When images come alive

Dong Xiaohong has been Cao's online pupil since May. "His method of teaching is so easy to understand, even for people like me with no prior art experience," she says.

A resident of Longkou city in East China's Shandong province, Dong joined Cao's tutorials after she painted a cucumber by watching his video and won praises.

"My friends thought it was a photograph," she says. "Cao helped me make the impossible possible."

Speaking about the future, Cao says he will continue making interactive 3D paintings for his audience.

"The objective is to pique interest and convey a message. Creating 3D art involves science and takes a great deal of patience, but if you are willing to put in the effort, the results can be stunning," he adds.