Hello, I find it incredibly difficult to paint from life because there arent four edges like in a photograph to use to find the composition. Finally had a eureka moment that this is what a viewfinder is for (call me a slow learner). I also just figured out that I can trace the viewfinder opening unto my paper for a perfect thumbnail sketch. Before I was just making a sloppy square and trying to transfer what I saw in the viewfinder to my sloppy square, which of course didn’t work because the dimensions were off. Yesterday I found an online video talking about how you can draw lines on your viewfinder as well as on your paper to additionally help with the initial drawing. She also used her finger on the edge of the viewfinder to mark where a line or object was. So helpful!

So, now I feel really stupid for not figuring all this out before, but also really excited that this may help me in the field. I’ve been practicing using the viewfinder by isolating part of a photograph and now just looking around my yard and drawing quick diagrams of what I see. I’m hoping practicing these thumbnail exercises will help me next time I’m on location.

Are there any other tricks and tips regarding using viewfinders that may be obvious to you smarter more talented artists that haven’t occurred to me yet? In particular, how do you keep it still when seething out the basic composition? Every time I take my eyes off the viewfinder it moves and I have to realign it.

Thanks for any insights!