Diego Gravinese is one of the best photorealistic painters in the world. He’s not just technically gifted, but his images are like freeze-frames from the TiVos of our lives — a quick hit of the pause button to capture a passing moment just as it was, forever. But taken out of context, there are endless stories to tell about each, which only adds to our admiration of the Argentinian painter.

Here’s a look at his process. This first image is the painting within the painting.

Next, a photograph that will eventually become the basis for the finished work.

And here, the finished piece, a painting within a painting. If Charlie Kaufman were a painter, he’d be Diego Gravenese.

Here’s more of Gravinese’s work:

Cometa

Gaby

Architecture in Perth

Mimesis

Better Living Through Chemistry

All Smiles

Bs. As. I Used to Love That Suicide World

In Jessicaland

For more on Diego Gravinese and his process, check out his Flickr set.

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