Go for excellence in portraiture

Marina Dieul · 04-25-2006, 03:22 PM

I have read all this tread with interrest. It came just in time for me, because I was asking myself those questions since few weeks.

I don't think I can add much, except a few little thoughts. I always consider photo like a tool , not a perfect one ( Happily because it would be hard to still find an interest in painting)

The funny thing when I was painting some trompe l'oeil is that even the best full size photo will never fool you, and to reproduce exactly this photo with paint either. I was used to paint from life and photo, but the finished painting was finally very different from the photo ( I had to change some perspective some contrasts...to make them more believable) But it was a long time ago.

Those 6 last months, I painted exclusively from photo. Portrait was a new field for me. I think I learned a lot working from photos, but I will never know if I would have learned faster if I had work only from life. I needed practice in mixing paint , softening edges etc... Some basics exercices I could easely do from photos.

During my WIP, I realised that I was using photo not only because it was convenient, but also like a crutch : I was afraid of working from life.
Afraid of having awful results, afraid of having to work a lot, afraid of taking much more time.

I drew some nudes from life 12 years ago, but I was sure that I lost all I knew... Anyway, I pluck up courage, and began some self portraits, I was very surprised that finally it was not as awful as I was expected.

I lived so many artistic emotions during those 6 last months, but I have to say I'm once more overexcited, and couldn't sleep once more : Yesterday I could draw my first self portrait with a real likeness, and then went to my first open studio ( I can't believe that I found a very cheap, not far from my home open studio: with the help from a supportive husband I will go each week!!!!)

So that's it, I woke up for the second time. I feel a total freedom, I feel free to work with photo or not. I too will need a huge handbag to put the sketchbook near the juice, the cookies, the diapers etc...