Using shadows to create a street art
- 59 Comments
- Nov 9, 2009
- creative, street art
Instead of drawing graffiti on the walls, a NYC street artist Michael Neff has decided to use the shadows that lamp posts make to create street art. Neff is only using chalk and stone sediment to outline the shadows into stencils looking like figures or just simple art.
This kind of street art is very neat and impressive to come across in the late hours. See more of Neff’s work here. Click here for more photos:
Comments
Did this a couple years ago here in Austin Texas
Awesome
that's very cool. I've never seen anything like that. He must have to work quickly before the sun and the shadows move.
Im a real artist and I can tell that his is totally photoshopped, you can tell by the shadows
DEJA VU !!! a thousand times !!!!
Really beautiful. How patient and how unusual to put so much love into something that only lasts a short while. He's a special man. Finding joy everywhere he looks…and leaving some behind for us to enjoy too. Awesome! Thank you, StumbleUpon for bringing me to this page.
Yoga…It looks like these are artificial light shadows, done at night, so they don’t move!
And “Real Artist”…suggest you get outside more and get in touch with reality. Unless you think that’s photoshopped, too.
Pretty sure it is not photoshopped there “real artist”…he does them at night, which means only artificial light from many different sources, hence the weird shadows. There are actually videos out there of him making them, maybe you should do some research.
@Real artist, well then, seeing as you’re a real artist and all, you should know that the white brings out the contrast in the encircled areas especially in darker scenes, more often than not changing the appearance of the color, and sometimes giving it a very artificial look.
You should know this.
I used to do this when I was a kid! awesome though, brought back fond memories.
Um, guys, I think real artist was not serious.
just saying, before anyone gets too worked up.
LOL. I saw the videos. They are totally photoshopped also. You can tell by the reflection.
watever, we all think they deserve praise afta all e hardwork and time to give us this good memories and education.deja vu….
Wow. Why is it that whenever anyone captures anything especially cool or interesting on film these days, people immediately scream "photoshopped"??? I think this guy is a "Real" artist, what is so hard to believe about that? Have you not seen the 3D sidewalk artist? Why couldn't someone do shadow sidewalk art??
@Real Artist; I’m a designer and I can tell that this is totally badass.
@Everyone else; STOP FEEDING THE TROLLS
It IS photoshopped. I totally know the guy that did this.
Did someone really say that they saw the videos and they were photoshopped too? Unbelievable!
It’s not photoshopped at all. I’ve witnessed the guy making these drawings and have seen them allover NY.
I don’t know what is funnier, Real Artist or the reactions to his silliness.
D: I used to do this all the time with my friend at night… you be surprised at how many cool shadows you can find.. this one night we did a motorcycle along with 20-30 parking meters ;x few of em we put faces on lol
very cool!
I know this guy, went to elementary school with him
hey real artist get a life, who gives a shit if their photoshopped
Photoshopped or not… it’s great! LOL!
How does this work? The shadow moves to fast to create an outline in one go. And since the shadow is in the same position only once a day he only gets one chance per day.
Wow guys got the nerve to say he’s a real artist,.. hha
Hey clueless people, Real Artist was making a very contemporary joke. People make the photoshopped comment about online art so frequently that it is a running joke. And you can really tell that they are “shopped” by the pixels, not the shadows. LOL!
Beautiful. It would be much harder to photoshop it than draw it on the street, and not nearly as much fun. Look at the texture of the chalk on the steps.
Its so much fun reading random blog comments.
every single one has the same thing.
someone criticizing because theyre jealous or something.
andddd.. then people do what you guys are doing.
really really… fun.
who cares if it’s photoshopped.
theyre nice pictures. great angle.
pretty to look at.
seriously.
whatever. im out. getting hungry.
I took these pictures during night time so that the shadows would not move. It made the photoshopping a lot easier. Imagine trying to trace a picture in PS and having the shadow move!
We have similar things on our Long Beach sidewalks many years ago. It made walking down the street a little more interesting.
This is such a cool idea! I'd like to see them after the shadows have moved on as well.
It isn’t photoshopped just chalk around shadows, pretty cool idea.
Honestly. When someone says “It’s photoshopped, I can tell by the pixels/the shadows” it’s a joke. It’s what is known as an internet meme. You will find the same comment under almost any picture. It’s just meant to get people riled up.
I’m photoshopped and I made these pictures in real life.
LOL, is swear there going to have to make a “sarcasm” html tag in order to stop people freaking out over it…lol
you know, make it an actual html tag so whenever someone is gonna use sarcasm on the internet there will me a way do tell that it’s a sarcastic remark. it will add a footnote automatically or something.
cool idea btw
That’s fine that there is a meme out there but these are really shopped.. this time it is for real no memes about it. You can tell by the pixels and the shadows.
None if it is taken by daylight, it all looks like artificial lighting to me. He didn’t have to worry about the sun at all.
thts great!!!!!
i liked gate shadows… ;;)
Goddamn I hate people, especially people on the internet.
I love the idea! They look really cool. But let’s face it; he’s tracing. I’d hesitate to call it art. He’d have to get a lot more creative with it.
And this is what you use to indicate that you’re just kidding.
a wink.
eh, it's cool, shopped or not.
Nothing new
even done some myself
though i did use spraypaint
I did this when I was a kid. Is it really that amazing? Steal this idea: use a sharpie to trace reflections in storefront windows.
Im doing this in Boston
Wow… The comments are better than the art! Thanks guys.
I find it hilarious that some people think it’s so difficult to trace a shadow that you need to photoshop it instead.
i watched a report done on him on current tv you watch him do it. Just saying that there are many sources that have been featuring him and his art. He also had a art exhibit in new york show casing his pieces. I am not sure how you would be able to photo shop that…im being sarcastic to those who have nothing better to do than read into things more than needed. In the exhibit its all artificial lighting.
real artists: u dont appreciate this man’s work. i’m sorry
great work, these are amazing, never seen anything like it before, well done!
a “real artist” should appreciate this. If someone here claims he or she is a “real artist” and keep messin’ around other people’s work then change your egoistic screen name and get a “real” life.
first guy do that (10 years ago) is zeus a french artiste from paris…..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2HlOYxmu47o
@ christian: your elementary school was photoshopped
@ michele: your tv was photoshopped
@ rabbit: your wow is photoshopped
@ archie: your appreciation is photoshopped
@ chris r: long beach is photoshopped.
For real, people, I can’t believe you couldn’t tell! You must not be real artists. Your mom probably photoshopped your art projects in grade school because you are really blind, and can’t see what’s real. Not like me, I’m totally for real.
Molto originale,complimenti!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Ciao,pat
Wow-this is pretty dared cool! I will have to try it at home! I found your blog by way of Catherine’s (Mexico City and of Shadow Shot Sunday meme).
Nice!
Successful trolls are successful!!
Hmmm….I did this when I was five….15 years ago…big whoop.
you must be fast on the bigger ones , othereise they crawl away…
Hi, I would like to post your photos on tumblr. How do I credit your photos?
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