Dutch artist Stephan Brusche is an expert when it comes to transforming humble bananas into stunning artworks. The 37-year-old graphic designer carves the skin and flesh of the fruit to transform it into a variety of characters and animals – right from Marilyn Monroe and Homer Simpson to cute animals like giraffes, elephants or fish, and even biblical scenes.

Stephan says he began working with bananas on a whim. “It all started a few years back when I just started using Instagram. I was at work and I just wanted to post something,” he told the guys at Bored Panda. “I then noticed my banana and I figured it would make a nice post if I just drew a little happy face on it. I took a ballpoint pen and just started drawing. I was pretty amazed how pleasant a banana peel is to draw on. So the next day I did it again, now a pissed-off face.”

Once he mastered the art of drawing on the peel, Stephan then progressed to more complicated techniques. “After that I tried to come up with new ideas for drawings while using the shape of the banana in all kinds of clever ways,” he explained. “Trying to keep pushing myself I eventually started to carve in the banana peel as well.”

Stephan posts photographs of his work on Instagram, where he has over 15,000 followers. He said that he never expected his work to become so popular. Inspired by the positive response, he is now all set to release his first book,Fruitdoodles, which carries photographs of his first 50 creations.

Stephan revealed that through his banana-art, he tries to show the things that he cares about or likes the most. He says that he doesn’t have a real agenda, it’s mostly fun as he goes with whatever idea pops into his head when he eyes a banana. He did say that his immediate goal is to make more Bible Bananas, “just to show how fascinating the book is.”

For more banana art, be sure to check the works of Keisuke Yamada, who uses toothpicks and a spoon to sculpt the fruit, and the amazing banana tattoos of End Cape and Honey.