Paintings From Photo

Article By: Bob Walton

Most artists like to view and look at the person and objects they want to draw or paint. But if an artist doesn’t have access to the actual person or object, they turn to a reference picture. Photos provided by customers are the easiest and best reference materials, whereas, reference books for objects are expensive.  So when it comes to references of objects, to be included in a portrait painting, the easiest, and cheapest, way to find reference pictures of what the portrait painting artist wants to paint or draw is to look on the internet.

Artists have to be careful, though. Many provided photos, and pictures on the internet are copyrighted. This means that you can’t copy it exactly and then call the end result their own work. That could get the artist into a litigious situation. To get around this, the portrait painting artist either has to change around things in their art, so that it doesn’t exactly reflect the image in the photograph, or they must find references that are unrestricted, that an artist is allowed to use. Regardless, references are critical for artworks, and proper use of those references is always necessary to remain above reproach.

In todays busy life, photos are the best means to obtain desired poses, frozen in time, that allow the artist to creatively express, on their canvas’ when the moment of inspiration strikes, without the constraints of time, distance, or “unavailable” live posing.

Ideally, it’s best for the artist to pose and photograph the subject his or herself. However, due to considerations already noted, it often becomes necessary to rely on the reference photographs customers provide, especially when the portrait painting from photo is to be a gift or surprise to a loved one, in order to paint the portrait masterpiece desired.

Why paint a portrait from photo? Because it simplifys the portrait painting process for both the artist and thier customers.

Are you looking for a personalized unique gift idea?  Have you ever considered a portrait painting? Too time consuming to pose in a studio? Not a problem; how about a portrait painting from photo to make it easy?  Just send us your favorite picture, with your suggestions & parameters, Anne Elisabeth does the rest.

There is lots of difference in the life expectancy, and keeping of a photo vs. that of an oil painting picture, by far it is more advantageous to own a painted portrait over owning a photograph. For one, paint lasts longer.  Just visit an art museum or art gallery to view re-known paintings; many paintings are centuries old. Paintings simply don’t fade out because they are made of a high quality media. The longest lasting paintings are those painted with oil paints. Portrait painted pictures are timeless keepsakes because they are truly works of art.

Anne Elisabeth is not just offering portrait paintings from photo as an expression of her creativity (as some artists understand). She creates products that fully satisfy her customers. She can customize her product in such a way that the oil painting pictures are preferred by the customers.  She can ensure full customer satisfaction by providing them draft of her works, and modifications if necessary, until the customer is fully satisfied.

Portrait painting from photo pictures are not only unique personalized gifts, they are timeless works of art from a real artist who makes the gift more valuable.

Here are Josh and Amanda in process:

Here they are after the Battle of Salamis:

Looking better than the Persians did . . . .

Then I decided to add a finishing touch of Green Mushy Stuff, just ’cause:

Ta da! Not the most brilliant painting I’ve ever done, but considering I’ve been going through an artistic dry spell these last four weeks or so . . . .

Another moody shot of my lair. It’s nice to be painting a bit again!

Now that I’ve finished the portrait commission, I have also started a few new paintings. Just little ones to help me further develop my acrylic technique, but thought you might like to see them in process:

Yay roses!  I’m going to work on the red one a little bit more before my first student of the day arrives, ’cause I won’t get a chance to play with them this weekend.

Josh & Amanda

Why commission an artist? Well, there are plenty of reasons, here are some situations in which you may require a custom picture:

Perhaps you are an author, or roleplayer? I sure am! I find it nice to have a picture of my character to better help depict him or her to others. Or maybe there was a certain story you enjoyed and you would like that scene put into illustration?

Custom artwork also makes great personal gifts for friends and family.

Or perhaps you have a story, website, or other personal project that you may be working on and would like an illustration or graphic for it? I can do that too!

We ran and survey for “why commission and artist?”, and here are the top answers:

1) Because he/she is talented.

2) Because he/she is a friend of mine.

3) Because I love to have original drawing about my favourite characters.

4) Because I love to help people live from their art.

5) Because of their style or skill.

6) Because he/she is famous.

Today, we reached a milestone in SEO for this portrait painting website.  We came up ranked number 10, first page, for the first time, for the generic keyphrase, “portrait paintings from photo” (without quotes). Results will vary from day to day, and should improve in the next couple of days due to this post.

~Bob

Here’s an artistic Keyword phrase search and ranking that popped up on google’s webmaster tools, in reference to your site; quite impressive!  Note: week of 8/24/08.

“beautiful portrait paintings” google rank # 5

(not sure if it will stick, but it’s fun to find these results)

Bob

Every artist, to further their skills and technique, should learn to paint, “in real time” with live models.

Here are two recent portraits I’ve completed in a studio setting at Artspace, located in downtown Raleigh, NC.

Here you can see the model. Though mine wasn’t the best painting in the class, it was the best likeness in the class. I like faces.

And this is the best shot I got with the model. It was a fun pose. Yay cowboys!  Sadly this is as far as I got to develop it because time ran out. It’s amazing how fast a seven hour class can go by when you’re concentrating!

A portrait painting of one of my student’s Parents, the Waltons’

Completed in Acrylics.