When you look at a leaf of lettuce, perhaps slightly wilted, what do you see? Uh, a leaf of lettuce, right? Maybe the makings of a salad or something to add a bit of crunch to your sandwich?

Artist Victor Nunes sees a warrior's robe, a woman's elegant frock or the twirling skirt of a dancer. He sees a variety of arresting hairdos, the leaves and branches of a tree reaching gracefully up to the sky.

For his "Faces" series, which he shares on Facebook, Nunes combines everyday objects — and often foods — with his whimsical line drawings to create wonderfully amusing images that encourage viewers to take a closer look at household items they may not generally glance at a second time.

In Nunes' hands, a pile of discarded pistachio shells may become a sheep (or a dog? A sheepdog?) with a sly look; two cashews can look like the beak of a bird. A spiraled orange peel can transform into a snake, a snail or a strange turban. A tortilla chip can evoke a luxurious mane of red hair or a set of wings with which to soar. A banana peel can convey a shepherd or a shoe. Sauces and foams, cookies and breads, even napkins and tablecloths can become unexpectedly expressive. Dirty plates appear to be delighted or bemused — or they strongly disapprove.

Nunes, whose trove of imaginative illustrations has collected more than 30,000 likes on Facebook since January 2014, is a man of many drawings, but apparently few words of explanation.

"Nesta página você vai encontrar muitas carinhas e outras coisitas mais. E com bom humor!" he writes in Portuguese on Facebook, offering this translation: "In this page you will find several faces and other stuff, all with a touch of humor."