Abandoned buildings find new life through Scaf‘s hyperrealistic murals. The self-taught French artist seeks out unconventional places to adorn with his amazing depictions, which range from massive animals to recognizable cartoon characters.
Although it is hard to grasp the effect in just one photograph, all of Scaf’s murals are rendered two-dimensional. But through perspective and light and shading, he manages to create the illusion that these figures are not just painted on top of a flat surface but standing in front of it or on it. To prove their realism, Scaf oftentimes poses alongside his finished works so that viewers can make sense of what is 3D and what is not.
The locations for Scaf’s art vary but are almost always situated in neglected places, such as a factory, house, and even unused pools. Once he gets to work, however, the walls quickly change into portals for lifesize characters to appear. In some of his pieces, it looks as though a dragon’s head is emerging from a darkened cavern, or an enormous alligator is exiting from a fiery archway.
You can purchase prints of Scaf’s art through his online shop, and keep up to date with his latest projects by following the artist’s Instagram.