What do you think?

[campsart]

After replying to a post titled "Grateful graphite" I was wondering about other artists methods for capturing an exact likeness in portraiture. Is an occasional projection and tracing immoral?

I will, at times, project an image directly onto the canvas, trace a very faint outline, then freehand the details, shading, etc. I use this technique when I'm really concerned about capturing an "exact" likeness. I know if I was a patron paying for a portrait of a loved one, I would be very upset coughing up the money for a piece that doesn't quite depict someone accurately. It doesn't bother me at all doing this because I know I can usually freehand quite accurately anyway (sorry if I sound like I'm blowing my horn). If I want the self satisfaction of knowing my original is completely freehanded, then I'll draw a highly detailed image, scan into my computer, print it small enough to fit the 6x6" glass plate of my Artograph then project that onto my support. I usually reserve this technique for portraiture that I'm very critical about. Other themes, landscape, wildlife, etc. are usually freehanded from start to finish. It's still quite challenging to freehand all the shading and detail attempting to make an accurate likeness from a few faint lines that have been projected. Don't sweat the details of how you arrive at beautiful art. Be true to yourself. Enjoy what you do. By all means, study and learn any approach that brings you greater satisfaction in your artistic accomplishments. Again, I say...enjoy what you do! Many great artists...past and present...utilized methods and procedures that would be disagreeable to others. I say "BUNK". I wonder what someone as inventive as Davinci would do with today's technology when creating his art?

[geckonia]

Campsart,

I hear what you're saying. Thank you! I was feeling guilty for tracing! But, like you said, if the face isn't right, it isn't right. There are two huge portraits hanging in my parent's home that don't look much like the subjects to me! That was what inspired me. I wanted to do a portrait of my mom that actually looks like her for my Dad. Using the trickery is just the beginning and takes about 15 minuted. The next 8 hours are spent just looking and drawing...no trickery!! And the satisfaction of getting it "right" is what I'm after...in a portrait anyway. I too can sit and just draw what I'm seeing, but if I'm going to do this as a living, I have to streamline the process and knowing I have these tools at my disposal makes them too tempting to ignore. Thanks for your opinion, I feel alot less guilt about tracing now!

[campsart]

Originally posted by geckonia
Campsart,

I too can sit and just draw what I'm seeing, but if I'm going to do this as a living, I have to streamline the process and knowing I have these tools at my disposal makes them too tempting to ignore. Thanks for your opinion, I feel alot less guilt about tracing now!

Please give up the feeling of guilt and the word "trickery". I feel these processes are no more than different "techniques". Below is an image of a painting I completed of my little girl. I decided from the start to paint her totally freehand...working from a photo. I completed a highly detailed drawing of her without tracing... just refering to the photo. I then projected my sketch onto the canvas and traced a faint image of that. I then freehanded in all the details in the painting process. She is an almost perfect representation of my daughter at that age. I can draw freehand if I have to but sometimes, I prefer, for convenience sake, to project a photo of reference directly onto the support. The background was painted directly from my imagination. The cat you see is an example of a painted-over "traced" image. I just took his photo, slapped the photo into the projector, moved the image around and resized until I felt it fit the compo.


Please let go of any hangups and just CREATE! You're not tricking anybody. Quit fighting any temptation to use the "tools". Who's the real judge anyway?

Enjoy!

David
www.home.earthlink.net/~campsart

[Shirl]

Welcome back David!!

My belief is still "out" on tracing/graphing. I want to do freehand--learn, learn and learn from my mistakes (ha! my Alisa thread). Now if someone wanted me to do a drawing/painting of someone, and I'm being compensated, then I might resort to a graph, to make sure I get it right. (Learned how to graph at the Covino workshop.) So far, in my experience, I'm not getting a real good likeness in human portraits.

People who are not artistic frown on tracing/projections. I got embarrassed once when I mentioned to a group of people that so-and-so uses a projector for her dog portraits. (I was explaining how she gets her wonderful liknesses.) I was banned a "jealous gossip." Or they'll say, when referring to my drawing, "Awww, I know, you just traced it." ...meaning, I'm not talented enough to do it.

Love your Bouguereau signature!

Shirl

[Luvy]

Campsart Checked out your site Beautiful *S* I'm going out to buy a projector now. Hey it's just another tool of the trade I would think. Would make this I'm working on a whole lot easier I bet LOL Can you recommend a good cheap projector and what should I look for in one? I know maybe not cheap but affordable LOL HEE HEE
Glad I checked out your site. It was a thrill to visit *S* You're very good *S* WOW

[sandge]

What I think about using technological assistance ('trickery' hehehe ) can be found in this thread:
Portrait Demonstration: Ruth in Pastels

Even after you have done the tracing, you still have to make correct judgements about colours and tones, and be able to place them correctly within the marked areas.

Great to see you back here, campsart.

[campsart]

Originally posted by sandrafletcher
What I think about using technological assistance ('trickery' hehehe ) can be found in this thread:
Portrait Demonstration: Ruth in Pastels

Even after you have done the tracing, you still have to make correct judgements about colours and tones, and be able to place them correctly within the marked areas.

Great to see you back here, campsart.

WOW Sandra...Your technique on doing the portrait of Ruth is GREAT! I really like the idea of posterizing the original. This idea opens up new possibilities for me I never thought of. You are so right about the challenges of getting all the details, tonal values, etc. just right. I've looked at the faint lines I've projected before and wonder how in the world am I going to make this look right. I looked at your process of creating Ruth without anything but excitement. I didn't think less of you as a professional whatsoever. In fact, I thought of you as even more professional for courageously admitting to using this technique. Your creativity, intelligence and professioalism still shows in your work. This whole thing is just another method of arriving at something very pleasing to the eye. I've admitted often, to many people, that I occasionally project an image before finishing. I have NEVER received a negative reaction from non-artists...only from other artists. Who's the judge?

It's good to be back...thanks!

[campsart]

Originally posted by Luvy
Can you recommend a good cheap projector and what should I look for in one? I know maybe not cheap but affordable LOL HEE HEE

Thanks Luvy for the comments...

I believe most projectors are good but not cheap! I would suggest you check out http://www.artograph.com/projectmain.htm

I would especially consider the "prism" series for their superior clarity. I have one of their older models with a poorer quality lens. I don't have much focusing power with mine. Another reason projection doesn't make it all that easy

[campsart]

Hi Shirl...

Trace something for these individuals and challenge them to come up with the same rendering that you create from it.

Good to hear from you again...

[dnip24]

looks fine! I expect it's one the arts pictures that I saw here