Tiny Food-Based Works of Art to Drool Over

I don't know about you, but visions of pumpkin pie and cornbread stuffing and big, juicy turkeys are constantly dancing through my head right now. I'm sorry, healthy eating habits, but it's Thanksgiving week, and all I can do is think about food.

Although I can't wait to fill up my plate with the classic fall favorites, I realized that Thanksgiving food tends to be pretty boring and traditional. They also tend to subscribe to the "bigger is better" model, so I sought out some small, yet innovative culinary creations that are mixing things up to inspire your palettes before you head home for the holidays.

#1. Taste the Rainbow

I know that's Skittles' slogan, but I couldn't resist the reference. This unbelievably detailed painting on a candy-covered chocolate is the handiwork of Hasan Kale, a Turkish artist famous for his micro art. His commitment to the preciseness of the image on such a small scale definitely has my sweet tooth wanting to go over the rainbow.

#2. Humpty Dumpty 2.0

Seattle-based artist Christopher Boffoli has been working on his Big Appetites series since 2003. His images depict tiny, toy humans in many different situations where interacting with seemingly gargantuan food is posing as some kind of obstacle or activity. These pictures are often accompanied by humorous captions that reinforce the crazy juxtapositions found in the pictures.

Tiny Food-Based Works of Art to Drool Over — *Image by Christopher Boffoli/Big Appetites*

#3. A Super (Delicious) Moon

The moon may not be made out of cheese, but this one is made out of a cookie.

In honor of the supermoon last week, Natasha Collins, a cake painter and decorator, created this amazingly detailed moon cookie. She creates her masterpieces by using food coloring to paint on fondant. She is able to create such intricate designs on her baked goods because of her background in textile design. Make sure to check out her website for more products that will have you over the moon.

#4. Apple Globe

When I heard the song, "He's Got the Whole World in His Hands," this wasn't exactly what I had in mind.

Kevin Van Aelst is a Connecticut-based artist and teacher who bases his art off experiences with his physical surroundings. This twee fruit globe manages to represent the Earth's topography with great attention to the outline of each continent. For more of Van Aelst's work, check out his portfolio.

#5. Mini Three Course Meal

While this piece is not made on or out of food, it is a tiny, detailed recreation of foodstuff, so I'm saying it totally counts. Shay Aaron is a set and costume designed based in Israel who has a penchant for creating microscopic meals. The entirety of this meticulously decorated clay food meal is almost the width of a matchstick—it's mind-blowing. If you love these dwarf dinners, you can peep at Aaron's Etsy store.

#6. A Full Holiday Spread

In the spirit of the holidays and the minuscule meal above, here's some #inspo for your holiday table.

Stéphanie Kilgast is a French artist who creates miniature works of art that use strong colors and intense details. I can't imagine how long it must have taken to painstakingly paint each individual cookie on the tray and carve leaves out of the wreaths. This is putting me in the mood to listen to my favorite winter classics and put on some pants with a stretchy waistband. In the meantime, be sure to check out Stéphanie's website for more of her scaled down projects.

More Mini Mania:

Make sure to share this article using the links below, and let us know what you think in the comments! If you enjoyed this post and have ideas about things happening in the world that inspire wonderment, make sure to send a tip to kpuccio@wonderhowto.com