Watch: You’ve Never Seen Tattoos Move Like This Before

No matter the situation, projection mapping typically yields results that are simply stunning. We know that a projector is simply displaying a video onto the surface of something, but the dimension of the objects receiving the projection somehow add an amazing amount of life to the motions.

Typically, we see things projected onto stationary and inanimate objects. Buildings come alive with the help of talented artists and powerful projectors, even cakes have been known to get the treatment. This stunning example really stretches the capabilities of the art form by creating the illusion of tattoos coming to life.

The group called Oskar & Gaspar are projection mapping gurus. They’ve done all kinds of impressive videos, slinging light in a multitude of ways. This latest demonstration, set at a viewing party, takes models with already impressive artwork to a new dimension. They accentuate the tattoos in a number of ways from simply illuminating them to having them wake up and look around the room.

For this illusion to work, the model has to remain absolutely still. Any tiny movement can throw off the perspective and scale of the projection, ruining the illusion. In the video above you can see how difficult this is, but they really managed to pull it off.

I really enjoyed this video because it looks like the artists attempted to experiment with many different effects. They didn’t just grab on to one method that works and stick with it. They really experimented with different ways of thinking about augmenting a tattoo. In one case they expanded the tattoos onto parts of the body where there were none previous and the illusion was fantastic, leaving me unable to tell what was real and what was not. That is quite a feat!

[Via PopSugar]