Paintings From Photo

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

Completed in Acrylics.

·    What’s the painting created with? Basically, paint is color (dye or pigment) held together by medium (oil, acrylic,wax) allows the final painting to be exposed directly to the environment.  Materials such as pastels, watercolors (gouache) generally need a protective layer – such as glass of plastic - separating it from the environment. What does this mean in practical terms? The buyer of the latter will have to bear the expense of framing the painting to protect it.   Most acrylic & oils are physically durable but anything with color is subject to fading to some extent over time.  Certain quality of paints (e.g. housepaints or craft or student grade paints) will not remain lightfast for long.   In any case, it is best to display all artwork away from direct sunlight.

·    What’s the painting on? canvas, wood, board, etc? If canvas, is it stretched over a frame, mounted, unstretched?

·    Do I need a frame? Could you hang the painting straight from the box or are other steps required to give it a finished look? If the painting is on a flat rigid support such as masonite, canvasboard (canvas adhered to a rigid support) or something equivalent, you’ll probably need to frame. this can be very expensive. If the painting is unstretched, you will have to hire someone (or enlist a kind friend) to stretch the painting before it can be displayed.  Even if the painting is stretched, unless the sides are completely covered and without staples visible from the sides or front, the painting will likely need framing.  Both stretching and framing may be expensive and may exceed the cost of the painting.

Article Source - Buying Original Art

RULE #1 buy what you like. No need to “know” styles, particular artists >> the labels of abstract, impressionist, modern art, Monet, etc are not as important as knowing what you like.

Rule #2 why do you want the art, ie is it for a specific location, person? Valuation in art is so subjective, I don’t buy as an “investment.” Better to look for quality (conservation, artist grade, etc) & personal appeal.

RULE #3 COMMON SENSE - Be skeptical of purchasing art described as an “authentic” work by a famous artist or if the price seems too good to be true. Does it make sense a piece stated as having a “gallery value of $2000″ would be selling in the $20 range?

RULE #4 “know” who you are buying from.

RULE #5 ask questions if necessary. If you have criteria which you want to accomodate, you should ask before you purchase.

RULE #6 be aware of limitations of online purchasing - a digital pic is a facsimile. Pics viewed on different computers/monitors/settings may vary a great deal.

Article Source: Basic Art-Buying Rules

A famous art collector is walking through the city when he notices a mangy cat lapping milk from a saucer in the doorway of a store and he does a double take.

He notices that the saucer is extremely old and very valuable, so he walks casually into the store and offers to buy the cat for two dollars.

The store owner replies, “I’m sorry, but the cat isn’t for sale.

The collector says, “Please, I need a hungry cat around the house to catch mice. I’ll pay you twenty dollars for that cat.”

And the owner says “Sold.” And he hands over the cat.

The collector continues, “Hey, for the twenty bucks I wonder if you could throw in that old saucer. The cat’s used to it and it’ll save me from having to get a dish.”.

And the owner says, “Sorry buddy, but that’s my lucky saucer. So far this week I’ve sold sixty-eight cats.”

Article Source - The Art Collector

I would like to take you on a journey from a photo to a graphite drawing; worth to frame and mount on a wall? I don’t know. I’m at the beginning and I don’t know how this will turn out.

So this will be FROB-FORB (From Beginner – For Beginners).

STEP 1

Select your photo (BTW this could be the real test of friendship. If they are still your friends after you have drawn them you are either a gifted artist or they are true friends). And here I stumbled across the first problems. Many of the portraits I took were using a flash – so no real shadows.

Recommendation: Select another photo, or if not possible, look for pictures with good lightening be they from the same person or not, no problem, just find something to hold on to when you get to the stage of shading. I would like to call shading – giving the face 3 dimensionality. Look in magazines etc. There is help to be found. Decide where the light is to come from and then select the material.

The picture we will draw from is a photo of my lovely wife of over 34 years, taken a good 20 years ago. So there is another problem. I didn’t have this picture in digital form and when working with a computer to help with grids (we’ll come to that) it is helpful to be able to print it out. You might have similar problems, just scan the photo into the computer and work from there.

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STEP 2

Select the tools you are going to work with. Pencils (2B) – pencil sharpener – as an alternative a mechanical pencil (doesn’t need sharpening and you’ll always have a sharp tip) – a good eraser that doesn’t smear – kneadable eraser – good paper ( I tried many papers (from printer paper [DON’T] to sketchbooks, and have come to like Bristol smooth. Since I do have to do a lot of erasing the better the paper the more often you can erase what you have been doing and start all over again {and, if the drawing turns out to be really nice you can frame it and proudly look at it for years and you don’t have to say; ..” I wish I had used better paper so I didn’t have to draw the picture again which didn’t turn out as nicely as the first {experience!!!} – patience (they say practise makes perfect, I learned that patience is as important) – ruler (you will want to measure and measure and measure, and …) – circle template for the eyes (it helps to have a round iris [ I read in one in the books that the iris and the pupil of the human eye are the perfect circles in nature – how true !!!) – tortillons (paper stumps, Q-tips, tissue paper or whatever) for “smearing”. No fingers please, you’ll bring oil from your fingers to the drawing and that can become really messy {experience}.

For this drawing I am using Bristol Drawing Board, A4 – 21 cm x 29,7 cm – 250 gm/m2
( 8 ¼” x 11 ¾” – 113 lbs). This is the size of my scanner as well so it will be easier to scan the progress and share it with you. I will use a variety of pencils mainly 2B and B (wooden) and 0.7 – 0.5 – 0.3 mm mechanical pencils (mainly B and 2B as well). For some very fine lines I will use my silver pencil (just a silver thread). This has the advantage that I can draw very fine lines without smearing and since the line is very fine my mistakes are not that easily visible.

For “drawing technique” I am using small circular strokes when shading a small area and when I want to avoid a harsh line (like on the upper eyelid).

When shading, I am using circular strokes as well for the tortillon since I found that this gives a smoother area and is better when shading over lines.

STEP 3

Prepare your grids; one for the original photo or printout and one for the paper where you will draw on. The size of the squares depends very much on your drawing skill. The better you are, the larger the grids can be. I use/need a grid size of 1cm (1 inch = 2.5 cm). This helps me in difficult areas.

I know that there are artists out there who will advise against grids. For me they are still and might be forever necessary. They help me to get the proportions and positioning correctly. I will always have to erase and redraw, but at least I have an indication where and in what size. On top of that, I am not such an artist (I won’t mention names) where one eye can be placed on the top of the skull and the other next to the chin, not to mention the nose and people will call this art and pay me a lot of money (sorry Pablo).

When you draw your grid, use a soft pencil with a sharp point and draw the grid VERY lightly. It helps in erasing the lines later because you can’t always incorporate the grid into the shading.

And then you go, square by square, and transfer the photo to the drawing paper. When you draw these first outlines please be very careful and draw the lines VERY softly and faintly. You might even try to just use very soft, short strokes versus a line. For me this works since I won’t have problems in erasing and when drawing short strokes I tend to really copy what I see versus what I think I see. Additionally there are no hard lines in faces. All is soft and smooth. The lines we draw at this stage will all end up in shading and not be visible in the final drawing. Take a look at all those beautiful portraits that have been posted in the forum and you will see not lines but shading and tonal values. Try to copy this. If you don’t believe me, take a look at the photos you are working from, where are there lines? See? The only lines I see on my photo are from the glasses and even these are a little bit fuzzy at the edges.

(I have used tracing in the past but didn’t like it. The lines were too thick, the finer lines didn’t come out correctly, the likeness was not what I hoped it to be. Additionally think that you will actually make 2 drawings. One onto the tracing paper and the other onto the drawing paper. That makes 2 possibilities to go wrong in likeness. It might work for still lifes and objects where likeness is not of major importance. We humans have a very sharp eye when it comes to likeness. A fraction of a centimeter/inch will make the difference from head-on to I think I can detect that person. So for me it didn’t work and I don’t intend to follow that route).

STEP 4

Now that we have the first outlines we can already check if there is likeness or not. I want always to check if the outline of the face is correct, if the eyes, mouth and nose are placed correctly and have the correct shape. Draw, erase, draw, erase, draw, erase ….. until you are satisfied. This is the stage where mistakes can be easily corrected and make life so much easier.

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This is the step where you will want to measure and measure and measure again if the proportions are right. Are the eyes correct? I have found that I tend to make the eyes too large either in width or in height. Somehow I still draw “eyes” and not the shapes I see. Same thing goes for the mouth. Check the correct placement of the corners of the mouth versus the pupils. If the picture is head on, the corners of the mouth are normally right in the middle of the pupils. What I have problems with is when the photo is not directly from front but the head is turned or tilted slightly that I sometimes forget that the eyes, although always parallel to each other, are not parallel to the main vertical axis. And that the “far” eye is smaller. I often forgot that and ended up with the feeling that something was wrong. As has been said above, fractions make the difference. I know that there will be a tutorial on eyes and I hope to learn a lot from it to help me furhter on. And the mouth! Parallel to the eye axis and as well the “far” side of the mouth will be shorter and curved differently. Make sure that you don’t draw these features copying just the left side to the right and vice versa. Eyes and lips are different on both sides. Take that into account. Check it out when you step infront of a mirror and check the both sides of your face. You’ll see. Unless you’re Ms/Mr Universe. I have read that we human beings tend to think of beatuy in people when both sides of the faces are very similar. I know, I am not!!!
This is the result of having tranferred the photo using primarily the grid to the drawing paper and many, many, many corrections. For the corrections of size and positioning I have used 2 grids printed on an acetate. One I used with a sleeve to put the original and the acetate in to have something to check. The other I used to put it over the drawing to check where I was off (and was I ever!!! Not really major differences but enough to affect likeness). Additionally I used the scanner. When you are good then the scanner is your friend because you can quickly see if you have achieved the likeness you wanted. For me it was a shock to see on the screen what looked acceptable on the drawing, but was obviously off. Other ways to check for accuracy is the mirror. I used it as well but didn’t find it as helpful as the scan. Since I don’t have a mirror next to my drawing table I had to run back and forth to make changes to see if I got it right. The scanner on the other hand is right here at my drawing desk (I often use the screen for the original drawing) and therefore it is easier for me to correct and scan and re-scan and re-scan (you get the picture). What had helped me however tremendously was the Photoshop method to check the drawing against the original. There is a feature by Cathy_Sheeter explaing how it is done. “Using Photoshop to Evaluate Preliminary Sketches, dated. 10-13-2004”. Highly recommendable – it helped me a lot.

I have outlined the forms a little bit stronger so that they would show up in the scan. I usually try to do those lines as faint as possible to be better able to incorporate them into the picture. And yes, try to get rid of the grid lines now, since they will bother us later on when we are going to shade.

STEP 5

Being at this point we are happy with the outlines (I presume) and now the fun part begins, the real drawing. I take it that you all have erased carefully the grid lines from the drawing and you look at your masterpiece as if you had drawn it freehand (which you did – with just a little help).

Now where to start? That is very much up to you. Some start at the left uppermost corner and worked their way down to the right hand lower corner (for right handers – left handed persons would start on the upper right hand corner to go to the left hand lower corner). They say this prevents, or at least reduces, smearing. I can’t do that. I don’t have a fixed starting point. I mostly start with the eyes and then jump around from there. (To avoid smearing I always use a paper under my hand over the areas I have already drawn.) And jumping around I really do - from the eyes to the nose, to the eyes, back to the mouth, the ears. You get the picture. It helps me to concentrate always on very small areas of the drawing and not fall into the trap to drawing an eye but just some small part of a line on the left eye, etc. It helps me to focus on smaller areas. Additionally I very often don’t draw continuously for hours. Sometimes I draw for a few minutes, play something on my keyboard or Solitaire and then come back with a fresh eye and a more critical look at what I did.

Recently I have found out that I like to draw the outlines with a tortillon (pointed paper) with graphite on it. It helps me to get more form into the picture, it is easy to erase, and it helps me to see the shapes better. With this I sometimes lay the first shading giving the portrait it’s first 3 dimensionality. Remember, the head is round and not 2 dimensional.

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As said, I have outlined the drawing using the tortillon. As well I have applied the first tender shadowing to make it more 3 dimensional. As well I have made the dark areas already very dark to give me a better impression of how the face will stand out.

In shading I am learning as I do this project, it works for me to draw the shading not in cross hatching strokes but in small circular motion. This enables me to handle the pen very lightly and avoid deep impressions on the paper. As well it will blend very easily for a smooth shadow. Additionally, when I “circle” over already existing hard lines it makes it easier to blend these lines into the shading.

But be beware of shading circles on shading. Be very careful since graphite appears to adhere to existing graphite a lot better than on paper. So a lot less is better. Try 2 or 3 layers vs on which might come out too dark.

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One more thing. Since we will draw frameless glasses we have to watch out the lenses don’t have a clear line surrounding it and that we have some whites to indicate the thickness of the glasses. Try not to draw into these lighter areas and “shade” away from those glasses, leaving the rims graphite-free.

IMPORTANTISSIMO

The further back, the darker. As simple as that. Here now comes the reference photo into play which we selected for the shadows. Use these as hints where to place the shading. Please observe that you have to match the contours of the nose for instance with your photo and not with the reference. Chances are that those noses are different.

And now area by area we will apply tone (graphite) to our drawing. Keep in mind that there are some highlights in the face. Leave them lighter, or dab them off with the kneaded eraser. Have reflections of light on the lower lips (upper lips are mostly darker), on the cheekbones, at the side of the face (reflected light), and don’t forget the hair. Somewhere I read that drawing the hair takes as much time as the rest of the drawing. Right! If you wanted to do it correct, it takes time, but makes a whole world of difference. Look at the hair not as a sum of many individual hairs but as shades and reflections. Easier to draw and more natural. (You will see later non that I have not been able to follow my own words through and I am struggling with the hair. Hopefully somebody will do a piece on hair.)

In the following stages you can see how I have, step by step expanded the area of shading. (Not to the complete satisfaction of the WC community, but this is one of the areas in which I, as a beginner, have serious problems. I am afraid to go dark enough with my darks and often end up with a rendering in the “middle-tone-area”. So be beware of that !!!!)

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Speaking of difficult areas. One of my problem zones are the mouth and the teeth. What had helped me especially with the teeth is that I don’t draw them any longer. I just draw the negative space between the upper teeth and the lower teeth. Try it you might be surpsrised how easy that is.

When I showed this stage to our daughter she told me exactly where to put more shadowing:

In the areas on both sides of the mouth and the forehead. And voila !!! there is more 3 dimensionality in the face. Before that it looked as if the mouth was just “pasted onto the face” and did not really “belong”. So what does that mean? Check very carefully if you really have all the shadowing not only in the correct intensity but in the correct places as well.

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And then the real problems started:

I tried to do the hair ( henceforth known as my “hairy – problem” ).

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And here is the stage I am at:

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I have posted this stage in the forum to receive comments to help further improvement.

These are recommendations of the areas which still needed improvement:

1. Darker shading
2. Deepen the recess of the hair
3. “Eliminate” hint of lower teeth
4. Hair
- proportions
- little body
5. Tonal values vs. reference picture are off
6. In connection with 1 and 5 - start with a very dark area and balance the rest of the drawing out according to the deepest dark
So here we are. I will try to incorporate now as many of those suggestions as possible without ruining the drawing completely.

Yes, it was fun. I hope I was able to share some things with you that might give you the one or the other idea. As said above, do I frame it and hang it? I might do so.

Thankfully I have a loving wife!!!!!!

Cheers and happy painting,
Reinhard
October, 2004

Article Source - Drawing Portraits From Photos

Herewith I only give some examples of my portrait painting technique. Everybody develops his own technique suitable to his painting style. Each portrait is a new challenge, an enriching experience, a very exciting one. Actually, most part of a portrait painting is still life: clothes, furniture, flowers,… all the decorum around. Of course, if you paint outdoors, the portrait would contain still life and landscape.

My colour scale is white, French ultramarine blue, cerulean blue, cadmium yellow, yellow ochre, burnt sienna, burnt umber, viridian (emerald green ), cadmium red deep, and sometimes I add to this scale cadmium red, Van Dyke brown, light oxide red (rouge Anglais), and permanent green light. I never use black; I mix colours to obtain a black that is more siccative (dries quickly) than the commercial tubes’ black, and comes more in harmony with the other colours of the picture. With time passing by, I surely will experiment other colours.

Here are some examples of flesh tint: white, burnt sienna, cadmium red, cadmium yellow or yellow ochre; or, white, oxide red, cadmium yellow; …you really can find the flesh colour you like best, but the first example is the basic colour. For the flesh shadows, white, burnt sienna, cadmium red only, with more sienna, or you add viridian to this, or ultramarine blue. For the flesh in lights, you add more white to the basic colour. You have to find your own mixed colours. I would not have room here to give all the possibilities. Do not forget the reflected lights in the shadows or in the lights. The flesh, like every other thing you paint, reflects the colour of what is next to it; but do not overdo that. The highlights may be pure white at the end of the picture, or white and cadmium yellow.

Article Source - My Portrait Painting Technique by: Lale Okonsar

Given that this website is about “Paintings From Photos”, it makes sense that we discuss, at least once, the merits of good photography, and how to make the most of your digital pictures. I found the following article to be extremely helpful.

Please visit the original article page (link source at bottom) to see the actual referenced Figures noted in the below article.

Top Ten Digital Photography Tips

by Derrick Story, author of Digital Photography Pocket Guide, 3rd Edition
10/22/2002
Revised 09/06/2005, 11/05/03

You’ve heard this before: Digital cameras do all the work. You just push the button and great pictures magically appear. The better the camera, the better the photos. Isn’t that right? Heck no!

The truth is that you can make great photos with a simple consumer point-and-shoot camera, or take lousy shots with the most expensive Nikon. It’s not the camera that makes beautiful images; it’s the photographer. With a little knowledge and a willingness to make an adjustment here and there, you can squeeze big time photos out of the smallest digicam.

To help you down the road to great image making, here are ten tips that will enable you shoot like a pro (without maxing out your credit card on all that expensive equipment).
1. Warm Up Those Tones

Have you ever noticed that your shots sometimes have a cool, clammy feel to them? If so, you’re not alone. The default white balance setting for digital cameras is auto, which is fine for most snapshots, but tends to be a bit on the “cool” side.

When shooting outdoor portraits and sunny landscapes, try changing your white balance setting from auto to cloudy. That’s right, cloudy. Why? This adjustment is like putting a mild warming filter on your camera. It increases the reds and yellows resulting in richer, warmer pictures.

Figure 1a is shot outdoors in a mountain environment with the white balance set to auto. Figure 1b shows warmer tones thanks to using the “cloudy” setting and a pair of Costa Del Mar sunglasses over the front lens. (Canon PowerShot S200, Program mode)

Cool version.
Figure 1a.

Warm version
Figure 1b.

If you don’t believe me, then do a test. Take a few outdoor shots with the white balance on auto, then take the same picture again with the setting on cloudy. Upload the images to your computer and look at them side by side. My guess is that you’ll like the warmer image better.
2: Sunglasses Polarizer

If you really want to add some punch to your images, then get your hands on a polarizing filter. A polarizer is the one filter every photographer should have handy for landscapes and general outdoor shooting. By reducing glare and unwanted reflections, polarized shots have richer, more saturated colors, especially in the sky.

What’s that you say? Your digital camera can’t accommodate filters. Don’t despair. I’ve been using this trick for years with my point-and-shoot cameras. If you have a pair of quality sunglasses, then simply take them off and use them as your polarizing filter. Place the glasses as close to the camera lens as possible, then check their position in the LCD viewfinder to make sure you don’t have the rims in the shot.

If your camera doesn’t accept filters, then you can still achieve the effects of a polarizer by placing your sunglasses over the lens. Figure 2a is shot normally without any filtration. Figure 2b is shot during the same session, but with sunglasses placed over the lens. Notice the enhanced colors and deeper sky tones. (Canon PowerShot S200, Program mode)

Without a filter.
Figure 2a.

With a filter.
Figure 2b.

For the best effect, position yourself so the sun is over either your right or left shoulder. The polarizing effect is strongest when the light source is at a 90-degree angle from the subject.
3. Outdoor Portraits That Shine

One of the great hidden features on digital cameras is the fill flash or flash on mode. By taking control of the flash so it goes on when you want it to, not when the camera deems it appropriate, you’ve just taken an important step toward capturing great outdoor portraits.

In flash on mode, the camera exposes for the background first, then adds just enough flash to illuminate your portrait subject. The result is a professional looking picture where everything in the composition looks good. Wedding photographers have been using this technique for years.

With fill flash.
Figure 3. By placing the subjects in the open shade beneath a tree and turning on the fill flash, both the boys and the background are properly exposed. (Canon PowerShot G2, 1/250th at f-4, flash on)

After you get the hang of using the flash outdoors, try a couple variations on this theme by positioning the subject so the sun illuminates the hair from the side or the back, often referred to as rim lighting. Another good technique is to put the model in the shade under a tree, then use the flash to illuminate the subject. This keeps the model comfortable and cool with no squinty eyes from the harsh sun, and this often results in a more relaxed looking portrait.

Remember, though, that most built-in camera flashes only have a range of 10 feet (or even less!), so make sure you don’t stand too far away when using fill flash outdoors.
4. Macro Mode Madness

Remember as a kid discovering the whole new world beneath your feet while playing on the grass? When you got very close to the ground, you could see an entire community of creatures that you never knew existed.

These days, you might not want to lie on your belly in the backyard, but if you activate the close up mode on your digital camera and begin to explore your world in finer detail, you’ll be rewarded with fresh new images unlike anything you’ve ever shot before.

Even the simplest object takes on new fascination in macro mode. And the best part is that it’s so easy to do with digital cameras.

Close up mode.
Figure 4. Nature looks much different, and sometimes more compelling, at close range. (Canon PowerShot G2, Programmed exposure, spot meter, Close Up mode, flash off)

Just look for the close up or macro mode icon, which is usually a flower symbol, turn it on, and get as close to an object as your camera will allow. Once you’ve found something to your liking, hold the shutter button down halfway to allow the camera to focus. When the confirmation light gives you the go ahead, press the shutter down the rest of the way to record the image.

Keep in mind that you have very shallow depth of field when using the close up mode, so focus on the part of the subject that’s most important to you, and let the rest of the image go soft.
5. Horizon Line Mayhem

For some mysterious reason, most human beings have a hard time holding the camera level when using the LCD monitors on their digicams. The result can be cockeyed sunsets, lopsided landscapes, and tilted towers.

Part of the problem is that your camera’s optics introduce distortion when rendering broad panoramas on tiny, two-inch screens. Those trees may be standing straight when you look at them with the naked eye, but they seem to be bowing inward on your camera’s monitor. No wonder photographers become disoriented when lining up their shots.

Finding horizontal lines.
Figure 5. How do you square up an image in the LCD viewfinder so it appears “level” when you view it later on the computer? Look for nature’s horizontal lines and use them as guides. Sometimes you can use the line where the sky meets the ocean, other times you can use a strip of land as your level. In this case I used the shoreline of a mountain lake to help me align this composition. (Canon PowerShot G2, Aperture Priority exposure set to f-8, polarizer filter)

What can you do? Well, there’s no silver bullet to solve all of your horizon line problems, but you can make improvements by keeping a few things in mind.

First of all, be aware that it’s important to capture your images as level as possible. If you’re having difficulty framing the scene to your liking, then take your best shot at a straight picture, reposition the camera slightly, take another picture, and then maybe one more with another adjustment. Chances are very good that one of the images will “feel right” when you review them on the computer. Simply discard the others once you find the perfectly aligned image.

If you practice level framing of your shots, over time the process will become more natural, and your percentage of level horizon lines will increase dramatically.
6: Massive Media Card

When you’re figuring out the budget for your next digital camera, make sure you factor in the purchase of an additional memory card. Why? Because the cards included with your new high-tech wonder toy are about as satisfying as an airline bag of peanuts when you’re dying of hunger.

If you have a 3 megapixel camera, get at least a 256MB card, 512MBs for 4 megapixel models, and 1GB for for 6 megapixels and up.

That way you’ll never miss another shot because your memory card is full.
7: High Rez All the Way

One of the most important reasons for packing a massive memory card is to enable you to shoot at your camera’s highest resolution. If you paid a premium price for a 6 megapixel digicam, then get your money’s worth and shoot at 6 megapixels. And while you’re at it, shoot at your camera’s highest quality compression setting too.

Why not squeeze more images on your memory card by shooting a lower resolution and low quality compression settings? Because you never know when you’re going to capture the next great image of the 21st century. And if you take a beautiful picture at the low 640 x 480 resolution, that means you can only make a print about the size of a credit card, not exactly the right dimensions for hanging in the museum.

Related Reading
Digital Photography Pocket Guide

Digital Photography Pocket Guide
By Derrick Story
Table of Contents
Index

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On the other hand, if you recorded the image at 2272 x 1704 (4 megapixels) or larger, then you can make a lovely 8- x 10-inch photo-quality print suitable for framing or even for gracing the cover of Time magazine. And just in case you were able to get as close to the action as you had liked, having those extra pixels enables you to crop your image and still have enough resolution to make a decent sized print.

The point is, if you have enough memory (and you know you should), then there’s no reason to shoot at lower resolution and risk missing the opportunity to show off your work in a big way.
8: Tolerable Tripod

I once overheard someone say, “He must be a real photographer because he’s using a tripod.” Well, whether or not you use a tripod has nothing to do with you being a true photographer. For certain types of shots though, these three-legged supports can be very useful.

The problem is tripods are a pain in the butt to carry around. They are bulky, unwieldily, and sometimes downright frustrating. Does the phrase “necessary evil” come to mind?

For digital shooters there’s good news: the UltraPod II by Pedco. This compact, versatile, ingenious device fits in your back pocket and enables you to steady your camera in a variety of situations. You can open the legs and set it on any reasonable flat surface such as a tabletop or a boulder in the middle of nowhere. But you can also employ its Velcro strap and attach your camera to an available pole or tree limb.

The UltraPod II.
Figure 6. The UltraPod II is lightweight and affordable (less than $20 typically).

You might not need a tripod that often, but when you do, nothing else will work. Save yourself the pain and money of a big heavy lug of a pod, and check out the svelte UltraPod. Yes, then you too can be a real photographer.
9: Self Timer Fun

Now that you have your UltraPod in hand, you can explore another under-used feature found on almost every digital camera: the self timer. This function delays the firing of the shutter (after the button has been pushed) for up to 10 seconds, fixing one of the age old problems in photography: the missing photographer.

Hey, just because you’ve been donned as the creative historian in your clan, that doesn’t mean that your shining face should be absent from every frame of the family’s pictorial accounting. You could hand your trusty digicam over to strangers while you jump in the shot, but then you take the chance of them dropping, or even worse, running off with your camera.

Instead, attach your UltraPod, line up the shot, activate the self timer, and get in the picture. This is usually a good time to turn on the flash to ensure even exposure of everyone in the composition (but remember that 10 foot flash range limit!). Also, make sure the focusing sensor is aimed at a person in the group and not the distant background, or you’ll get very sharp trees and fuzzy family members.

Self timers are good for other situations, too. Are you interested in making long exposures of cars driving over the Golden Gate Bridge at dusk? Once again, secure your camera on a tripod, then trip the shutter using the self timer. By doing so, you prevent accidental jarring of the camera as you initiate the exposure.
10. Slow Motion Water

I come from a family where it’s darn hard to impress them with my artsy pictures. One of the few exceptions happened recently when my sister commented that a series of water shots I had shown her looked like paintings. That was close enough to a compliment for me.

What she was responding to was one of my favorite types of photographs: slow motion water. These images are created by finding a nice composition with running water, then forcing the camera’s shutter to stay open for a second or two, creating a soft, flowing effect of the water while all the other elements in the scene stay nice and sharp.

You can create a painterly effect with moving water by mounting your camera on a tripod and slowing the shutter to an exposure of 1 second or longer. (Canon PowerShot G2, Aperture priority set to f-8, shutter speed 1 second, polarizer filter, UltraPod II tripod)

With slowed shutter speed.
Figure 7a.

With slowed shutter speed.
Figure 7b.

You’ll need a tripod to steady the camera during the long exposure, and you probably should use the self timer to trip the shutter. If you camera has an aperture priority setting, use it and set the aperture to f-8, f-11, or f-16 if possible. This will give you greater depth of field and cause the shutter to slow down.

Ideally, you’ll want an exposure of one second or longer to create the flowing effect of the water. That means you probably will want to look for streams and waterfalls that are in the shade instead of the bright sunlight.

Another trick is to use your sunglasses over the lens to darken the scene and create even a longer exposure. Plus you get the added bonus of eliminating distracting reflections from your composition.
Final Thoughts

Most digital cameras, even the consumer point-and-shoot models, have a tremendous amount of functionality built into them. By applying a little ingenuity and creativity, you can take shots that will make viewers ask, “So what kind of camera do you have?”

You can tell them the answer, but inside, you’ll know it’s not the camera responsible for those great pictures. It’s the photographer.

Derrick Story is the digital media evangelist for O’Reilly. His current book is The Digital Photography Companion. You can follow him on Twitter or visit www.thedigitalstory.com.

This article will provide you with a general understanding of some of the more basic watercolour painting techniques.

Flat Wash Technique - The flat wash technique is one of the more basic and common of the various techniques. The flat wash technique is usually used when large areas of the canvas need to be covered. You will want to lay out the watercolor wash evenly and uniformly. First you will need to dampen the area of your canvas where you will be applying the watercolor wash. Make certain to have an adequate amount of water and pigment available before your start. If you should have to stop for any reason, it will be difficult to match your layers.. It is better to have more than less available. The angle at which you apply the watercolour wash is important. If the angle is too steep your wash will run down the paper. If the angle is too level, then you won’t have enough movement. Use a large brush for this technique and start your first stroke at the top of the paper. Continue applying the watercolor wash going down the paper, but alternate sides as you move down.

Glazing Technique - The glazing technique is when you apply a thin transparent color over a completed dry layer of color. This technique creates some very interesting blends of new color. You will need to use a non-staining, transparent color for this watercolor technique. You should use a soft brush and don’t apply that much pressure.

Wet In Wet Technique - Wet in wet is simply applying a wet wash over a wet surface. You start by evenly wetting the paper with a brush or spray bottle. Have a sponge handy to absorb any excess water. You want your paper to be evenly saturated. Then apply your watercolour.

Dry Brush Technique - With the dry brush technique, your paper is completely dry. You then apply a fairly dry pigment with very little water to the paper.
The dry brush technique should only be used where you want to draw focus or create texture in your painting. It’s always a good idea to use various watercolor brush techniques in a single painting. This results in a more interesting painting.

Lifting Off Technique - Artists use this technique when they want to remove watercolor from a certain area of the panting. It is usually done by first wetting the area that needs to be removed with a clean sponge and then absorbing the color with a tissue. If you find that the color does not come off right away, then let the water soak in a bit longer and try again. If you still are unable to remove the color, then dampen a bristle brush and gently scrub the area. You should use extreme care with this watercolor technique, as there is a risk you can damage the paper.

Article Source - Introduction To Watercolor Painting Techniques

When I first began painting some 10 years ago, I remember my first trip to my local art supply store. I recall my feeling of utter confusion as I perused the aisles. This particular art store had every tube of paint, brush, medium and canvas known to man, far too many choices for a confused beginner. After several moments, a sales person came by and began to assist me in finding the supplies I needed. To make a long story short, I left the store 30 minutes later with a box full of supplies, half of which I had absolutely no idea what to do with. I wish I knew then what I know now. I could have saved myself a lot of money.

When you are first starting out in oil painting, you shouldn’t go overboard on supplies. It’s best to start with the basics. When you become more experienced, you can then try out different supplies until you find the items you are most comfortable working with.

Oil Painting Brushes - Brushes come in various sizes and shapes from flats to brights to rounds. They are also available at various prices. Brushes are something you should definitely spend a bit extra on and shoot for quality. You don’t want cheap brushes. Cheap brushes are a huge headache mainly because they shed hair and lose their shape quicker than quality brushes. The types of brushes you purchase really depend on the type of painting you plan on doing: landscapes, portraits, impasto work, etc., all call for certain types of brushes. You will only learn this over time as you become more experienced and develop your own style. For starters, I would purchase a few flats of various sizes, a few small rounds for detailed work and a fan for blending. Make sure to also purchase a good brush cleaner and preserver. I use the Marx Brush Care System for cleaning and preserving my brushes and it works great.

Oil Paints - Oil paint also varies in price and quality. There are some very good paints on the market today. I prefer to work with Grumbacher Artist Oils, but Winsor & Newton oil paints are also quite popular. There are different grades of paint. There are student grade paints and professional grades. My own preference is to work with the professional grades, as the colors are more brilliant than student grade paints. I guess it’s ok in the beginning to purchase a lesser quality for learning and experimentation. I guarantee once you try the professional grade paints, you will never go back to student grade. This is my opinion of course. Artist color choices vary. Some prefer a limited palette of only a few colors, while others prefer to have a variety of different colors at their disposal.

Here are the colors of my palette. You do not have to buy these exact colors, as this is only my preference that has developed over time.

Cadmium Yellow Light
Yellow Ochre
Cadmium Red Light
Cadmium Orange
Burnt Sienna
Raw Sienna
Burnt Umber
Alizarin Crimson
Sap Green
Thalo Blue
Ivory Black
Titanium White

Oil Painting Mediums - Medium preference varies greatly from artist to artist. I think every artist has his or her own mixtures and formulas. I myself use linseed and poppy oil. Linseed oil has a tendency to yellow the colors so I do not mix it with my lighter color mixtures. For lighter color mixtures, I use poppy oil as it has less of a tendency to yellow. There are other mediums available. I recommend that you try your own mediums and recommendations from artists until you find something that produces the results you are after.

Canvas and Other Supports - The popular support that many artists work with is cotton canvas, but there are other supports available. Some other choices are linen canvas, boards and canvas paper for instance. You could also buy rolled canvas and stretch your own if desired. This again is something you have to experiment with until you find a support that works best with your style of painting. I recommend starting with a few smaller to medium sized canvases. I work with FREDRIX Red Label Stretched Cotton Canvas. Red Label is a medium textured quality canvas excellent for use with oils and a popular choice amongst oil painters.

Palette - Palettes are made from various materials including glass,wood, plastic, and even paper. My palette of choice is the BOB ROSS Clear Palette. This palette is wonderful. It’s easy to clean, holds a lot of paint with adequate room to mix your colors. It’s also priced quite reasonably.

Easels - Easels are also available in various sizes and price ranges. You will need a good stable easel to paint on; otherwise your canvas will wobble around when you paint. This can be quite frustrating. You also need to decide whether you will be painting primarily in your studio or if you are an outdoor painter. If you are painting outdoors you should consider purchasing a French easel. The JACK RICHESON Academy Verona Half French Easel is a good buy. If you work primarily in your studio, then you have a lot of easels to choose from. I personally use a STANRITE 500 Classic Aluminum Easel. It’s an excellent easel that is both lightweight and sturdy. It sets up easily and can be folded for easy transport.

Article Source - Oil Painting Supplies - Guide For Beginners

The acrylic painting medium is a fairly new addition to the various painting mediums available to todays artists. It has been around since the 1950’s and has been continually under development and refinement ever since.

Acrylic paint is highly favored amongst artists because of its wonderful versatility. It can be applied thickly as an impasto having rich texture or in washes mimicking the characteristics of watercolor.

Another likable characteristic of acrylic paint is its permanence. Acrylic paint is not susceptible to yellowing or hardening with age. With acrylic paint, the artist does not need to be concerned with the order the paint is applied or other special techniques that ensure the paint film remains free from cracking. So it can be said that acrylic paint is much easier to use than oil paint.

Yet another characteristic that invites new artists to this medium is its fast drying time. Since acrylic paint dries so quickly, colors can be applied and overlaid quicker than with oil painting.

There are however a few downsides to the quick drying time of acrylic paints:

1) The paint will not remain workable for very long, so you have to work quickly.

2) The fast drying time of acrylics can also ruin brushes if the brushes are not cleaned immediately.

3) Acrylic paint is not the best medium for direct painting outdoors, especially on a bright sunny day. Whatever paint you put out on your palette will begin to dry quickly and form a skin over the surface of the paint making it very difficult to work with.

ACRYLIC PAINTING TECHNIQUES

Watercolor Effects

Acrylic paint works wonderfully as a transparent medium, similar to watercolor. Acrylics do have an advantage over watercolors. You can lay out a number of thin washes over one another without fear of disturbing the colors underneath. You must wait for one layer to dry completely before applying another of course. Once each layer dries it becomes insoluble in water. The only disadvantage to using acrylics as a watercolor medium is the difficulty in modifying the color. Once acrylic paint begins to dry it becomes rather difficult to work with. One of the biggest problems is the tendency for washes to dry with unwanted hard edges. You can avoid this problem in one of two ways. You can either dampen the paper before the paint is applied or you can use an additional brush dampened with water. Use one brush to apply the paint and immediately soften the edge with the other brush that has been dampened with the water.

Blending Opaque Colors

With watercolor effects, the acrylic paint is applied in transparent washes. With the opaque technique the paint layers are non-transparent. Blending opaque acrylic colors can be a bit tricky as you are kind of pressed for time. It is important therefore to only work on areas that you know you will have enough time to blend. To blend two colors, first paint a block of each color side by side on your support. Where the two colors join paint down that line with a clean damp brush to soften the edges. To blend the colors even further, move the blending brush from side to side or up and down, until the desired blending is achieved.

Sgraffito Technique

Sgraffito is a scratching technique. It got its name from the Italian word “graffiare” which literally means “to scratch”. Just as the name implies it involves scratching into the surface of the wet paint which reveals either the ground or layer of dry color underneath. There are a number of different tools that can be used for this technique. Tools like screwdrivers or the sharpened end of an old paintbrush handle should suffice. It really depends on the support you are using. For instance, a screwdriver may not be the best tool if you are using a panel as a support. The hard metal may damage the panel, so you would need to use a softer tool.

Using a Squeegee

A regular squeegee that you can purchase at any hardware or auto store can create some interesting effects when used with acrylic paint. First you would squeeze out some paint blobs directly along one edge of your support. You can layout whatever colors you wish. Then with one fluid motion you would drag the paint across the support with your squeegee, which will smear and mix the paint and create some very unique and interesting designs. You may need to alter your squeegee a bit as the rubber blade that comes with most squeegees may not be rigid enough to drag the paint. You can remove the rubber blade and in its place glue in a regular wooden ruler. This will give you a flat sturdy edge to manipulate the paint.

I hope you have enjoyed this article on acrylic painting techniques. Take some time today to experiment with these techniques and have fun. Happy Painting!

Article Source - Acrylic Painting Techniques For Beginners