Making Reference Photos Work

Have you ever attended an art show where a lot of the paintings were derived from photos? Do you ask yourself how some artists use take reference photos and make exciting paintings.  I believe that this might be the result of the analysis that the artist makes before picking up the brush. These artists must clearly define what attracts them to that photo and what is the main area of interest.  Having a clear focal point is always the most important part. 

With this information, the artists decide on what is worth keeping and which areas to play down or eliminate.

When taking photos for still life paintings, there is no shortcut, Many many photos are required. Artists must try out numerous compositions. This includes 

• moving objects sometimes one centimeter forward or back, left or right, or up and down;
• adding or removing objects to balance warm and cool colours; 
• eliminate objects that don't look right;
• change the angle of the camera; and
• changing the lighting direction and intensity.

Taking multiple photos of a scene helps the artist see many of the nuances.

Here is my painting of roofs from Sienna, Tuscany. It is currently on my easel as I study it to see what details that I can add to improve the painting.

In the coming week, I'll be watching Watercolor Live 2023.  During this 3-day global virtual conference, I'll discover techniques used by the world's top watercolor artists. This will be the third year that I watch this incredible event.

Have a great week

Danielle