Some makeup artists have taken the art of transformation to an astonishing level. Using foundation, contouring, shading, color, and carefully placed lines, they can make their own faces resemble famous celebrities, fictional characters, and even subjects from centuries-old paintings. The results can look almost unbelievable—but the illusion is created with makeup rather than digital effects.

One of the most famous examples is He Yuhong, also known online as Yuyamika, a Chinese beauty creator from Chongqing. She became internationally known for recreating famous faces and paintings directly on her own face. Her transformations have included the Mona Lisa, Girl with a Pearl Earring, Johnny Depp, Taylor Swift, and Scarlett Johansson. Some of her intricate looks can take hours as she carefully builds shadows and highlights to create the illusion of completely different facial features.

Another transformation artist is Promise Tamang, often called the “human chameleon.” She became popular for using makeup to recreate celebrities and pop-culture characters, including Angelina Jolie, Ed Sheeran, Bratz dolls, and Sailor Moon. Her technique relies heavily on dramatic contouring, reshaping the appearance of the eyes, and carefully changing the proportions of her face.

Italian artist Lucia Pittalis takes a somewhat different approach, using portrait-painting techniques and greasepaint to transform herself into recognizable characters and celebrities. Her recreations have included Al Pacino as Tony Montana, Sylvester Stallone as Rambo, Iggy Pop, and Walter White from Breaking Bad. Their work demonstrates just how powerful makeup can be: with enough skill, lighting, and attention to detail, the human face can become an incredibly convincing canvas.