You Need to See These Incredible 3D Sketches of Famous Landmarks

With only a Moleskine sketchbook and a pen in hand, artist Pietro Cataudella’s 3D Sketches seem to pop off the page. His images combine a sketch that blends seamlessly with the background behind it. Each 3D sketch combines the architecture of famous landmarks with their real-life image.

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Combining his Passions to make 3D Sketches of Famous Landmarks

Sicilian born Pietro began his project ‘City Live Sketch’ in the summer of 2014. He blended his sketches with the landscape. The project first began with Cataudella taking photos in front of Italian landmarks. In time, the project became more and more complex. Pietro began to merge the sketch and the image through digital manipulation on Adobe Photoshop. “The project is a combination of my passions for drawing, photography, and travel,” Cataudella told the Daily Mail.

Photography: Pietro Cataudella

What is particularly shocking is that Pietro received no training neither as an architect nor a designer or artist. In fact, before this project, Pietro was studying geophysics. Pietro has traveled across Europe from London to Rome, depicting iconic structures like the Eiffel Tower or the Duomo in Florence. But his sketches aren’t limited to reproductions of these famous landmarks.

At times, Pietro likes to combine cartoons playfully into the sketch. He might add a coffee pot to the leaning tower of Pisa, or have Spiderman swing from London bridge. Pietro’s photo series offers an alternative view and fresh spin on the images of these famous landmarks seen daily on the internet. When asked about his process, Pietro could only remark that simplicity was key.

“Initially, I start thinking about a simple idea because I think that real beauty is simple things. This is for sure the most difficult part of the entire process. When I find this idea I create drafts of the final image on paper, placing all the elements in a harmonious way”.

The final effect creates a pop-up book image that seems to stand outside the page. Cataudella’s 3d sketches also have him exploring artwork as well as architecture. His most recent sketches include illustrations of Gustav Klimt’s The Kiss and Vincent van Gogh’s Starry Night. To see more of Pietro’s artwork check out his Instagram account @citylivesketch.