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Insta-Aura: Mixed Media Artist Turns Instagram Photos Into Neon Drawings

Send him a selfie, and he might turn you into a living rainbow. #nofilter #jk

San Jose-based artist Mike Borja turns basic Instagram photos into psychedelic sketches using the Paint Joy app that can be used for some oh-so-clever picture manipulations.

In an email exchange, Borja told us that, “The app reminded me of a dream I had about a world where it was so colorful and neon bright that you had to wear all black in order for people to see you.” Initially, he started taking pictures of shadows and silhouettes, giving the shapes “auric readings,” as if drawing were his psychic medium. Now if you send in a selfie, he might make an aura out of you.

It’s a new kind of project for Borja, whose past themes include puffy goldfish and light sockets. The best part is that, rather than posting the final florescent product, Borja displays the drawings as Instagram videos, so we see the process of these spectrum-spanning auras evolving.