Life is full of art, and while one might think of it as a strictly human activity, nature would have to disagree. Art has thousands of forms that take shape in movement, expression, colors, and textures. Let’ not forget about light and shadow as well.
Although humans are known for manipulating these characteristics to create their own mind-bending images, really they’re just taking their cues from the world around them. Inspiration can be found just about anywhere. All one has to do is open their minds to see that nature has no distinct medium.
Nature can take something as mundane as a cup of coffee and transforms it into a surprising morning masterpiece. Intermingling the laws of physics with elemental forces, nearly anything from dirt to ice, to unmixed paint, all can be transformed into a work of art. Sometimes, these accidental artworks outshine the intentional ones, but as they say; beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
1. “Morning Frost Looks Like It’s Painted”
A natural accidental masterpiece. After Jack Frost froze leaves and sticks to the deck, they were blown away and revealed this amazing work of art. No painstakingly sticking silhouettes and rolling on paint here, Nature works its magic with ease.
2. “Oranges Photographed Through The Glass Panes Of A Greenhouse”
If we didn’t have an explanation, we would totally think this was a painting. It’s amazing how texture combines with light and shadow here to create this beautiful image. The beveled glass casts shadows so perfectly, it looks like brush strokes.
3. “A Rock Created Bird Shaped Window Art On My Car”
Generally, when you’re driving down the highway and get a rock chip in your window, it’s not a good thing. Fortunately, this Reddit user knows the value of positive perception. Instead of flying off the handle, she appreciated the impromptu carving of a bird in flight on her window.
4. “Something Bumped Against A Wall At Work And Made A Painting Of A Snowy Town”
The next time you’re moving furniture and scuff the wall, take a closer look before you get frustrated. Accidental art can show up just about anywhere! Just check out this snowcapped tiny-town that appears to be hovering in mid-air, for example. Now passersby have a sweet little mural to ponder as they go about their business.
5. “This Colony Of Moss Growing Inside A Bike Seat”
One man’s junk is Mother Nature’s treasure, as seen in this photo. Who knew a cracked bike seat could be so beautiful. The moss growing in on the sides leaves just the smallest of gaps over the vinyl bottom of the seat, making it look like a forested embankment sloping down around a deep lake.
6. “Mud Spatters On The Car Window Created An Accidental Monet On My Friend’s Outback Road Trip”
Before you wash the mud off of your car after a day of wheeling, make sure you aren’t missing out on a unique photo-op. The clouded blue skies hovering over the trees and shrubs are picturesque as it is. Get behind a window layered in mud splatters though, and it becomes a million dollar Monet!
7. “After I Poured Milk Into My Coffee, I Found Snoopy On The Doghouse Under The Moon”
Always keep an eye out for familiar shapes and faces. They can crop up in the oddest of places, including your morning coffee. You never know, for instance, when you’re going to see one of your childhood favorite cartoons characters looking up from his house at the night sky.
8. “Volcanic Explosion On A Lid”
This one should be titled: When your bucket of paint has ideas of its own. The black paint slowly drifting over a tilted lid inspired an ominous image of a rupturing volcano. Let’s just hope it’s not a sign of times to come.
9. “The Swirls On This Log”
Maybe this is where Van Gogh got his inspiration from. The swirling knots on this decaying log looks like it came right out of “Starry Night”. Slap some golds and greens in there and you will have a 3-D rendition of the priceless masterpiece.
10. “A Tree Pattern Inside A Tree”
It’s amazing how Nature’s patterns repeat themselves. From the smallest atom the largest of cosmos, there are key shapes and textures that you will see in all of them. This tree is an even more unique example of this phenomenon. You can actually see the
silhouette of a tree, canopy and all, within the tree itself.
11. “The Shadow From The Dirt On My Window Looks Like Mountains”
Here’s a perfect example of how Nature plays with light, shadow, and shape. Turning molehills into mountains, the mud that’s been swiped to the side of a windshield casts a glorious mountain range in its shadow. A timely work of art that’s only temporary, making it even more beautiful.
12. “This Aerial Photo Of A Garden Looks Like A Surrealist Painting”
Another fantastic example of pattern repetition in nature, this garden could represent so many things when viewed from above. Is it cultured fungi or a vibrant coral reef? Or maybe paint splattered on canvas? Nature has no limitations when playing with the building blocks of life.
13. “The Frost On My Window Looks Like Birds Flying Off A Pine Tree”
While winter can be cold and dreary at times, it can also make for some lovely art. The way this frost is blowing off a window creates a beautiful avian scene. How would you like to wake up to a flock of birds erupting into flight out of an old pine tree in the morning? A peaceful reminder that life still thrives, even in the dead of winter.
14. “This Coffee Stain That Resembles A Map On The Inside Of My Cup”
It’s almost uncanny how this coffee residue painted a world map on the rim of the mug. The scale is a little off, but considering it was done with the tip of a cup by a hot liquid beverage, it still seems pretty impressive. The medium is apt, since coffee is a favorite beverage world-wide!
15. “My Coworker Spilled Wine In The Office So I Turned It Into A Spazzy Cat, He Loved It”
If only we all had work buddies like this (and an employer who let you indulge in the workspace). An observant coworker noticed the bleeding pattern of the wine, and helped the art come alive. A hilarious example of how circumstance, human perception, and feline frenzy can turn into a work of art.
16. “Plum Crazy (Phg) Chrylser. Unstirred Paint”
We are used to seeing paint as a common medium in art. Normally though, the paint is manipulated to bring the art to life. However the paint had its own image to present. Left unstirred, it looks just like some of the pictures from outer space, where the plumes of nebulas can be seen swirling among the stars.
17. “This Van, Covered In Dirty Snow, Looks Like A Bob Ross Canvas”
Why pay the extravagant cost of an airbrushed landscape on your car, when you can just take a spin through the muddy snow? That’s what this van did. Using tires as a paintbrush and filthy snow as the medium, this generic looking work van now boasts an epic mural of rock outcroppings against a forested background, blanketed in the snow.
18. “I Cracked My Screen Protector And It Created A Beautiful Piece Of Landscape Art”
This is what it looks like when Bob Ross breaks your screen protector. The shatter pattern created mountains and valleys trailing off in the distance. Who knew that cracking your screen cover could actually
improve your view?!
19. “My Coffee Came Out Looking Like A Bride”
That moment when your coffee is trying to tell you something. The cream poured into this cup of coffee looks exactly like a bride about to walk the aisle. The only thing missing is a bouquet. I’m surprised cream patterns in coffee haven’t replaced tea-leaf readings in fortune telling yet.
20. “Drone Photo Directly Above Bowl’s Club. Looks Like A Surrealist Painting”
It took a minute to figure this one out. The image looks so surreal it’s hard to believe it’s an actual photograph. The sun was at the perfect height to cast these Salvador Dali-esque shadows on the bowling green.
21. “This Van That Painted Over Their Rust To Look Like Mountains”
Ok, so this art is only semi-accidental. One ambitious van-owner decided to make the best out of an ugly situation. Combining paint with rust, this van now looks like snow-capped mountains under blue skies. A perfect blend of the imagination with natural forces.
22. “Tire Mark On Highway Looks Like Hummingbird”
When a car goes smashing into pavement, the last thing you’re bound to see is artistic expression. Natural forces have a different take on it, though. Not only does the burnt rubber leave behind a logo of a hummingbird, but the skid pattern from the tires actually actually give motion to the image, making it seem like the bird is in flight.
23. “Crazy Stairs Look Like A M.C. Escher Painting, Not Sure Why Anyone Would Build Like This”
Escher was widely known for his strange paintings that centered around optical illusions. This staircase, however, is not an illusion at all. Either the architect who designed them had an ambitious sense of humor, or he had some good drinks before mapping them out.
24. “I Was Cleaning The Flat Top Grill At My Work And Suddenly A Canvas Of A Forest On The Lakeside”
Cleaning at work generally isn’t fun. When your task presents you with accidental landscape art, though, you really can’t complain. Apparently, this is a relatively common occurrence when cleaning flat top grills. One Reddit commenter noted that she often found beautiful accidental art in her grill-cleaning experiences, but sadly, camera phones didn’t exist back then.
25. “After A Party, This Dusty Table Looks Like Art”
Sometimes chaos breeds creativity, even on the furniture. Though what constitutes the “dust” is a really good question. One user’s hilarious comment sums it up quite well.
“After a party? Uh….that’s a lot of moneys worth of “dust”, sir.”
You never know what joys you will find at the bottom of your coffee cup. This person got an extra dose of perk when the last sip of their coffee formed a dusty trail leading to a serene woodland landscape. Maybe to coffee is telling them it’s time for a vacation.
27. “Google Maps Glitched Out But It Looks Fkn Awesome”
Does anyone else look at this and hear “I see dead people”? It looks like Google decided to draw some inspiration from
The Sixth Sense on this one. Is it really a glitch, or are there just a
lot of ghosts running around?
28. “Dropped Phone Whilst Taking A Pic In Tokyo, Japan. Accidental Abstract Art!”
This is really a great pic when you think about it. The motion in the swirling of the image brings to mind the fast-paced life that the city is known for. It’s amazing what can happen when you accidentally drop your phone sometimes.
29. “Art Only Nature Can Create. My Fence This Morning After A Snowy Night On Terschelling, The Netherlands”
The Netherlands are already known for their gorgeous frozen landscapes. Here is a hauntingly beautiful example of how wind, water, and freezing temperatures can create the most gorgeous scenes. The wind-rippled snow swirling into delicate cave-like structures will make you marvel.
30. “Bark Of A Snow Gum Tree Looks Like A Painting”
They say that art imitates nature, but sometimes you really have to wonder. At first look there’s no doubt this is a fantastic impressionist painting. Until you look closer and realize it’s not. The smooth outer-bark of the Snow Gum tree peels away in almost seamless strips to reveal the lighter bark beneath, and the lack of texture makes it truly look like a painting.
31. “Was Coloring Eggs With My Niece When She Accidentally Made A Dragon Egg”
Have you ever noticed that when dying Easter eggs, the screw-ups are often better than the “good” ones? That is definitely the case with this time. When the egg cracked and the dye seeped in, it formed this otherworldly pattern on the inside. Best scre-up ever!
32. “The Camera Focused On The Reflection Of The Tree Instead Of The Watch”
When Nature tries to tell you it’s time to take a chill pill. Sometimes your camera knows where to focus better than you do. Relax my friend, it’s only chill-O’-Clock.
33. “A Face Was Scuffed Into My Car After A Minor Car Accident”
This one is accidental accident art! Rarely does a person come out of a car wreck with a cooler paint job. Let’s just hope it’s not the face of the other driver.
34. “Took This With My Phone Through A Windshield While Stopped At A Light”
We don’t often stop to think about how civilization redefines the habits of the natural world. This photo does a great job of capturing just that. If it weren’t for these powerlines, wher else would you find an abundance of birds in a geometrical grid pattern? Though I don’t know the birds are happy…it brings the same eerie feeling as Alfred Hitchcock’s
The Birds.
35. “Coffee Left With A Spoon In It Formed A Tree Pattern”
The coffee creamer is at it again! Apparently, it has as much artistic flair as it does flavor. When the spoon swooped down it created an iconic looking tree. This fluid art is really taking on a life of its own.
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