Art: Keng Lye's incredible 3D paintings made using painted layers of resin

There are only so many times a parent can use the “having a pet is hard work” line before they cave in to the beseeching eyes (or screaming mouth) of their young child – that’s when they resort to a goldfish and so ensues the tragic flushing of hundreds of goldfish all over the world. It’s an epidemic, but we’ve found the perfect solution: Keng Lye.

This Singapore-based artist has managed to use a combination of acrylic paint and resin to effectively 3D print any water-dwelling creature imaginable. The process to create them, however, is complex. Based on the techniques of Japanese artist Riusuke Fukahori, the creatures are built slowly by painting different sections of their bodies onto multiple layers of resin, this layering gives them a depth flat images can only dream of.

Keng adds a further step to this process by involving more components. The curve of the turtles’ shells are formed over eggshells and pebbles are the base for the octopus’ head. This way, he says, his aquarium of critters maintain their 3D impact from any angle. If things keep going at this rate, he’ll have them swimming around soon!