When it comes to hyperrealistic airbrushed portraits, you’ll have a tough time finding better works than those of South Carolina artist Dru Blair. His amazing paintings are virtually indistinguishable from photos.

Dru Blair first picked up the airbrush while working on his Master’s degree at the University of South Carolina, and spent several summers after that painting T-shirts in Myrtle Beach. Later, he worked as a freelance illustrator for several ad agencies and painted many novel covers, before developing an interest in techniques like photorealism, trompe l’oeil illusionism, faux finishing, and color theory. Today, he creates some of the most realistic airbrush portraits and teaches the secrets of the trade to other interested artists at his art school, aptly named School of Realism.

Photo: Dru Blair