Consider the source

John Zeissig · 11-06-2002, 07:30 PM

Hello All,

The subject of visual source material, working from life vs. photographs etc., is obviously a topic of interest and controversy among portrait artists. Lots of strong opinions have been expressed on this forum regarding the effect of various visual sources on the appearance of the work. A few weeks ago Linda Ciallelo posed a link to some of her work in which she invited participants to pick the works that were done from life as opposed to using photo sources. I thought this was a brilliant idea, a kind of pictorial analog of a wine tasting competition. If the connoisseurs assert the claim that the source of a painting or drawing is manifest in its appearance, then they should be able to identify which works were done from photos, for example, with a reasonable degree of accuracy.

Unfortunately, the exercise was cut short when Linda revealed her source material early in the proceedings. I, however, was fascinated at the prospect of repeating the experiment, so I

John Zeissig · 11-06-2002, 07:33 PM

#1.

John Zeissig · 11-06-2002, 07:34 PM

#2

John Zeissig · 11-06-2002, 07:36 PM

#3

Michele Rushworth · 11-06-2002, 09:08 PM

I would guess that #1 and #3 were done from photos, because of the extra dark cool shadows.

Elizabeth Schott · 11-06-2002, 09:10 PM

John, you forgot to tell us what we win!

I am still looking!

Enzie Shahmiri · 11-06-2002, 11:10 PM

My guess is #2 from life, the other two from photos.

Margaret Port · 11-07-2002, 12:06 AM

I'd have to agree with the others. #2 from life. My rationale is that there is detail in the shadows in #2 which you could see from life. Of course, a good artist should be able to compensate for that so you may trick me yet.

Good idea for a post, by the way.

John Zeissig · 11-07-2002, 01:24 AM

Very good responses, whatever that means. Beth, I didn't think of this as a contest in that sense, but what would you suggest as an appropriate prize?

Wait a minute! I've got a Canon 35mm. camera with zoom lens and a 60 CD programmable player, both new in the box. I won them in a sales incentive contest from DuPont Corp last May. I also won a 27" T.V., but it was too big for the house so we sold it. The haggling over the T.V. was so bad that we never put the other stuff up for sale. I know DuPont is going to 1099 me on this junk, so I've got to unload it. How about your choice, camera or CD player, F.O.B. Alameda, CA? On the other hand, we could offer your choice of the paintings. But who needs more of those? I never thought of this as a contest in that sense, so I don't have a criterion for winning. Somebody could get the correct attribution of sources by chance alone. But I'm flexible, what do you suggest?

Elizabeth Schott · 11-07-2002, 09:49 AM

I am going out on a limb here and guessing the first one is from life, for the reverse of what Michele said. I think the first is more dramatic and you might have over compensated for shadow in #2 and #3.

Please don't make us look too foolish. I feel like I am at a wine tasting.

By the way, I was just kidding about the prize, but all listed sound really acceptable!