Reference photographs hints and tips

As I can often be working from reference photos this page is to give you some ideas and help with sending me the best photos for me to work from. The better the photo the better the finished art will be. 

 

Always send me the highest resoluton photo that you have.  Photographs taken in daylight are more true to colour. On very sunny days, try and avoid sunlight being directly in front or behind of the subject. If taking a photo indoors you can get great results in a well lit room.

 

Examples of photos

with the resulting portrait

 

 

                                                         Photo in natural light, no camera flash and in good focus ( Photograph credits to Debbi Beer)

 

  

Enhancing a photograph.

Sometimes I need to make tiny

adjustments to bring out the best

in a portrait. If your favourite

photo isn't quite right for some

reason it's worth sending as I may

be able to change it.

 

 

                                                                        Lifting off the grass in front of the face and adding a name tag

                                        

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Low resolution picture

or slightly out of focus?

If you have your favourite photograph

or can't find the perfect photo, try 

a pastel portrait.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Building a painting from more than one photograph. 

 

It is possible to bring subjects together in one painting from seperate reference photographs.

 

It is useful if I can see at least one photograph with the subjects together in order to work out proportions but I do realise that this isn't always possible. A common factor such as a chair or table can be useful where there is likely to be a huge difference in the size of the subjects.