Do you work from photographs?

Lee · #1 03-19-2001, 10:35 AM

Hi Everyone,
I just spent a very frustrating weekend trying to do a self portrait while looking in the mirror. I'm a beginning artist so I don't expect to do a masterpiece, but I can't even get a likeness. I've drawn other people from photographs, and these come out much better. So, I was wondering if most portraits are drawn from photos or real life, and if anyone has tips or can explain why this is so hard? I'm going to try drawing myself from a photo and see if that works any better.

Thanks for you thoughts
Lee

ShellyF · #2 03-19-2001, 07:02 PM

Hi Lee! I work from photographs all the time to do my portraits, mainly because I spend a lot of time to get very accurate detail, and also the only time I really get to draw is after the kids go to bed... so it's not really a good time for someone to model

Robert · #3 03-19-2001, 09:25 PM

Hello, Lee and welcome! You've asked a pretty loaded question there - one that people've been arguing about since the camera was first available. You'll find that there are very good artists who use cameras 1) all of the time 2)some of the time and 3)never. So, it's really up to you. Go forth and feel good about it - whatever your choice, you'll find plenty of people who've made the same choice as you, with good results!

djstar · #4 03-20-2001, 01:06 AM

I do a lot of life drawing in an open studio so 90% of my stuff is from life and I made a big realization.
Everyone looks like they are either bored, tired or sad...because most of them are! It is hard sitting for three hours with no emotion.
I have done comissions from photos. I wish I could figure out how to get the light I get in life with the sense of the moment that happens with the snap of a shutter.
When I get the REAL work, I hope to be able to do it like the big kids: Spend a pose getting color and detail studies layed in, then set up lighting and photograph what you are painting. THEN lay in all the background, hands etc. and get the human for the final sitting. With the photo and the real thing, it would be the best of all possible worlds!
dj*

bruin70 · #5 03-20-2001, 05:48 AM

i work exclusively from photos,,,except when i do a demo.

biggest advantage,,,,your time is your own....{M}

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"it's alright to be judgmental,,,,,,,,if you have taste"...MILT

Lee · #6 03-20-2001, 09:11 AM

Thanks everyone for your replies. I find working from photos easier, maybe because the model (me!) isn't constantly moving!

ArtyHelen · #7 03-20-2001, 09:25 AM

I work from photos 99% of the time. I have done a couple of pieces from life, but I spend so long on fine detail that it would be putting myself (and a model) thru hell if I tried to do it any other way!

I think it does you good to practice a bit from life though. But there's nothing wrong with doing your 'serious' work entirely from photos!

Helen

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Visit me!
http://pencilartist.50megs.com

Gary B · #8 03-20-2001, 09:49 AM

By all means use any tool necessary to get the best results possible.

That said...Don't neglect drawing from life or you'll miss the greatest teaching experiance you can have as an artist.

Try to avoid depending on anything too much. Be able to reach down and grab a burned stick and a flat rock if you come across something you need to record.

Most of all...Have fun.

Snuffy

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"First you get you a pen and a ink."

Leslie M. Ficcaglia · #9 03-26-2001, 11:23 AM

I had a similar experience to djstar's: when I first began doing portraits in oils rather than pencil sketches I asked my daughter to pose. It ended up as a good likeness but her expression was very uninspiring. Since I also take photos all the time I tried doing some reference shots of my next subject and loved the way I was able to achieve a really spontaneous-looking smile. I've done all my oil portraits from photos since then, but I do sketch from life as well. I think it's important to practice from a three-dimensional model whenever possible, and I feel you can depict people convincingly from two-dimensional reference material only when you've had considerable experience drawing from life; it gives you a sense of the way the muscles move and of the heft of the body which you don't see in a photo.

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Leslie M. Ficcaglia
Minnamuska Creek Studio
Portrait Gallery at http://www.igc.org/mauriceriver/riverpeople.html

Ohju · #10 03-28-2001, 07:27 PM

Most of my work is from photos, a few is from my head and very few from plein aire.
Working on a newspaper photo, which is black and white...making it into color.
Yes it's a tool, who cares....it's art.

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The best way to predict the future is to create it. Peter F. Drucker

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