You’ve probably seen wood artists carve impressive sculptures out of giant logs, be it with a chainsaw or hammer and chisel, but you probably haven’t seen anything quite like what Spanish artist Gerard Mas is capable of.

By tirelessly chiselling away at logs cut from mature tree trunks then smoothing out his artworks with fine sandpaper, Gerard Mas is able to produce these almost perfect animal sculptures that literally look like photos of living creatures. And as if his works weren’t impressive enough, the dark tones used to expertly recreate the fur of a doberman or the black snout of a German shepherd are achieved only by charring the wood with an open flame. The results are simply breathtaking.

Photo © Gerard Mas

Mas is mostly known for creating a series of playful sculptures of Rennaissance-era protagonists doing silly modern things like blowing bubblegum bubbles, sucking on lollipops, or sporting piercings and tattoos. They’re really impressive as well, but it’s his animal sculptures that really blow your mind in terms of realism.

For more of Gerard Mas’ amazing sculptures, check out his Instagram.