Makeup artist Dain Yoon says her computer is an intrinsic part of herself. That’s why she painted her laptop on her face.
Yoon has been a makeup artist for four years, and has made a name for herself with her trompe l’oeil looks, where she paints hyperrealistic images on her face that make her blend into the background, or distort her features entirely. She recently co-directed the video for pop artist Halsey’s new single, “Graveyard,” for which she also painted the singer’s face to disappear into a lush bouquet of flowers.
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The surreality of Yoon’s makeup isn’t just limited to the repeating features or realistic drawings found on her Instagram page, though. Last weekend she found inspiration in her Macbook laptop, which she’s had since she started art school in 2013.
“And throughout these 7 years, my desktop image has never changed!” Yoon said over email. “These folders and files on my desktop are actually considered ‘well organized’ for me… better than most of the time, haha!”
Although all of Yoon’s artwork is visually impressive, she said that this look was more challenging than others purely because of the physical aspect of laying her head on a laptop.
“I would have to lay down my head for a very long time when I paint on myself, and at the same time I would need to check if everything looks good in the camera as well,” she said. “Because I painted on the right side of my face, I couldn’t really paint while looking at the camera at the same time.”
Like a lot of people, Yoon considers her laptop to be a part of her “self,” in the same way that the way that you do your hair or nails are part of your self expression. It’s not just that the internet is where Yoon displays and promotes her art—this laptop has been with Yoon for nearly a decade, and is as beloved to her as a favorite sweatshirt or a diary.
Yoon said that in some way, every single piece of art she has done is inspired by technology. She sketches her ideas on her phone or laptop, and she uses her phone or a camera to document the end result.
“I grew up with technology. I can’t live without internet. It’s one of the few important places where I showcase my artwork,” Yoon said. “This laptop has been with me for 7 years. It knows me very well. It’s a kind of history book to me. If and when I do a camouflage painting like this, I like to do it with very ordinary items that mean a lot to me personally.”
Yoon’s makeup is incredible to look at—how did she paint all those little folders onto her hair?—but it’s also making the intangible connection we all have to the internet a little more literal. A laptop you’ve had since college is a part of you, just as much as the eyeshadow you apply in the morning.
