How to Draw from Photographs

Tricking the Eye

All the drawings we’ve accomplished thus far in the book have been realistic depictions, but we’re going to approach this project with a different method, something called “trompe l’oeil” (French for “fooling the eye”). This technique is more typically applied to painted murals, but no matter the medium, it’s a way for artists to heighten the illusion of three dimensions through optical tricks, including the use of shallow depth, overlapping objects, and careful placement of shadows.

Testing the Composition

When you’re dealing with multiple objects that have varying shapes, the best composition doesn’t always jump out at you right away. I will rearrange the objects to find the most pleasing pattern, making small thumbnail sketches ...