You've probably come across really aesthetic wall murals or street art before.

But one small village in Taiwan is completely blanketed in colourful art, and it's all done by one elderly man.

Village's sole resident is a war veteran

The aptly-named Rainbow Village in Taichung, Taiwan wasn't always this eye-catching.

The village's sole resident then was 96-year-old Huang Yung-fu.

Huang, who was born in China, is a veteran who fought in the Sino-Japanese War and World War II, according to BBC.

After fleeing from China to Taiwan in 1949, he ended up at the village in Taichung's Nantun district, which was built specifically to house veterans and their families.

The makeshift settlement became his home, and Huang lived there for the next 40 years.

Previous plans to demolish the village

Unfortunately in 2009, Huang received a letter from the Taiwanese government ordering him to leave the only home in Taiwan he had ever known.

The village originally consisted of 1,200 households. However, developers progressively converted the old buildings to new modern high-rise condominiums.

One by one, the properties were snapped up till only 11 households remained in 2008.

As all of Huang's neighbours slowly moved out, the unmarried veteran was the only person left behind, he told BBC.

“When I came here, the village had 1,200 households and we’d all sit and talk like one big family. But then everyone moved away or passed away and I became lonely.”

Nevertheless, Huang refused to leave.

Out of boredom and loneliness, as well as to stave off the impending demolition, Huang turned to art.

Public support to protect village

Huang started off by painting a bird in his bungalow.

Slowly he added more and more colourful pictures to his house, and then to the neighbouring abandoned buildings.

Things took a turn for the better when a student from Taichung's Ling Tung university discovered Huang and his decorated village in 2010.

A campaign to raise funds for Huang's art supplies, and a petition to protest the village's demolition, both initiated by the student, galvanised the masses in Taichung to defend Huang and his home.

Following public protest, the mayor of Taichung decided to preserve the remaining 11 buildings in the settlement, along with its streets, as a public park.

Huang expressed how grateful he was at the decision.

“The government has promised me they will keep this house and this village. I was so happy and thankful.”

Transforming the village with art

Huang's ever-expanding creations eventually covered every exposed surface in the village.

And it's not just the walls of buildings which have been taken over by Huang's whimsical fancy, but even the streets and floors of the village as well.

Huang told Taipei Times that he had not picked up a paintbrush since his father taught him painting at the age of five.

From his vivid illustrations however, that fact might seem hard to believe.

His unique paintings range from animals like birds, dogs and cats, to people, Chinese characters, and dotted patterns.

Even the lanterns lighting up the area at night are decorated in the same style.

'Instagrammable' tourist destination

With the paintings adding some much-needed vibrancy to the previously deserted village, tourists have been flocking to the place.

And with the whimsical village nestled amongst a backdrop of modern buildings, it almost seems like a hidden gem removed from the rest of the world.

Visitors arrive to snap shots of the Instagram-worthy murals, or to take a selfie with Huang himself.

According to BBC, city officials recorded 1.25 million visitors to Rainbow village in 2016.

Livelihood depends on donations and sales of drawings

Even today, Huang gets up at 3:00 am to spend the next four hours adding more brightly-coloured figures to the village.

The elderly man affectionately known as "Grandpa Rainbow" has relied on donations since 2009 for his livelihood.

Now, staff members working at the village, along with a group of other young people, help him sell postcards and illustrations of his work to tourists.

Whatever funds are accumulated go to art supplies such as paint, and the rest is donated to organisations that help the elderly.

He found love too

Huang admitted to BBC that his health was deteriorating, and a bout of pneumonia even sent him to the hospital.

But in a heartwarming turn of events, Huang met an elderly nurse there, fell in love and married her.

The lady is now nicknamed "Grandma Rainbow", and currently lives together with Huang in his bungalow.

It is uncertain what will happen to the Rainbow village once Huang is gone.

But Huang has certainly created his own little world, which will be his legacy.

“If I can get up and paint tomorrow, I will. If I can’t, I will feel good knowing that this place will stay and make others happy.”

For those interested in paying a visit to Huang and his paintings, Rainbow village is located at No.56, Chun'an Road, Taichung 408, Taiwan.

Top photo by Roanne GB / FB and Spacearchives.org