There is something especially satisfying about seeing an image that makes absolutely no sense at first glance, only to realize just how carefully every strange little detail has been put together. That is very much the territory of German creative Ingo Lindmeier, the mind behind Spiel-Sinn Design, whose surreal animal mashups turn everything from bananas and bell peppers to fruit, tape, and other creatures into wonderfully bizarre new species. We have featured Ingo’s imaginative Photoshop creations on Bored Panda before, including collections of his surreal object combinations and fantastical animals.
This time, however, we wanted to show more than just the finished results. Alongside each completed creature, you will also see several stages from Ingo’s editing process, revealing how separate photographs gradually become one convincing, and usually very peculiar, whole. That behind-the-scenes look feels particularly interesting today, when increasingly sophisticated AI tools can generate unusual imagery in seconds. Ingo’s work instead offers a glimpse at a very hands-on process in Photoshop, where parts of different photographs are carefully selected, reshaped, repositioned, recolored, and blended together. And if the step-by-step images below leave you curious about what happens between each stage, Ingo shares short timelapse versions of his creations on social media. You can also visit his YouTube channel for longer videos that take a closer look at how he builds these unusual creatures from start to finish.
Scroll down to see how Ingo’s latest mashups come together, and let us know in the comments which strange new species you think works best.
More info: Instagram | spiel-sinn.design | youtube.com | Facebook
#1 “Marmish”
“If a marmot and a radish were to have children, they might well look like this. I just love the hairstyle and the little tail. How would you name it?”
Image source: Spielsinn
These playful experiments are part of the broader creative world of Spiel-Sinn Design. Ingo describes it as a place where unusual visual ideas, design work, wordplay, monsters, and creative experimentation all come together. Alongside his personal projects, Spiel-Sinn also works with clients on branding, advertising, digital campaigns, products, and other forms of visual communication, often seeking ideas that go beyond the most obvious solution.
#2 “Dairy Cow”
Image source: Spielsinn
#3 “Chicken Banana”
Image source: Spielsinn
For Ingo, that willingness to experiment seems to carry over naturally into these animal hybrids. The humor may be what catches your attention first, but the process images also reveal how much attention goes into making the absurd combinations feel strangely believable, from matching shapes and textures to adjusting proportions, shadows, and colors until all the pieces belong together.
#4 “Wasserhun”
“In German we have the Wasserhahn (water rooster) for water tap and I thought there must be a Wasserhuhn as a kind of female version if it.”
Image source: Spielsinn
#5 “Crapple”
Image source: Spielsinn
#6 “Salzsäule / Saltpiggy”
“In German we have this word Salzsäule which means a column of salt but also could be a piggy of salt. That’s what makes it a German pun. I think the visual is fun no matter if it works in other languages as pun or not. ”
Image source: Spielsinn
#7 “Pepper On 4 Legs”
“It’s back the red pepper highland cow or how some call it pow. How would you call it?”
Image source: Spielsinn
#8 “Pearrot = Pear + Parrot”
Image source: Spielsinn
#9 “Dragonfruit”
Image source: Spielsinn
#10 “Hedgenut”
“In small hedgehogs, the spines are usually still quite soft. Some have therefore created helmets and armor for protection and they also look really great in them.”
Image source: Spielsinn
#11 “3 Animals In One”
Image source: Spielsinn
#12 “Polar Pear”
Image source: Spielsinn
#13 “Lemonshark”
Image source: Spielsinn
#14 “Easter Bunny”
Image source: Spielsinn
#15 “Pferdnuss / Horsenut”
“In German the horse is a Pferd and the peanut is called Erdnuss. A Pferdnuss is a German pun based on a fusion of both words. Does this work in English too?”
Image source: Spielsinn
#16 “Chickensnail”
Image source: Spielsinn
#17 “Cauliflower + Lamb”
Image source: Spielsinn
#18 “Lemon-Toucan”
Image source: Spielsinn
#19 “Ballerina Giraffe”
Image source: Spielsinn
#20 “Ducktape”
Image source: Spielsinn
#21 “Paprika Chicken”
“There is this on big question.
Do paprika chicken lay eggs too? Yeah but the eggs look a bit different don’t they? And the wings are kind if spicy.”
Image source: Spielsinn
#22 “The Oranger”
Image source: Spielsinn
#23 “Goldphant”
Image source: Spielsinn
#24 “Pandarin”
Image source: Spielsinn
#25 “Accordion Hedgehog”
Image source: Spielsinn
#26 “Mangolfisch”
Image source: Spielsinn
#27 “Koalapple”
Image source: Spielsinn
#28 “Giraffe Toast”
Image source: Spielsinn
#29 “Surreal Friends”
Image source: Spielsinn
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