We’ve all wondered what it would be like to have a different face, even if it’s just for a day. Would like be different if we all looked like George Clooney or Eva Mendes? How about if we could change appearance at will, putting on and taking off any face without the way-too-complicated face transplant procedure? The Faces project from Arturo Castro is giving us a taste of what it might be like to look different for just a little while.

Castro’s face substitution technique works in real time to overlay a different countenance on top that of the user. Using a photograph of someone else, special software creates a mesh that matches the face’s contours and features. The mesh is superimposed on the user’s face and another bit of clever software interjects color and blends the old and new faces. While the effect is impressive, there are a few rough patches that are ultimately very noticeable.

Kyle McDonald took the idea and improved the blending, which has the overall effect of making the facial replacement almost too good. With the smoother blending it is sometimes difficult to tell any substitution has happened at all, which is way creepier than an obvious replacement.