# Interactive Sketched Portraits The Dan Lester Drawing on Life Series Blurs Reality with Art By Gil Cohen | Published 2013-01-27 | Art & Design Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/dan-lester-drawing-on-life References: [unknowneditors.tumblr](http://unknowneditors.tumblr.com/post/41432049785/dan-lester) & [danlester91.daportfolio](http://danlester91.daportfolio.com/gallery/441300) It is incredible to see how the Dan Lester Drawing on Life series combines photography and pencil drawings into a single, united image to incredulous effect. Purposefully leaving the drawing areas as sketches that are still incomplete, the artist wants to emphasize the connection between art and reality, and by extension, the connection between the art and the viewer. In some of his illustrations, Dan Lester incorporates a partial image of himself and fills the rest in with his pencil, literally demonstrating how his art is actually an extension of himself. In others, the illustrated figures interact with the photographed people, blurring the lines between what is real and what is merely the artist's imagination. The Dan Lester Drawing on Life series shows the creative and determinative impact we have on our lives. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 4.3/10 - Popularity: 61% | Activity: 59% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Gen Z, Millennial, Gen X - Top markets: North America, Europe, Asia ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Art & Design](https://www.trendhunter.com/artdesign) > [Design](https://www.trendhunter.com/design) ## Key Themes ### What's Driving This Trend - **Photography and Pencil Drawing Fusion:** The trend of combining photography and pencil drawings creates a unique and breathtaking effect, providing new opportunities for graphic designers and illustrators to explore. - **Incomplete Sketches:** Incomplete sketches leave space for the viewer to fill in the gaps and imagine the rest, providing unique and engaging experiences for the audience, and presenting opportunities for interactive storytelling. - **Real-imagined Interactions:** Blurring the lines between reality and imagination through incorporating illustrated figures in photographs promotes innovation in creative expression, and shows potential in branding, advertising, and entertainment industries. ### Who This Affects Most - **Graphic Design:** Graphic designers will find immense potential in the exploration of combining photography and pencil drawing, creating an opportunity for innovative visual storytelling - **Illustration:** The use of incomplete sketches engages the audience and provides opportunities for interactivity for illustrators to explore new approaches to storytelling, design, and animation. - **Advertising and Branding:** The use of illustrated figures in photographs to create real-imagined interactions can be a unique and effective marketing tool, with opportunities to create immersive and memorable experiences for audiences. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [AI Art Generators](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/doodle2life.md) - [Artistic AI Robots](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/sketcher-x.md) - [AI-Generated Poetic Photo Series](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/emilio-alarcn.md) - [Robotic Portrait Sketches](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/pankraz-piktograph.md) - [Vibrantly Colorful Dynamic Artwork](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/kayla-rumpp.md) - [Transformative AI Art](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/drawings-alive.md) - [Stunning Origami Portraits](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/origami-portaits.md) - [Paper-Made Mosaic Artwork](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/real-life-architecture-exhibition.md) - [Artful Anime-Blending Split Sculptures](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/split-bust.md)