I paint optical illusions on my face with makeup – Europeans give me side-eye but Americans are open to weirdness
A MAKEUP artist has taken her skills a step further by creating jaw-dropping optical illusions on her face.
She admitted that Europeans aren’t the biggest fans of her artwork, but Americans appreciate her talent.
Mimi Choi of Mimi Choi Makeup Artistry (@mimles) went viral online for her creative designs.
With over two million followers on Instagram, her mind-boggling facial art makes people stop and stare.
The 39-year-old spoke to The U.S. Sun about her artistic training and transition to optical illusions while sharing some of her makeup tricks.
REAL REACTIONS
Choi shared that people regularly do a double take when they see her work, but their reactions vary.
“Most feedback that I’ve gotten is positive but I have been told in the past that my art is too dark or even evil,” she said.
Choi explained that their words don’t bother her because “everyone is entitled to their opinion,” and people can feel how they want to when they look at her art.
“In North America, I find people are more receptive to this kind of weirdness,” she said.
“I remember walking through Times Square on my way to my hotel and people would stop me for photos and interact positively with me. I suppose I blended in with all of the other characters.”
In Europe, it’s a different story.
“I found that people would side-eye me and try to avoid eye contact,” she said.
There have been instances when she has been caught with her avant-garde looks in public, but Choi said it was “out of necessity” not because she looking for a reaction.
“I’ve had to walk back to my hotel with my makeup on after shows and masterclasses,” she explained.
“Also, because my looks can take so long to complete, I often start painting in my hotel room before going on set, so there are times when I have to go out with my face painted.”
BEAUTY BACKGROUND
Choi said that she has always been a creative person and has always had an interest in fashion and drawing as well.
“I never considered art or makeup as a career until I was around 28 years old when I was a Montessori preschool teacher,” she said.
She admitted that she was in a “creative rut” because she had to dress and act a certain way in front of her young students.
“I found myself painting designs on my nails late at night as an escape. It wasn’t until my mother asked me if I was truly happy with my career path did I consider makeup school,” she said.
With the encouragement and support of her family, she decided to pursue her passion and enroll at the Blanche Macdonald Center in Vancouver, Canada.
OPTICAL ILLUSION ART START
Choi’s transition from traditional makeup to facial optical illusion art all started with a Halloween costume.
“In my first month as a makeup school student, I decided to attempt a simple cracked face illusion look for Halloween,” she explained.
I use a lot of different black paints to create different levels of depth in my looks.
Mimi Choi
“I posted the look on social media and received a lot of positive feedback which encouraged me to further explore the genre.”
Since then, her portfolio has evolved into what it is today.
“Each one of my illusions is special to me because all of them have connections to my life experiences, emotions, and memories,” she said.
“However, my multiple-feature looks are particularly meaningful as this style of art jump-started my career back in 2014,” she added.
Choi explained that her broken porcelain Kintsugi look is one of her favorites.
“It was inspired by my childhood memories with my grandfather who inspired me creatively,” she explained.
PRODUCTION PICKS
To create her facial art, Choi said she uses a mix of regular cosmetics, professional body and face paints, makeup brushes, and art brushes.
My looks can take anywhere between two to ten hours to complete depending on their size and level of detail.
Mimi Choi
“I use a lot of different black paints to create different levels of depth in my looks. Matte gel liners, eyeshadows, and liquid liners are all very important in my work,” she said.
She added that they help her achieve the desired depth and 3D effect.
“My looks can take anywhere between two to ten hours to complete depending on their size and level of detail,” Choi said.
In addition to the actual painting process, she photographs, records, and edits her work, which can add another several hours to each project.
Sometimes she is so worn out, that she takes naps with her makeup still on.
“Overall my art has been well received online and any negativity has been few and far between,” she said.
“I love interacting with my followers in the comments section and am thankful that social media has spread my work across the globe and opened doors for me.”