Who said don't play with your food? Artist creates amazing animal sculptures out of vegetables
- Vanessa Dualib has spent four years crafting animals out of various foods
- Collection includes an elephant carved out of potatoes - complete with tusks
- Photographer has 120 food art images to date - with the project still ongoing
Most people are taught from a young age not to play with their food but one woman has turned the naughty habit into art.
Vanessa Dualib, 32, has spent four years crafting a range of animals out of various vegetables and fruits in her Sao Paulo studio in Brazil.
They include a friendly elephant carved out of potatoes and a red snake shaped out of a chillies.
Potty: An elephant has been carved out of potatoes by artist Vanessa Dualib at her studio in Sao Paulo, Brazil
To pea or not to pea: A Shakespearean actor has been crafted out of pea pods and okra, pictured left, while artist 'peacasso' sits down to paint a peatrait, pictured right
Giving spice some life: A scorpion has been put together out of a couple of chilli peppers
Other creations are a breaching killer whale made from aubergine, fish crafted from pineapple and a pepper scorpion.
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Vanessa, a photographer, has made over 120 images to date, with the project still ongoing.
She said: 'I see a fruit or vegetable that reminds me of an animal.
'After that I carve some of the details, add the googly eyes and take the shot.
Spicing things up: A red snake made out of two chilli peppers forms part of an unusual collection of food animals made by Ms Dualib
Rooting out inspiration: A red lobster made from sweet potatoes looks at home on a vegetable sea bed, pictured left, while a monster has been carved out of a root vegetable, pictured right
Sprouting wings: A dragonfly made out of peas and mange tout by artist Vanessa Dualib in Sao Paulo, Brazil
Long time in the making: A white moray eel has been carved out of a banana as part of an art project it has taken Vanessa Dualib four years to complete
Gold fish bowls: 'My proposal is always to try to challenge the perception of whoever is looking at my creations', Vanessa Dualib says
'I then sometimes create a backdrop scene in Photoshop to go better with the story I am trying to tell.
'I keep adding more almost on a weekly basis. Whenever I have the some spare time, I am working on this.'
Vanessa set upon the idea after deciding to combine her three favourite things - photography, food and humour.
She added: 'It can be quite challenging sometimes, but always in a good way.
May the force be with you: A Star Wars scene with Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader recreated out of carrots
Sea food: A blowfish swims towards a fishing hook also made out of fruit in this scene created by Vanessa Dualib
Varied: Vanessa Dualib made this vole out of yam, pictured left, and a hippopotamus out of potatoes, right
Good enough to eat: A llama carved out of cheddar cheese with a grated cheese fur coat
'I work with a raw, perishable "media". And my proposal is always to try to challenge the perception of whoever is looking at my creations.
'The reaction has always been very, very positive. At the beginning this was a great surprise and one of the things that kept me working on this project.
'Somehow, I felt my work and my humour where able to lighten up the day of people I never met and probably never will.'
Vanessa has since created a book titled Brincando com a Comida - 'Playing with Food' - showcasing 52 of my creations.
Living the lime life: Five exotic fruits enjoy tequila shots in a scene called 'limes gone wild'
Jurassic art: A dinosaur created out of several sweet red potatoes by Vanessa Dualib
Having a whale of a time: A killer whale made out of a single aubergine leaps into the air in this water scene
A beetroot has been transformed into an octopus with the simply addition of eyes and a carved mouth
Setting the scene: A police line-up made out of a selection of aubergines by artist Vanessa Dualib
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