Choosing good photo reference is essentialwhen you don’t have access to a live model. In this post I’ll go over the things I try to avoid and the things I look for when choosing my photo reference. It’s a shame when the reference fights you or keeps you fromproducing a good drawing because it isn’t giving you the necessary information (masses, volumes, shapes, edges, values etc…). There’s a difference between a good photo (solely for photography sake) and good photoreference.
The following is advice on how to choose good photo reference. I’ll be using portraits as an example, but the information can be applied to anything.
Keep in mind…It is possible to get a good drawing from any photograph as long as you know in advancewhat problemsyouwill need to resolve andhow to resolve these problems. However, some photos make our jobeasier and some make it harder. I’ve found that working from good photo reference makes my job much more enjoyable and inspiring.
Flat-Lit Photographs and Extreme Shadows
This is often seen when there is not enough light coming from one single direction (too much bounce light and not enough direct light) or when using a flash. This can make skin appear to be smoother, but the problem is that it doesn’t reveal volumes very well. The feeling of 3-dimensionality is lost. On the other hand, you can have a main light source that is too powerful creating very harsh shadows. It’s about findingthe right balance. You want enoughbounce lightor a secondary light source to soften the shadows, but also enoughdirect lightfor it to be clear where the shadows are and where the light is. Finding the right balance depends on the kind of mood or feeling you are going for. Moving closer towards the extreme shadows will bring a lot of drama into your piece. Imagine a scene from a movie likeSin Citywhere the shadows are very dark and the lights are very bright. Moving closer towards the flat light will give your painting a more peaceful and calm feeling, but can sometimes lookcartoonyif executed poorly.
Photos with an obvious light source and a good sense of light and dark are much better for newer artists to learn from, since it’s much easier to see the volumes. Flat light photos require the artist to squeeze every bit of information out of the photo for any halftones, highlights or shadows to show form. Flat light photos are also much more subtle, so value control becomes much more difficult.
Blurry Photographs
Blurry photos make it very difficult to see edges properly. All edges in the photo will appear to be soft, so hard edges will need to be invented. Edges are important to show depth and volume. Trying to fix it with the ‘sharpen edges’ filter in Photoshop won’t work!
Smaller shapes blend together in a blurry photo, so most of the details are lost. Again, more invention required.
Professional Family Photography
Professional family photos are usually not good for reference because there are two different intentions. Family photography placesget rid of shadows to make faces look smoother and younger, while a drawing needs shadows to define the formsand look three-dimensional. Cast shadows can create interesting designs, shapes, and pattern compositions with valuevariation. Light and shadows also create a mood and atmosphere depending on how the subject is lit. The same facecan ‘feel’ different just by playing around with the light source. There are exceptions, but I wouldn’t want to paint from most of the ones I’ve seen.
Other Small Tips
Multiple light sources:
This can create problems if both light sources are too powerful and both cast shadows on the face. You can get away with it though, if one light source is obviously dominating the other. Creating rim light by using a secondary light source behind the subject usually works well.
Teeth showing:
Teeth can look lame in a portrait… If solved improperly teeth can end up looking like a piano. Just imagine theMona Lisawith teeth. If you have to draw teeth, group them together rather than drawing each one individually. I have however, seen it done really well and it added some character to the drawing. Just beware… And make sure you know how to deal with the possible problems.
Note – illustrations are a different story. Teeth can add intensity that an action scene needs. Sometimes teeth are a must to show specific expressions and tell your story.
Good sense of light:
Get a photo that has a very good sense of light falling on and around the forms. Everything you see is dependent onthe light that illuminates it. If you can ‘feel’ the light on the subject then it is a good photo.
Is it interesting?
Finally, is the photo interesting? Does it give you a vision of the completed painting? Does it tell a story? Create amood? Evoke a feeling or emotion? Are youexcited to paint it?
