An Italian artist is flexing his fingers and marvelling at his own dexterity, after his finger painting works gained international attention.

But it is not finger painting as you or I know it.

Dito Von Tease has dressed his finger up to recreate dozens of portraits of celebrities and high profile people in the news. 

They include Steve Jobs, the Dalai Lama and Muammar Gaddafi.

Von Tease creates the miniature artworks by taking a photo of his finger naked and then adding the features using computer software. 

Dito is the Italian word for finger, and Von Teese is a homage to burlesque dancer Dita Von Teese, whom he has surprisingly not recreated on his index.

The finger portraits can be viewed on his website ditology.blogspot.co.nz

- © Fairfax NZ News