Cupcake Momma

Imagine coming upon your favorite picture—could be your puppy mid-zoom, your child on the swings, or just yourself grinning foolishly. Imagine now that recollection carved in swirling pencil lines or dramatic ink. Seeing a moment reduced to the most basic, all shadows and shapes, is fascinating geneura. Turning images into sketches is not rocket science, but it is rather like alchemy—using ordinary pixels to create brilliantly original works.

These days everyone seems to be in on it. Apps have made the process so light-hearted that you hardly have to use your hands. Upload a selfie, choose a style, and within moments your basic old photo gets an artistic make-over. There is a smorgasbary of drawing filters available—soft shadings reminiscent of Renaissance love letters, strong shapes straight out of a graphic novel. Every decision carries a different attitude. Sometimes people also play about with colors. Given your cat might be immortalized in blazing blue, why stick to charcoal gray?

Still, never discount the traditional path: pencil, pen, and a blank paper. Following the old-fashioned route guarantees mistakes and successes. Perhaps one eye becomes somewhat distorted or the nose disappears within the line mess. That’s the magic, really—personal, raw, almost like you’re allowing yourself to play once more. Once a friend tried drawing her brother’s graduation picture, she produced an uneven cap. He adored it. As it happens, flaws tell stories.

Looking ahead? Get an artist hired to work magic. Freelancers snap a picture and add style, flair, and a lot of personality you never knew was there. You might like a dark, scribbly portrait or a lighthearted, caricatura. Turn around the sample works of artists and let your imagination run wild. They can make even the most simple headshot something fit for hanging in the corridor.

Why, though, go through all this work? Though they abound, photos eventually mix together. One distinctive image is a sketched one. Print it on a mug, stick it on your wall, and text a pal a birthday surprise. The whole effort is worth it for that difference—between simply another picture and something with soul.

Thus, the next time you stop idly browsing, grab a photo and try to sketch it. It might surprise you—turning the even the most boring picture into artwork, making you giggle, or offering you a memory to enjoy always. And perhaps, if fortune favors you, you will find a natural ability for traveling along. Grab a stick of charcoal or your gadget to explore where your imagination leads.