when painting from photos?

TattooArtist

When using photos
Does mask suggest the color checker to mix colors?
Or what other way..
Thanks
Alex

LizONeal

He laminates the photo and paints right next to the area he is trying to match. You can wipe the paint off with a rag damp with OMS.

TattooArtist

Ok cool thanks liz. I have a laminator machine already that does 11x14..

LizONeal

Great! You are set then! Loved seeing you tatoo work. My son in law was a big tat person. He had a pink flamingo, a hibiscus flower and a tiki on his leg. I told him all the time that if he were not a 6'4" big burly guy he would get his ass kicked every day! LOL We lost him to a motorcycle accident last summer and I sure miss the big lug!

CharleyBoy

I believe Mark has explained in one of his older YouTube videos that if you are happy with the photo's colors and if you can laminate the photo in clear plastic, then you can simply apply the paint onto the laminated photo to compare the color. Apparently you just wipe off the paint when you are done--or use a little alcohol if it doesn't all wipe off.

Gary

TJ has mentioned in another thread that some of the new thicker photo paper with the soft satin finish can be used without being laminated. I'm doing a new painting from a photo and used this heavier paper, no lamination and it's working just great. I don't use anything but a dry paper towel to wipe off the paint.

shirley_seput

I paint from photos a lot.... another tip I can offer is one that was shared with me and really helps if you are struggling to isolate a color. Take a black sheet of construction paper and use a paper hole puncher to make a small perfect circle. Then place that over the area of the photo you want to emulate. It really aids in helping you to see the color correctly.
I use to lalminate but after painting for so long with photo's I now eyeball everything. But starting out it really helped to check the color right next to the color in the photo. Hope this helps. ;;)

Gary

I did something similar Shirley. I made a grey scale using Photoshop...about an inch wide and 9 inches long and printed it on heavy photo paper. Then I followed your example and used a hole punch to put a hole in each of the value boxes (each about 1 x 1 inch)...this way I could isolate the color and get an idea of value at the same time. I know you can buy little cardboard value checkers (look like pieces of jigsaw puzzle) but I didn't like the way they were designed. I still struggle at times with value as I tend to error on the dark side (hmmm, Darth Vadar suddenly came to mind!). If I could find my camera in all the boxes after the move, I'd attach a picture of my scale...maybe today my camera will show up!

AZPainter

When ever I work from a photo I slip it inside a clear plastic three ring binder page protector. Avery makes some heavier plastic and oil paint wipes right off Turps or paint thinner (I use an odorless one) does not harm the plastic. Very cheap and a small pack of these protectors can be purchased very inexpensively at any office supply store. I've been doing this since I began painting 30 something years ago. Works great.

Marcus

I have a large sheet of perspex that I place the enlarged photo behind. The oil paint rubs off really easily and the photo is well protected. I also have a large sheet of perspex that I have drawn an inch grid on with a thin permanent marker pen. I place this over the photo when doing my initial drawing and mark up my canvas with the same grid.

Marcus

Examples.

Marcus

The first one was a big mistake not to stain the canvas first!!

Marcus

And pencil, I've now learnt, is also a big no no!!!

marieb

Hi Guys , while I am waiting on clove oil etc to arrive ,I am learning such a lot from all your remarks !

maugie

what do you use instead of a pencil?

Grandma

I used charcoal for my first couple of times and sprayed them, then when I was watching a David Grey video he suggested that when you were doing something simple like a still life that you sketch with a brush and a very thinned wash a little darker than your stained canvas. I tried this last time and liked it much better. For a portrait he suggested you use charcoal.

maugie

thanks. Gotta get some spray. I drew one painting in with a pencil and then water proof ink. it did not smear at all.

Ronna

I've only painted a few portraits. What I do after transferring the drawing to the canvas is to go over the lines with thin burnt umber. Very fine lines. Let it dry. These lines will not go away.

studioania

I usually prepare the model on paper and then I transfer it to the canvas.
I do not use fixatives but refresher drawing with an indian ink pen .. red or brown and let dry.
The indian ink is indelible, now I'm ready to stain the canvas with a wash of varnish ... very diluted with mineral spirt, the mineral spirit wash all remnants of charcoal pencil also!
Maria

chas

I am thinking that acetate might work-what do you think?

chas

Marcus said:

I have a large sheet of perspex that I place the enlarged photo behind. The oil paint rubs off really easily and the photo is well protected. I also have a large sheet of perspex that I have drawn an inch grid on with a thin permanent marker pen. I place this over the photo when doing my initial drawing and mark up my canvas with the same grid.

I have found that using the color checker even on photo is closer than trying to judge the color correctly or at least that is what I found.