# Galactic Smoky Silhouettes Kyle Schruder Creates Portraiture Using an Unlikely Medium By Courtney Scharf | Published 2012-05-30 | Art & Design Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/kyle-schruder References: [neatorama](http://www.neatorama.com/2012/05/23/stormtrooper-drawn-from-smoke/) & [obiwanlebowski](http://www.obiwanlebowski.com/post/8873102199/stormtrooper-kyle-schruder) Using just smoke and the magic of Photoshop, Kyle Schruder has created a viral portrait of a Stormtrooper sure to be popular with [Star Wars enthusiasts](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/star-wars-mindfulness-movement) and art lovers alike. Haunting and mind-blowing all at once, it’s a perplexing piece that pays testament to Schruder’s photographic and graphic design capabilities. Titled ‘Smoke Helmet,’ the image is truly haunting and ghost-like. As a viewer, knowing that the photo is so impermanent lends an appealing aspect to the already eye-catching piece. Schruder, who is a graphic designer, is extremely talented and his portfolio is full of similarly augmented takes on reality. A wonderful take on illusionary art, this [Stormtrooper silhouette](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/star-wars-tray) is a gorgeous appropriation of [smoke as an artistic medium](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/nuvolino). ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 2.8/10 - Popularity: 25% | Activity: 52% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 70% men, 30% women - Primary generations: Gen Z, Millennial, Gen X - Top markets: North America ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Art & Design](https://www.trendhunter.com/artdesign) > [Design](https://www.trendhunter.com/design) ## Key Themes ### What Makes This Trend Stand Out - **Smoke Art:** Exploring the use of smoke as a medium for art. - **Illusionary Photography:** Creating haunting portraits using Photoshop and unconventional materials. - **Augmented Reality Design:** Incorporating augmented elements into graphic design. ### Sectors Adopting This - **Photography:** Opportunity for photographers to experiment with unconventional techniques. - **Art:** Exploring new mediums for artistic expression and experimentation. - **Graphic Design:** Incorporating unconventional elements into graphic designs to create unique and memorable pieces. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Hand-Knit Sci-Fi Sculptures](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/handknit-scifi-sculpture.md) - [Festive Light Painting Techniques](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/light-painting-1.md) - [Sci-Fi Franchise-Inspired Fashion](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/star-wars-collection-2.md) - [Sci-Fi Show Sculptures](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/yusuke-hanai-1.md) - [Chrome-Colored Action Figures](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/hot-toys-1.md) - [Stunning Origami Portraits](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/origami-portaits.md) - [Sci-Fi-Inspired Lenses](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/ray-ban-star-wars.md) - [Dark Sci-Fi Capsules](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/darc-sport.md) - [Sci-Fi Film-Inspired Custom Eyewear](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/lucasfilm.md)