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As most of us know, time flies when you’re having fun with Photoshop — but you may not have realized that it has now been 30 years since Adobe’s flagship program was first launched. That’s a lot of lassoing!
This extraordinarily multifunctional piece of software is a staple for every creative professional, including artists, graphic designers, animators, photographers, web designers, publishers … and, of course, architects. Oftentimes, rendering artists working in the field of architecture strive for photo-realism, employing advanced Photoshop techniques to visualize a proposal in all its glory and help convince clients of their concept.
David Santos recreated Lake Lugano House, a beautifully designed house by JM Architecture, with finishing touches in Photoshop. Read the tutorial here.
This specialist discipline has become big business: Companies such as MIR and Methanoia combine modeling programs like 3ds Max and Rhino with rendering plug-ins like V-Ray to produce incredibly detailed representations of architects’ proposals. No matter how perfect the final rendering is, though, Photoshop remains an indispensable tool for applying the finishing touches, tweaking light and adding details to bring forth that crucial extra dimension: atmosphere.
These kinds of commercial images have made Photoshop a ubiquitous piece of software in architecture and visualization studios around the globe. That said, even rendering artists need to let their proverbial hair down once in a while — and when the creative leash comes off, some of the most extraordinary uses of Adobe’s software emerge. To prove our point, here are 13 of the most outlandish examples of photoshopped architecture on the internet. Take a break from reality, starting now …
Untitled #10 by Filip Dujardin
Dujardin pushes and pulls at the fabric of the buildings we take for granted, creating exaggerated — and disturbing — versions of conventional architectural typologies. Check out further examples of the artist’s work here.
Medusa by Victor Enrich
The Barcelona-based artist combines photorealism with the utterly absurd to create buildings that appear alive, often growing out of control. See more of Enrich’s work here.
Castle House Island by Unknown
A cunning splice: Neuschwanstein Castle in Germany placed atop James Bond’s favorite island in Thailand.
We Love To Build by Paul Hollingworth
Hollingworth takes deconstructivism to new heights in his artworks, each of which tells a story of our love-hate relationship with social architecture.
Dubai Tennis Arena by 8+8 Concept Studio
When 30-year-old Polish architect Krysztof Kotala called for investors to back his outrageous concept for a subaquatic tennis court in the Persian Gulf, his provocative accompanying image virtually broke the internet.
Con/struct by Justin Plunkett
Plunkett’s perplexing photomontages provoke us to question the definition of beauty within our urban environment. See more of Plunkett’s urban constructs here.
Untitled (House) by Jim Kazanjian
Jim Kazanjian’s surreal landscapes and precarious structures are shrouded with a haunted, vaguely threatening atmosphere. Find out more about the artist here.
Façades by Zacharie Gaudrillot-Roy
Photographer Gaudrillot-Roy imagines how a streetscape might feel if buildings were left with just their face, like an eerie, abandoned movie set worthy of Potemkin himself.
Forgotten Temple of Lysistrata by Unknown
This epic image had some people speculating over the real-world location of this mysterious temple — but they had been fooled. Via the magic of Photoshop, the coffered interior of the Pantheon in Rome was combined with a stunning cave in Portugal.
Villa Savoye by Xavier Delory
Delory caused a furor on the internet last year with this viciously vandalized version of the Villa Savoye. Discover the story behind this image here.
Merge by Gus Petro
Petro forces use to question our perception of scale with his juxtaposition of two of the most iconic destinations in the United States: Manhattan and the Grand Canyon. More here.
Venice Subway by Unknown
This aquatic tunnel would make for a magical ride beneath the canals of Venice. That train has traveled an awful long way from its real-world home, though — it’s actually a Danish ‘H’ train, running from Copenhagen to Frederikssund.
Between a Rock and a Hard Place by Unknown
Submitted for a Photoshop competition, this precarious pill-shaped home appears to have been inspired by a very special rock in Norway.
For more tips and tricks on increasing efficiency on Photoshop, click here.
Architects: Showcase your work and find inspiration for your next project through Architizer, or enter the One Drawing Challenge for a chance to win $2,500!
