Skip to main content

Photorealist Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

PHOTOREALISM

A direct challenge to Abstract Expressionism’s subjectivity and gestural vigor, Photorealism was informed by the Pop predilection for representational imagery, popular iconography and tools, like projectors and airbrushes, borrowed from the worlds of commercial art and design.

Whether gritty or gleaming, the subject matter favored by Photorealists is instantly, if vaguely, familiar. It’s the stuff of yellowing snapshots and fugitive memories. The bland and the garish alike flicker between crystal-clear reality and dreamy illusion, inviting the viewer to contemplate a single moment rather than igniting a story.

The virtues of the “photo” in Photorealist art — infused as they are with dazzling qualities that are easily blurred in reproduction — are as elusive as they are allusive. “Much Photorealist painting has the vacuity of proportion and intent of an idiot-savant, long on look and short on personal timbre,” John Arthur wrote (rather admiringly) in the catalogue essay for Realism/Photorealism, a 1980 exhibition at the Philbrook Museum of Art, in Tulsa, Oklahoma. At its best, Photorealism is a perpetually paused tug-of-war between the sacred and the profane, the general and the specific, the record and the object.

Robert Bechtle invented Photorealism, in 1963,” says veteran art dealer Louis Meisel. “He took a picture of himself in the mirror with the car outside and then painted it. That was the first one.”

The meaning of the term, which began for Meisel as “a superficial way of defining and promoting a group of painters,” evolved with time, and the core group of Photorealists slowly expanded to include younger artists who traded Rolleiflexes for 60-megapixel cameras, using advanced digital technology to create paintings that transcend the detail of conventional photographs.

On 1stDibs, the collection of Photorealist art includes work by Richard Estes, Ralph Goings, Chuck Close, Audrey Flack, Charles Bell and others.

to
39
49
39
40
43
11
Overall Width
to
Overall Height
to
57
125
1
12
7
14
16
7,164
6,988
5,044
3,017
749
535
490
434
360
309
260
84
63
103
66
12
33
30
22
22
21
16
16
14
14
12
12
12
12
11
11
9
9
9
9
8
102
85
79
68
41
25
24
15
15
11
80
15
166
12
Style: Photorealist
David Morrison, Wind-Up Bird No. 3, hyperrealist color pencil animal drawing
Located in New York, NY
David Morrison has extended his brand of hyperrealism to the artificial, capturing the intricate lithography that decorates his collection of vintage Kohler wind-up birds. His drawin...
Category

2010s Photorealist Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Paper, Color Pencil

Rubber Duck with Arrows
Located in Bozeman, MT
This is a framed original drawing on paper. Adonna Khare is an America Artist mainly focused on carbon pencil on paper drawings. She received her Masters of Fine Art from California ...
Category

2010s Photorealist Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Archival Paper, Carbon Pencil

Brooklyn Botanical Garden No. 2: Greenhouse II
Located in Boston, MA
Signed and dated lower right: "(c) Norris '91". From the Estate of the Artist.
Category

Early 2000s Photorealist Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Watercolor

David Morrison, Wind-Up Bird No. 5, hyperrealist color pencil animal drawing
Located in New York, NY
David Morrison has extended his brand of hyperrealism to the artificial, capturing the intricate lithography that decorates his collection of vintage Kohler wind-up birds. His drawin...
Category

2010s Photorealist Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Paper, Color Pencil

Birch Fragment No. 1, photorealist colored pencil nature drawing
Located in New York, NY
Artist David Morrison creates hyperrealistic, finely detailed pencil drawings of found natural objects, both by observing the object itself under magnification, and also by working f...
Category

2010s Photorealist Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Paper, Color Pencil

2000 Toke, photorealist graphite graffiti drawing, 2014
Located in New York, NY
In her photorealist graphite drawing "Toke," Mary Reilly elegantly merges weed culture with high art. Her drawing is a graphic homage to cannabis culture. Mary Reilly works with both...
Category

2010s Photorealist Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Archival Paper, Pencil, Carbon Pencil, Graphite

Corn Field 2, gray photorealist graphite still life drawing, 2019
Located in New York, NY
Mary Reilly explores the full tonal depth of graphite in her nature drawings and landscapes. She finds all of the soft subtleties of gray as she shifts seamlessly from branch to pebb...
Category

2010s Photorealist Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Paper, Graphite

Eagle Owl, Painting, Watercolor on Paper
Located in Yardley, PA
This original painting was inspired by a young Eagle Owl who was resting on his perch at a county fair. The photograph I used was him puffing out his feather...
Category

2010s Photorealist Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Watercolor

"Reflection 8th Street Grille, " Watercolor signed by Bruce McCombs
Located in Milwaukee, WI
"Reflections 8th Street Grille" is an original signed watercolor by Bruce McCombs. It depicts the storefront window of a cafe. This view does not allow the viewer to see much of the ...
Category

Early 2000s Photorealist Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Watercolor

Firewood Series No. 3, hyperrealist nature still life, colored pencil drawing
Located in New York, NY
In "Firewood Series No. 3," David Morrison uses colored pencils to capture the finest details of a frayed and peeling piece of birch wood. With his careful and methodical handling of...
Category

2010s Photorealist Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Paper, Color Pencil

Stick Series No. 4, Photorealist colored pencil drawing, still life, 2015
Located in New York, NY
Artist David Morrison creates hyperrealistic, yes abstracted, finely detailed pencil drawings of found natural objects, both by observing the object itself under magnification, and a...
Category

2010s Photorealist Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Paper, Color Pencil

Sycamore Series 6, photorealist colored pencil drawing of wood branch, 2003
Located in New York, NY
David Morrison challenges the idea of what is cherished in nature by celebrating the beauty of the over-looked and the imperfect. Found broken branches, a peeling sycamore tree, bug-...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Photorealist Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Archival Paper, Color Pencil

Boy with Bow Tie, photorealist graphite graffiti drawing, 2014
Located in New York, NY
Mary Reilly works with both powdered graphite and graphite pencil on paper. The artist memorializes tree carvings or “graffiti” found within the woods of Alley Pond Park, Queens. The...
Category

2010s Photorealist Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Archival Paper, Graphite

Blue Crabs and Fishing Ball, Painting, Watercolor on Paper
Located in Yardley, PA
Blue Crabs on an old boat rudder with a Japanese fishing ball. :: Painting :: Photorealism :: This piece comes with an official certificate of authenticity...
Category

2010s Photorealist Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Watercolor

The Surrounding Water XII
Located in Greenwich, CT
Cuban, b. 1974 Antonio Espinosa is a Cuban Postwar & Contemporary artist born in Manzanillo, Cuba in 1974. He graduated from the Instituto Superior de Arte (University of Arts of Cu...
Category

2010s Photorealist Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Paper, Graphite

Teal Ribbons and Copper Thread - Photorealistic Drawing on Collotype
Located in Soquel, CA
Teal Ribbons and Bronze Thread - Photorealistic Drawing Highly detailed drawing by Patricia Pearce (American, b. 1948). The base layer of this piece is a collotype, but the ribbons ...
Category

Late 20th Century Photorealist Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Paper, Pen, Pencil, Color Pencil, Lithograph

Assisi II, dramatic diptych architectural print monochromatic black and white
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Edition of 30 + 10AP Print unusual vertical diptych by master printer Agnes Murray
Category

1980s Photorealist Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Archival Ink, Archival Paper

"Hansen's Rexall Drugs, " Watercolor signed by Bruce McCombs
Located in Milwaukee, WI
"Hansen's Rexall Drugs" is an original signed watercolor by Bruce McCombs. It depicts front of a drug store and features its neon sign and reflective windows. This painting displays ...
Category

Early 2000s Photorealist Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Watercolor

Heart Cut Sapphire, A Drawing A Best Friend, Drawing, Pencil/Colored Pencil on P
Located in Yardley, PA
This image plays with the viewer, imaginatively taking a drawing of a Sapphire rendered in pencil and playfully making a statement about humanity, are we really as important as we th...
Category

2010s Photorealist Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Pencil

Star sequins a smattering, Drawing, Pencil/Colored Pencil on Paper
Located in Yardley, PA
This hyperrealist pencil drawing presents something familiar, nostalgic and humble as a jewel, something noteworthy bringing attention to and highlighting the beauty of the seemingly...
Category

2010s Photorealist Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Pencil

"Red Boxes, Chipping Camden, U.K." Watercolor signed by Bruce McCombs
Located in Milwaukee, WI
"Red Boxes, Chipping Camden, U.K." is an original signed watercolor by Bruce McCombs. It depicts three red telephone boxes. This painting displays McCombs' exquisite attention to lig...
Category

Early 2000s Photorealist Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Watercolor

contemporary realist watercolor painting car closeup parking lot signed
Located in Milwaukee, WI
"'59 Cadillac" is an original signed watercolor by Bruce McCombs. It depicts the back end of a gleaming Cadillac with exquisite attention to reflection and light. 22 1/4" x 29 5/8"...
Category

1990s Photorealist Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Watercolor

"Golden Gate Park, " Watercolor signed by Bruce McCombs
Located in Milwaukee, WI
"Golden Gate Park" is an original signed watercolor by Bruce McCombs. It depicts the architecture of two buildings in a park, both feature many repeating windows. This painting displ...
Category

Early 2000s Photorealist Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Watercolor

Owl Bunny
Located in Bozeman, MT
This is a unframed original drawing on paper. Adonna Khare is an America Artist mainly focused on carbon pencil on paper drawings. She received her Masters of Fine Art from Californi...
Category

2010s Photorealist Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Archival Paper, Carbon Pencil

Black Bear with Legs
Located in Bozeman, MT
This is a framed original drawing on paper. Adonna Khare is an America Artist mainly focused on carbon pencil on paper drawings. She received her Masters of Fine Art from California...
Category

2010s Photorealist Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Archival Paper, Carbon Pencil

Spine Tree
Located in Bozeman, MT
This is a framed original drawing on paper. Adonna Khare is an America Artist mainly focused on carbon pencil on paper drawings. She received her Masters of Fine Art from California State University Long Beach. Her work has been collected by prestigious public and private collections throughout the world. In 2012 she won the world's largest art competition ArtPrize, competing against over 1500 artists from all around the world. She has been featured in the Los Angeles Time, NPR, The Huffington Post, Daily Mail, Juxtapoz Magazine, Mashable, My Modern Metropolis, Saatchi Gallery as well as thousands of blogs, Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram pages. She has had group and solo shows throughout the country. Long Beach Art Museum, City of Carlsbad Art Gallery, Nassau County Art Museum, Yellowstone Art Museum, Grand Rapids Art...
Category

2010s Photorealist Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Archival Paper, Carbon Pencil

Clown, Painting, Watercolor on Watercolor Paper
Located in Yardley, PA
Based on photo of characters from the Ligia Aydar School of Arts :: Painting :: Photorealism :: This piece comes with an official certificate of authenticity signed by the artist :...
Category

2010s Photorealist Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Watercolor

Bullfinches and Blackberries, Painting, Watercolor on Paper
Located in Yardley, PA
I brought some blackberries in to paint and quickly decided to paint a pair of bullfinches on the prickly stems. Bullfinches really enjoy feasting on these juicy sweet berries and ar...
Category

2010s Photorealist Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Watercolor

contemporary realist watercolor painting building diner close up flowers signed
Located in Milwaukee, WI
"Diner" is an original signed watercolor by Bruce McCombs. It depicts the front facade of a diner with careful attention to reflection, atmosphere, and light. 22" x 29 1/2" art 25"...
Category

1990s Photorealist Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Watercolor

Crazy Ballad - Rita Lee, Painting, Watercolor on Watercolor Paper
Located in Yardley, PA
Photo-based portrait of singer Rita Lee. Inspired by her song Balada do Louco :: Painting :: Photorealism :: This piece comes with an official certificate of authenticity signed by t...
Category

2010s Photorealist Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Watercolor

Chimp with Castles
Located in Bozeman, MT
Adonna Khare is an American master carbon-pencil artist. Her style has been compared to the photo-realistic illustrations of Audubon, but the surreal worlds and strange inhabitants s...
Category

2010s Photorealist Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Archival Paper, Carbon Pencil

"English Teddy Bear Company, " Watercolor by Bruce McCombs
Located in Milwaukee, WI
"English Teddy Bear Company" is an original signed watercolor by Bruce McCombs. It depicts the front window display of a toy store. The window allows the viewer to peek inside but al...
Category

Early 2000s Photorealist Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Watercolor

Anteater and Elephant
Located in Bozeman, MT
This is an framed original drawing on paper. Adonna Khare is an America Artist mainly focused on carbon pencil on paper drawings. She received her Masters of Fine Art from California...
Category

2010s Photorealist Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Archival Paper, Carbon Pencil

Bird and Arrows
Located in Bozeman, MT
This is a unframed original drawing on paper. Adonna Khare is an America Artist mainly focused on carbon pencil on paper drawings. She received her Masters of Fine Art from Californi...
Category

2010s Photorealist Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Archival Paper, Carbon Pencil

Contemporary female artist still life watercolor fruit realism signed
Located in Milwaukee, WI
"Persimmons, Tangerines & Blue Kerchief" is an original watercolor painting by Alicia Czechowski. The artist signed the piece in the lower right. This painting depicts orange persimm...
Category

1960s Photorealist Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Watercolor

Contemporary watercolor photorealist colorful neon sign retro text signed
Located in Milwaukee, WI
"Stardust Dine-o-Mat" is an original watercolor painting by Bruce McCombs. The artist signed the piece lower center. This piece depicts a photorealist rendition of a bright and color...
Category

Early 2000s Photorealist Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Watercolor

Contemporary watercolor photorealist car closeup painting reflection signed
Located in Milwaukee, WI
"Yellow Cadillac" is an original watercolor painting by Bruce McCombs. The artist signed the piece lower right. It reatures a shiny yellow car with its doors open sitting on a suburb...
Category

1990s Photorealist Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Watercolor

Contemporary watercolor photorealist colorful neon sign urban city text signed
Located in Milwaukee, WI
"Central Cafe, N.Y.C." is a photorealist watercolor painting by Bruce McCombs. The artist signed the piece lower right. This piece features a reflection of a neon sign with some silh...
Category

Early 2000s Photorealist Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Watercolor

"Chevrolet Grille (Car), " Watercolor by Bruce McCombs
Located in Milwaukee, WI
"Chevrolet Grille" is an original signed watercolor by Bruce McCombs. It depicts the grille of a highly-polished Chevrolet car. This painting displays McCombs' exquisite attention to...
Category

1990s Photorealist Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Watercolor

contemporary realist watercolor painting interior red car signs colorful signed
Located in Milwaukee, WI
"Car Museum" is an original signed watercolor by Bruce McCombs. It depicts the front of a gleaming car with other automobile memorabilia with exquisite attention to reflections, ligh...
Category

1990s Photorealist Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Watercolor

contemporary realist watercolor car cathedral reflection city scene signed
Located in Milwaukee, WI
"Reflections, Lincoln, England (Car)" is an original signed watercolor by Bruce McCombs. It depicts the hood of a well-polished car reflecting a cathedral facade. This painting displ...
Category

1990s Photorealist Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Watercolor

"Prague, " Watercolor Cityscape signed by Bruce McCombs
Located in Milwaukee, WI
"Prague" is an original signed watercolor by Bruce McCombs. It depicts the architecture of a highly detailed and ornate building. This painting displays McCombs' exquisite attention ...
Category

Early 2000s Photorealist Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Watercolor

contemporary realist watercolor painting window neon signs reflections signed
Located in Milwaukee, WI
"Shoe Repair Window" is an original signed watercolor by Bruce McCombs. It depicts the front of a shop and the reflection of the neon sign. This painting d...
Category

Early 2000s Photorealist Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Watercolor

"Neon Sign, N.Y.C., " Watercolor Cityscape signed by Bruce McCombs
Located in Milwaukee, WI
"Neon Sign, N.Y.C." is an original signed watercolor by Bruce McCombs. It depicts front of a sushi shop and features its neon sign and reflective windows. This painting displays McCo...
Category

Early 2000s Photorealist Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Watercolor

"Oldenburg Sculpture, Cleveland, Ohio, " Watercolor signed by Bruce McCombs
Located in Milwaukee, WI
"Red Boxes, Chipping Camden, U.K." is an original signed watercolor by Bruce McCombs. It depicts the Claes Oldenburg culpture "Free Stamp" in Cleveland, Ohio. This painting displays ...
Category

1990s Photorealist Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Watercolor

Adjustable Wrench, Photorealist Graphite Drawing by Richard Stenhouse
Located in Long Island City, NY
Artist: Richard Stenhouse, American (1944 - ) Title: Adjustable Wrench Year: circa 1970 Medium: Graphite on Paper, signed l.r. Size: 16.5 x 17 in. (...
Category

1970s Photorealist Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Graphite

David Morrison, Firewood Series No. 8, hyperrealist colored pencil drawing
Located in New York, NY
Artist David Morrison creates hyperrealistic, finely detailed pencil drawings of found natural objects, both by observing the object itself under magnification, and also by working f...
Category

2010s Photorealist Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Paper, Color Pencil

Birch Fragment No. 2, photorealist colored pencil nature drawing
Located in New York, NY
Artist David Morrison creates hyperrealistic, finely detailed pencil drawings of found natural objects, both by observing the object itself under magnification, and also by working f...
Category

2010s Photorealist Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Paper, Color Pencil

David Morrison, Stick Series No. 9, Photorealist colored pencil drawing, 2015
Located in New York, NY
Artist David Morrison creates hyperrealistic, yet abstracted, finely detailed pencil drawings of found natural objects, both by observing the object itself under magnification, and a...
Category

2010s Photorealist Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Paper, Color Pencil

David Morrison, Stick Series No. 11, Photorealist colored pencil drawing, 2015
Located in New York, NY
Artist David Morrison creates hyperrealistic, yet abstracted, finely detailed pencil drawings of found natural objects, both by observing the object itself under magnification, and a...
Category

2010s Photorealist Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Archival Paper, Color Pencil

"Grove Hardware" - Framed Superrealism Photorealist Watercolor Painting
Located in New Orleans, LA
A feat of superrealism masterfully done using watercolor, a notoriously difficult medium. (I apologize for the reflections on the glass - I took a couple of shots at a slight angle t...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Photorealist Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Watercolor

Little Pie, Painting, Watercolor on Paper
Located in Yardley, PA
Shrimp boat to the T-Head docks in Corpus Christi, Texas :: Painting :: Photorealism :: This piece comes with an official certificate of authenticity signed by the artist :: Ready to...
Category

2010s Photorealist Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Watercolor

Untitled (The Road to Swindon)
Located in New York, NY
Colin Hunt (b. 1973) is a Brooklyn, NY-based artist working primarily in egg tempera and watercolor. His recent series of landscapes of the Avebury stone circle outside of London are...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Photorealist Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Watercolor

The Surrounding Water XV
Located in Greenwich, CT
Cuban, b. 1974 Antonio Espinosa is a Cuban Postwar & Contemporary artist born in Manzanillo, Cuba in 1974. He graduated from the Instituto Superior de Arte (University of Arts of Cu...
Category

2010s Photorealist Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Paper, Graphite

"Stardust Dine-o-Mat, " Watercolor Neon Signs signed by Bruce McCombs
Located in Milwaukee, WI
"Stardust Dine-o-Mat" is a watercolor signed by Bruce McCombs. The diner exterior has many neon lights that look bright to reflect it being painted at night. A welcoming view for foo...
Category

Early 2000s Photorealist Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Watercolor

contemporary realist watercolor painting building house red car scene signed
Located in Milwaukee, WI
"San Francisco" is an original signed watercolor by Bruce McCombs. It depicts the facade of a house along one of San Francisco's famous steep hills. A gleaming red car is parked in f...
Category

Early 2000s Photorealist Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Watercolor

"Pioneer Zephyr, " Watercolor Painting signed by Bruce McCombs
Located in Milwaukee, WI
"Pioneer Zephyr" is an original photorealist watercolor painting by Bruce McCombs. The artist signed the piece lower right. This artwork features a realistic depiction of a bronze train...
Category

2010s Photorealist Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Watercolor

Contemporary watercolor photorealist landscape colorful neon sign text signed
Located in Milwaukee, WI
"Drive Thru Open" is an original watercolor painting by Bruce McCombs. The artist signed the piece lower right. This piece features a photorealist depiction...
Category

2010s Photorealist Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Watercolor

"Harley, " Photorealist Watercolor of a Motorcycle signed by Bruce McCombs
Located in Milwaukee, WI
"Harley" is an original watercolor painting by Bruce McCombs. The artist signed the piece lower left. It features the wheel and bottom part of a Harley Davidson motorcycle. The artis...
Category

1990s Photorealist Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Watercolor

contemporary realist watercolor painting close up red car grass signed
Located in Milwaukee, WI
"'58 Corvette" is an original signed watercolor by Bruce McCombs. It depicts the back end of a gleaming Corvette with exquisite attention to reflection and light. 22 3/4" x 29 1/2"...
Category

1990s Photorealist Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Watercolor

Photorealist drawings and watercolor paintings for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a wide variety of authentic Photorealist drawings and watercolor paintings available for sale on 1stDibs. Works in this style were very popular during the 21st Century and Contemporary, but contemporary artists have continued to produce works inspired by this movement. If you’re looking to add drawings and watercolor paintings created in this style to introduce contrast in an otherwise neutral space in your home, the works available on 1stDibs include elements of blue, orange, red, yellow and other colors. Many Pop art paintings were created by popular artists on 1stDibs, including David Morrison, Bruce McCombs, Mary Reilly, and Adonna Khare. Frequently made by artists working with Paper, and Pencil and other materials, all of these pieces for sale are unique and have attracted attention over the years. Not every interior allows for large Photorealist drawings and watercolor paintings, so small editions measuring 2 inches across are also available. Prices for drawings and watercolor paintings made by famous or emerging artists can differ depending on medium, time period and other attributes. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $189 and tops out at $87,000, while the average work sells for $3,472.

Recently Viewed

View All