• A Portuguese graffiti artist who goes by the name Vile creates murals that look like letters carved into walls.
• Vile uses only spray paint, expertly layering colors to create life-like textures. 
• Before-and-after photos reveal stunning transformations of walls around Portugal that Vile has painted.
• Visit Insider's homepage for more stories.

Artists around the world often take to the streets to create stunning paintings and sculptures that inspire or entertain people — or even make bystanders do a double-take.

One graffiti artist is turning abandoned walls into masterpieces that appear as though they've been carved in stone, but in reality, he's using only spray paint to create a see-through illusion.

Rodrigo Miguel Sepúlveda Nunes, who goes by the name Vile, is the artist behind these stunning paintings that have popped up around Portugal.

A video on Vile's Instagram page showcases one of his latest murals from different angles, and the finished product makes for a mind-bending illusion.

Vile told Insider in an interview that he's been painting since he was about 14 years old, when he first began drawing different iterations of his "tag," or the name he goes by as a graffiti artist. Over the course of six years, he perfected his craft by studying cartoon animation, drawing, and illustration. 

"In the beginning, I think doing grafitti was an act of rebellion as a kid, but the truth is that it has become my life and my focus," he said. 

He said he's considered himself a professional artist since 2007: since then his work has been featured in exhibitions at galleries around Portugal, as well as on walls around the country.

Keep reading to learn more about Vile's mind-bending murals.

At first glance, it looks like pieces of this wall have been carved out to reveal the other side of the building ...

The surface is actually two-dimensional, but the mural makes it look like someone could walk right through the wall.

... but these trippy murals are created using only spray paint.

Vile layers colors to create the illusion of light and shadows.

Vile travels around Portugal to create these double-take-worthy pieces.

Vile, whose real name is Rodrigo Miguel Sepúlveda Nunes, has been drawing and painting graffiti since he was a teenager. He's now a professional artist whose murals — some on walls, and others on canvas — have been featured in exhibitions at galleries around Portugal.

He starts with a blank canvas — or, in his case, a blank wall. He is often inspired by spaces that have been abandoned or have windows and doorways.

"Most of my projects are done in abandoned spots, but I'm always looking for new environments to explore," Vile said.

He then selects spray paint colors that match the existing space and give the illusion of light and shadows throughout the day.

"The most challenging part is the color-matching, because the light is always changing throughout the day, which changes the color of the environment," Vile said.

Once he's selected his colors and made preliminary sketches of his design, Vile can transform an untouched wall like this ...

After taking measurements and surveying the landscape, Vile said he allows himself a few days to sketch and select colors for the final design.

... into a "carved-out" work of art, sometimes in just one day.

When he's ready to work on the final product, Vile comes prepared with sketches and a pre-selected color palette of spray paints.

He explained that he likes to come as prepared as possible so he can move quickly and focus on creating the effect of exposing layers beneath the wall.

Some of his other works offer similar illusions, like this painting, which looks like an actual staircase is coming out of the wall.

In addition to his graffiti murals, Vile has also crafted stunning works of art indoors.

"I usually make my see-through pieces in two different styles. One is the block-lettered design with my tag, and the other is a realistic, detailed interior," he said.

It's no wonder people are stopping to stare at Vile's lifelike murals.

Vile's use of perspective in his artwork turns a physically flat wall into a scene that looks three-dimensional.

Vile said his art is a form of self-expression that he's turned into his life's work — but he never expected people to have such strong reactions.

Vile said receiving comments and support from his growing fanbase is just an added bonus to the joy he gets from finishing one of his intricate murals.

"Other people's reactions are great, and not always expected, but I appreciate it because I know that it's making them think about wall art in a new way," he said.

Learn more about Vile's work on his website and on Instagram.

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