mountain Range On It

    Natural Shell That Looks Like Someone Sketched A Mountain Range On It

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    Sarinz
    Community Member
    1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    This is a conus. Please be aware that it's highly venomous (if it's alive, of course).

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    #40

    Pattern On This Tree Stump Looks Kinda Like The "Starry Night" Painting

    Pattern On This Tree Stump Looks Kinda Like The "Starry Night" Painting

    grumpytogepi Report

    #41

    This Smudge On My Glasses Looks Like A Mountain

    This Smudge On My Glasses Looks Like A Mountain

    BringDat_Camelbak Report

    #42

    The Way The Paint Dried In This Old Bottle Looks Like A Tidal Wave

    The Way The Paint Dried In This Old Bottle Looks Like A Tidal Wave

    Epotheros Report

    #43

    The Way This Glass Shattered

    The Way This Glass Shattered

    cubventure Report

    #44

    Fireworks Reflection Off My Car

    Fireworks Reflection Off My Car

    peterpeterny Report

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    A_Cat_To_The_Past
    Community Member
    1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I thought a bird got explosive diarrhea for a second and I was like you have lot of cleaning to do...

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    #45

    This Happened When I Went To Spread Margarine On My Toast

    This Happened When I Went To Spread Margarine On My Toast

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    #46

    I Accidentally Left A Bowl Of Beet Juice On The Counter And The Top Layer Rippled

    I Accidentally Left A Bowl Of Beet Juice On The Counter And The Top Layer Rippled

    ThePhantomDullbooth Report

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    #48

    Our Paint Can Broke Last Night And Dried In A Really Fun Way

    Our Paint Can Broke Last Night And Dried In A Really Fun Way

    Mizayo Report

    #49

    My Suction-Packed Embroidery Thread Looks Like A Modern Art Piece

    My Suction-Packed Embroidery Thread Looks Like A Modern Art Piece

    a-manda_hugandkiss Report

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    KLo
    Community Member
    1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I see a boy sitting, an old lady wearing an apron, a brown dog looking at the boy, a goose, standing tall and beautiful multicolor flowers

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    #50

    I Inadvertently Made A Duck While Tinting Paint At Work

    I Inadvertently Made A Duck While Tinting Paint At Work

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    Note: this post originally had 98 images. It’s been shortened to the top 50 images based on user votes.