Artist paints amazing mini masterpieces on butterflies, snail shells, pasta and even plant spikes

(Source: Dailymail)

Butterfly aficionados might have trouble identifying this species - on account of its rather unusual markings.

Closer examination of its wings reveals tiny birds soaring above minarets while men dressed in white row down a river.

The scene is Istanbul, the painter is Hasan Kale... and the butterfly is his canvas.

In fact, he can paint his intricate miniature masterpieces on the wings of any taxidermied insect.
 

Hasan Kale uses a variety of unusual canvases on which to paint his miniature marvels, including taxidermied butterflies
 
The 53-year-old from Turkey has here used a snail shell to create a scene of his beloved Istanbul
 
Even a plant spike can be used to illustrate his city, as shown above
 
Hasan, who has been working in miniature since the 1980s, also paints on pasta shells and seeds
 
Birds soar above the minarets of Istanbul in another painstakingly crafted piece of art
 
And he has no need for a wooden board on which to mix colours - he just uses his finger as a palette
 
Among his other 'materials' are lemon peel, lumps of sugar and grains of rice
 
A painted butterfly is seen with one of the fine-precision tools of Hasan's trade
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