What a bright spark! Incredible animal images created from nothing but matches, smoke and fire

By DANIEL MILLER

Firebug: A meticulously crafted spider dangles on a thread of smoke in one of Russian artist Stanislav Aristov's amazing images

These amazing animal images are setting the art world alight, after being created from nothing more than spent matches, smoke and fire.
Artist Stanislav Aristov struck up the clever idea while playing with a pack of matches as he decided what to photograph for a competition.
And now the IT specialist has become widely recognised in his native country for his swirling and colourful art works.

Hot stuff: A fiery snail slowly drags its matchstick shell up leaf

Stanislav has created a host of animals - from a wiggling salamander to a firefly out of the charred remains of matches.
He meticulously fashions each one by bending spent matches to form the bodies and using fire to add intricate detail.
And Stanislav, 29, from Yekaterinburg, central Russia, revealed how he discovered the unique art form by accident.

Tail blazing: A matchstick lizard comes to life. Artist Stansliav had the idea for the series of photos while fiddling with a box of matches as he tried to come up with an idea for a photography competition

He said: 'My first match was born or maybe burnt by chance at a monthly photo contest just as something I wanted to try.
'It was while I was watching the match trying to think of something to photograph that I began to think of how it represents life.
'There is the burnt part representing the past, the smoke of memories left and the untouched part of the match the future.
'The fire is the life. Matches of course are quite a usual object but it turned out can be presented in a very unusual ways.'

Firefly: Stanislav meticulously fashions each creation by bending spent matches to form the bodies before using fire and smoke to add the intricate detail.

Stanislav admits he has to be careful when creating the art works - because he isn’t a big smoker.
He added: 'The funniest thing is that I don’t smoke but have become quite well known for my smokey art.
'I haven’t exhibited any of my works anywhere yet, but i would love to come over to the UK and show it off.
'Matches of course are quite a normal everyday object but it turned out they can be presented in a very unusual ways.
'Fire as well as smoke sometimes swirls in a very freakish form, which creates very interesting associations and patterns.'

Philosophy: Stanislav believes the burnt parts represent the past, the smoke symbolises the memories left and the untouched part of the match the future

source: dailymail