Before electronic (or even electric) projectors were around, professional artists were using device called a camera obscura[1] with similar results (though obviously dependent on natural illumination).
There is much debate over whether great painters such as Vermeer used a camera obscura as early as the 17th century.
There is much debate over whether great painters such as Vermeer used a camera obscura as early as the 17th century.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Camera_obscura#1650_to_1800:_I...