Social media, blogs, and other online platforms are flooded with stock photos and AI-generated visuals.
Some feature high-quality shots, but even those often have an artificial feel to them. They’re simply too perfect and polished, lacking the flaws that give images character.
That said, how can you make sure your photos stand out and inspire emotion? One option is adding hand-drawn elements to the mix. All you need is some creativity and access to a photo editor that lets you bring your vision to life.
For example, Wixel’s AI-powered tools allow users to apply creative effects with just a few clicks.
You can layer in hand-drawn textures, sketch-like outlines, or other elements to add that “wow” factor. These subtle details draw the eye instantly, creating visuals that feel personal and real.
Even in a digital world, there’s something special about hand-drawn elements.
They bring warmth, personality, and a human touch that technology just can’t replicate. Here’s how to incorporate them into your work – and the difference it can make.
Friends at Wix sponsored this – still my honest take, enjoy!
Table Of Contents
Bring Your Photos to Life with Textures, Lines, and Scribbles
Have you ever heard of mixed media photography?
This art form involves combining traditional photography with various objects, materials, or techniques.
For instance, photographer Natalia Rudychev creates unique works of art that blend digital images, embroidery, dried flower petals, drawings, and other elements.
Similarly, famous artists like Ben Hecht, Jeff League, and Judith Golden work with different mediums to manipulate their photos in original, new ways.
Whether you’re an entrepreneur or content creator, you can leverage this trend to build your personal brand. Think of it as an opportunity to reach new audiences, explore new avenues for expression, and create unique visual narratives.
Say you’re promoting a coffee brand on Instagram.
To stand out, add hand-drawn overlays to product shots, such as sketching beans and steam lines over coffee photos. The result will be far more interesting than a plain image, no matter its quality.
A scribbled note often holds more weight than a typed caption, and a simple sketch can feel more real than a polished vector. By blending these elements into traditional photography, you can express your authentic self and connect with your audience on a deeper level.
People love art made by human hands. After all, there’s a reason we hang sketches on walls, cherish handwritten notes, and pay for handcrafted bags, jewelry, or home decorations.
Though imperfect, these pieces tell a story, offering a glimpse into the artist’s personality. Their uniqueness makes them timeless and memorable.
Tap into the Power of Hand-Drawn Elements
You, too, can turn ordinary photos into artworks by blending hand-drawn touches into digital editing. Follow the tips below to get started.
Choose a Signature Element
Pick a simple hand-drawn motif that ties to your brand. This could be a leaf, heart, pen, coffee cup, or other images your customers can relate to.
Next, draw it in different styles for different mediums, from social media to printed merch.
Use your motif consistently across branding materials. Incorporate it into the images on brochures, flyers, and business cards, as well as in your Instagram posts and website banners. The more often customers see it, the more they’ll associate it with your brand.
While the motif should feel hand-drawn, you can refine it digitally for ease of use. Scan a sketch, vectorize it for scalability, and save it in PNG format to overlay across various materials.
You can also create new variations for seasonal or limited-edition content.
Use Handwriting for Callouts or Captions
Swap out typed text for handwritten overlays to give your photos a personal touch.
For example, handwrite “Happy Hour Specials: 30% Off All Items from 5 PM to 7 PM” on a digital photo featuring your best-selling products. If the background is busy, place the handwriting on a subtle textured box to create contrast.
Note that you don’t have to actually write by hand. Drawing software, stylus-friendly apps, or digital brushes in a photo editor produce similar results, making it easier to enhance your images on the go.
Guide the Viewer’s Eye With Sketches
Draw arrows, circles, underlines, and quick doodles to reinforce your message and direct attention. You can also use this technique to show customers what’s expected of them (e.g., click a button) or highlight details that might otherwise go unnoticed.
Let’s assume you share a photo of a vintage leather satchel. Draw a circle around the brass buckle and add a note saying “Original 1950s hardware” or whatever you want to emphasize.
Use a rough texture or contrasting colors in your handwriting to make the sketch pop. Another strategy is to mix thick and thin lines for a dynamic feel or layer different textures for a multidimensional effect.
Keep It Balanced
Stick to small, intentional touches that align with and support your narrative. The goal is to create visuals that feel authentic, not overly polished to the point of losing their personality.
For instance, a travel blogger could sketch maps, sunbursts, or footprints across different destination photos for a unified look. These elements should complement each other and enhance the overall visual narrative without overpowering the photo.
Ideally, start with subtle accents like small doodles, handwritten fonts, or delicate borders. As you learn the ropes, experiment with bolder designs to see how they impact viewer engagement and sales metrics.
Keep iterating with small adjustments, such as changing the size, placement, or opacity of your drawings. Avoid intricate designs, heavy textures, or complex details that may clutter your images and dilute your message.
Be Adaptable
Leave room to adjust and adapt your hand-drawn elements as needed. For example, you should be able to modify them for special occasions like Christmas or Easter without losing brand consistency.
If, say, your signature motif is a vibrant green leaf, use autumn tones to update it for a seasonal sale. A local ice cream shop could draw little suns and waves over summer flavors and snowflakes over winter specials.
This approach ensures your visuals stay fresh and relevant.
At the same time, it showcases your versatility and ability to adapt to different themes, seasons, or evolving brand directions. The result? Greater visual impact, higher engagement, and more memorable content.
Test and Refine
Chances are, you’ll get mixed reactions when you start blending hand-drawn elements into your visuals. That’s why it’s important to check your analytics and sales figures, collect feedback, and make adjustments accordingly.
Let’s start with social media. Monitor the number of likes, shares, and comments on the posts featuring your new creative style.
Are people engaging more when you share plain images or photos with hand-drawn overlays?
On your website, track and measure organic traffic, click-throughs, session duration, bounce rates, and other metrics. Analyze the pages where you’ve shared pictures with hand-drawn elements and compare their performance to standard product shots.
Go one step further and conduct A/B testing.
For example, you can send out two versions of the same email: one featuring standard images and another one with hand-drawn elements integrated into the visuals.
Compare the engagement metrics of both emails to determine which version resonates more with your audience. Do the same for your social media posts, ad campaigns, and other types of content, then refine your creative direction.
I hope this article has helped you!
For more about using Media in Art, click here!
And as always:
Keep on drawing!
– Patricia
Patricia Caldeira is the main writer here at Don Corgi. She's an art teacher with over 20.000 happy students across many platforms and courses!
Enjoy your stay and as always:
Keep on drawing!
Patricia’s courses have enrolled 22 000+ students around the world, in platforms such as Udemy, Skillshare, Gumroad and more.
