# Augmented Asian Photography Carlos de la Rua's Brushstrokes of China Series of Manipulated Images By Meghan Young | Published 2011-04-30 | Fashion Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/brushstrokes-of-china References: [behance.net](http://www.behance.net/gallery/Brushstrokes-of-China/1317385) & [carlosdelarua](http://www.carlosdelarua.com) There’s something about [digital paintings](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/layer-canvas), like the Brushstrokes of China art series, that is extremely captivating. It has to do with the fact that you find yourself looking for that telltale detail that will betray it as a photograph and not as the painting you first believed it to be. The great thing about the Brushstrokes of China digital painting series is that although it looks very artistic, it also looks like a photograph. In fact, this art form is like the sister to the [hyperrealistic painting art form](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/pointillism) in which the opposite idea is adopted. Created by Shanghai-based artist Carlos de la Rua, the Brushstrokes of China series is a combination of [digital photography](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/all-within-the-detour), photo manipulation and digital hand-painting with a graphic tablet. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 2.7/10 - Popularity: 62% | Activity: 12% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 30% men, 70% women - Primary generations: Millennial, Gen X - Top markets: North America, Europe ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Fashion](https://www.trendhunter.com/fashion) > [Photography](https://www.trendhunter.com/stylephotography) ## Key Themes ### What's Driving This Trend - **Digital Paintings:** Exploring the combination of digital photography and hand-painting with a graphic tablet as a form of art. - **Hyperrealistic Art:** Examining the opposite idea of digital art where the goal is to create paintings that resemble photographs as closely as possible. - **Photographic Manipulation:** Exploring the art of manipulating photographs to create unique and captivating images. ### Who This Affects Most - **Digital Art:** Identifying disruptive innovation opportunities in the field of digital art where technology and creativity come together. - **Fine Art:** Exploring the potential for disruptive innovation in the traditional field of fine art through the integration of digital techniques and photography. - **Graphic Design:** Examining how the combination of digital photography and hand-painting can be applied in graphic design to create visually striking and unique designs. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [AI-Generated Poetic Photo Series](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/emilio-alarcn.md) - [Photo Art Tools](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/image-painter.md) - [AI-Generated Real-World Transformations](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/ai-generated-world.md) - [Digital AI-Generated Art](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/picsart-1.md) - [Painting-Immersive Photo Exhibits](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/new-ground-exhibition.md) - [Pop Art-Style Blocked Portraits](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/ai-in-red.md) - [AI-Powered Color E-Ink Art Frames](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/switchbot-ai-art-frame.md) - [Stylized Portrait Generators](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/face-to-all.md) - [Raw Sports Emotion Artwork](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/game-exhibition.md)