These New York masterpieces may look like colourful photographs, but they are in fact paintings by a York artist.

Created in a workshop in the city, these paintings catch the exact details of everyday life in New York.

Crafted by realist painter Nathan Walsh the artwork, which takes three months to complete, appears to be 3D by using surface and texture, gathered from stateside influences.

Nathan, 40, said: “I have spent a lot of time in New York picking up experience and artefacts of life there.

“I am intrigued by the architecture and the way of life in the US, and believe it creates a firm basis for contemporary artwork.

“I have found a subject matter that I am fascinated by, and my work is influenced by this to create an alternative reality.”

While Nathan draws on real-life scenes and locations, he uses a series of templates to create this incredible artwork.

To begin each piece of artwork, he establishes a horizon line and then picks out different elements such as streets or buildings, which are then placed on the horizon line.

He will then start using oil paint to build up surfaces, clear and textured, until it resembles some sort of resolution.

He said: “It’s quite a transitional appearance by trying to describe reality but through paint. “I draw my work as it is in progress. This takes around a month and is important as it can help me to move things around like a street or a building to give more depth.

“I will move things around until I feel totally happy.

“It’s exciting to build up a completely new painting from a number of different pictures, but still make something so life-like.

“It looks a little like photography, but fundamentally it’s my own making.”

Nathan’s interest in art took off about 15 years ago. He became an art lecturer before becoming a full-time painter when he had gathered a wealth of knowledge in his subject field.

He said: “I have always been a realist painter due to my interest in contemporary artwork.

“I love the thrill of finding a new vehicle to transport my ideas in and I think my work reflects that.”

Nathan’s latest artwork comes after he toured the United States last year for fresh inspiration.

He said: “I started in Las Vegas before moving to San Francisco and Chicago and then ended up in New York for a month-long of gathering ideas.

“I then moved back to York and painted in response to the things that I had seen.

“The whole process has taken 18 months, but it’s all about putting the different work together.

“The paintings are built in a transition of perspective.

“Normally you will just see one view from a painting, as if you were looking at a photograph.

“In my work I have been more experimental so that you can see a number of views in just one painting.

“You can look from left to right and up or down without even taking your eyes off the painting.”