Fine art from photos, OK. But fine art from snapshots?

June 2nd, 2008

(Already read Part 1? Here’s Part 2)

So you’re going to have your portrait painted. That means you’ll sit in a studio for hours on end while the artist paints you, right?

Well, it used to mean that. But click “Procedure” on almost any portrait artist’s website – including those who get $10,000 and up for a portrait. You’ll find that these days the “portrait sitting” is commonly a photo shoot that happens before the artist’s brush ever strokes canvas. After the shoot, the client and the artist select a photograph on which to base the portrait. Then the client can disappear while the lengthy work of the actual painting is accomplished.

“Assuming that a portrait created from photo reference is intrinsically inferior to one painted from life is putting the responsibility on the process rather than the artist. If only it were that simple. You can paint from life until the next millennium and never do anything worthwhile.

I’ve seen incredible paintings done from life and beautiful paintings done from photos too. However, the vast majority of portraits I’ve seen are poorly thought out and ineptly handled regardless of whether from life or photo reference.

I believe that injecting the quality of life into a painting comes from the artist’s heart, intent, knowledge and talent.”

Marvin Mattelson, Portrait artist, permanent collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the National Portrait Gallery. (http://forum.portraitartist.com/showthread.php?t=8582)

There are still a few portrait artists – such as Mary Minifie in Boston – who insist on the importance of working only from life. Some other portraitists accompany their photo sessions with quick, one-time studies (sketches) from life. Afterwards, they paint the portrait itself without the subject present.

Portrait by Jonathan Linton, full size at: http://www.jonathanlinton.com/painting-pages/chad_big.htmlWhen the painter is a terrific artist to begin with, painting from photographs can create exquisite portraits, the kind of art you want to gaze at forever. Look at this beautiful little boy (Full size portrait by Jonathan Linton here).  His eyes speak to you, appealing to you emotionally. Every detail of the background creates a very unusual atmosphere. The boy, chair, hangings, and window all hint at a mysterious story that engages us and makes us wish we could know more.

There are many good reasons why portraitists have shifted to using photos. Clients don’t want to take time or energy to travel repeatedly to the artist’s studio and sit motionless for the endless hours it takes to paint a portrait. A subject who poses usually gets tired and bored as time passes. The head droops, shadows shift, angles change, new wrinkles appear in clothing. All make painting problematic. So artists have always seized on technological tools as fast as they’re invented, to develop new ways of capturing their subjects in paint.

Of course, portraitists who successfully use photographs are able to do so because they have trained endlessly in drawing from life. They have a vast bank of experience observing and painting the myriad elements of color, line, human physique, and so on. When portrait artists paint from photographs, they are drawing on this store of knowledge and practice.

Copying a photo will not make a great painting, but neither will copying from life. It is the understanding that the artist brings to his work that makes it something more. How to strategize the construction of a painting is the commonality I believe that distinguishes the work of all great artists.

I think that if the old masters were alive today they would absolutely take full advantage of today’s technology and couple it with their extraordinary knowledge. Great artists are always looking to utilize whatever will make themselves more effective. Vermeer used optical devices. Bouguereau and Gerome both took full advantage of photography, and look how they raised the bar.

Marvin Mattelson

But how can art grow from snapshots?

Many in the art world insist that portraitists who paint from photographs use only photos the artist takes him or herself. Many portrait competitions stipulate this. The reason is to prove that the artist isn’t using some one else’s vision, some one else’s composition, lighting, color choices, and so on. Rather, the artist must make all these choices, based on their own artistry and technical skill.

It’s easy to understand the perspective that a painting based on a photo taken by some one else – or worse, some magazine photo of a well-known person – isn’t art. Online portrait factories (“send me your family snapshot and I’ll turn it into a portrait and mail it back to you”) have proliferated. You can have a $100 copy painted of your own photo without even meeting the painter. I would not argue that such an approach produces great art.

At the same time, I’d like to bring another perspective to personal snapshots. I believe that, treated properly, they can indeed be central to a work of art. I’ll write more about this out-of-the-box approach next post.

(All done with Part 1? Here’s Part 2)

95,053 Responses to “Fine art from photos, OK. But fine art from snapshots?”

  1. Williamjax says:

    reddit onion list black market net [url=https://mydeepdruglinks.com/ ]tramadol dark web [/url]

  2. MichaelFealt says:

    alphabay market link alphabay market darknet [url=https://alphabay-mania.com/ ]alphabay link [/url]

  3. Smittvot says:

    links da deep web 2023 darknet drug vendor that takes paypal [url=https://mrdarkweb.shop/ ]darknet bank accounts [/url]

  4. Edgarbetty says:

    [url=https://happydrugstores.online/]medical pharmacy south[/url]

  5. JackiePlasy says:

    alphabay market link alphabay url [url=https://alphabayonionlinks.com/ ]alphabay darknet market [/url]

  6. Smittvot says:

    best dark web counterfeit money drugs dark web price [url=https://mrdarkweb.shop/ ]deep net websites [/url]

  7. RichardClina says:

    cannazon darknet market darknet markets 2023 updated [url=https://premiumdarkmarkets.com/ ]deep web onion url [/url]

  8. RonaldtholO says:

    incognito market best dark web links [url=https://mydeepnetmarket.link/ ]Abacus Market link [/url]

  9. JackiePlasy says:

    alphabay link alphabay url [url=https://alphabayonionlinks.com/ ]alphabay url [/url]

  10. Smittvot says:

    darknet market wiki darknet telegram group [url=https://mrmarketonion.com/ ]deep dot web replacement [/url]

  11. RichardClina says:

    onion live links onion linkek [url=https://premiumdarkmarkets.com/ ]reddit darknet market australia [/url]

  12. Smittvot says:

    versus darknet market current darknet markets [url=https://mrdarkweb.shop/ ]best darknet market for heroin [/url]

  13. Edgarinfip says:

    alphabay url alphabay url [url=https://alphabaylink2023.com/ ]alphabay market url [/url]

  14. Brandonweali says:

    darknet market reddit 2023 adress darknet [url=https://opendarknetmarkets.link/ ]0day onion [/url]

  15. MichaelEngex says:

    alphabay market link alphabay market [url=https://alphabaylinkdarknet.com/ ]alphabay url [/url]

  16. Sirheids says:

    archetyp link tma drug [url=https://mydeepdrugstore.shop/ ]reddit darknet markets 2022 [/url]

  17. FrankPor says:

    darknet software market dark web drugs australia [url=https://mydarkwebmarketslink.com/ ]dark markets russia [/url]

  18. JamesbuM says:

    dark web drugs ireland dark market reddit [url=https://opendarknetmarket.com/ ]assassination market darknet [/url]

  19. Edgarinfip says:

    alphabay url alphabay url [url=https://alphabaylinkmarketplace.com/ ]alphabay market link [/url]

  20. Brandonweali says:

    list of dark net markets cannazon url [url=https://opendarknetmarkets.com/ ]deep web links reddit [/url]

  21. Josephlaulk says:

    dark web hitman for hire versus darknet market [url=https://onionmarkets-darknet.com/ ]darknet market reddits [/url]

  22. GrantGer says:

    live dark web deep web weed prices [url=https://mydarkwebmarketslinks.link/ ]dark web marketplace [/url]

  23. Edgarinfip says:

    alphabay market alphabay market darknet [url=https://alphabaylinkmarketplace.com/ ]alphabay market [/url]

  24. Matthewjusly says:

    deep web drug prices access darknet markets [url=https://privatedarkmarkets.com/ ]0day onion [/url]

  25. Briannup says:

    lsd drug wiki how big is the darknet market [url=https://privatedarkmarket.com/ ]dark markets romania [/url]

  26. Brandonweali says:

    berlin telegram group drugs dream market darknet url [url=https://opendarknetmarkets.com/ ]deep web software market [/url]

  27. HaroldHib says:

    price of black market drugs darknet drug markets 2023 [url=https://privatedarkmarket.link/ ]best card shops [/url]

  28. Josephlaulk says:

    darknet drug prices reddit how to shop on dark web [url=https://onionmarkets-darknet.link/ ]darknet drugs guide [/url]

  29. Charlesgog says:

    darkmarket url dxm pills [url=https://premiumdarkmarket24.com/ ]Abacus Market link [/url]

  30. Matthewjusly says:

    ketamine darknet market dark markets france [url=https://privatedarkmarkets.link/ ]darknet markets address [/url]

  31. Dannyunlop says:

    cannahome market url deep web drugs reddit [url=https://private-darkmarket.com/ ]darknet markets deepdotweb [/url]

  32. Josephlaulk says:

    cannahome link buying drugs on darknet [url=https://onionmarkets-darknet.link/ ]best darknet market australia [/url]

  33. Charlesgog says:

    darkweb markets darknet websites wiki [url=https://premiumdarkmarket24.com/ ]deep web links 2023 reddit [/url]

  34. HaroldHib says:

    what is the best darknet market dark markets greece [url=https://privatedarkmarket.shop/ ]the darknet market reddit [/url]

  35. Hectorcorne says:

    alphabay link alphabay darknet market [url=https://alphabaymarketmania.com/ ]alphabay market [/url]

  36. Dannyunlop says:

    buying from darknet market with electrum safe darknet markets [url=https://private-darkmarket.com/ ]dark markets netherlands [/url]

  37. Craigpep says:

    bitcoin black market dark web electronics [url=https://mytordarknetmarket.link/ ]reddit darknet market australia [/url]

  38. Jamestaf says:

    Cocorico Market link dot onion websites [url=https://mydarkwebmarketplace.com/ ]buying drugs on darknet reddit [/url]

  39. Charlesgog says:

    tor onion search dark market sites [url=https://premiumdarkmarket24.com/ ]tramadol dark web [/url]

  40. Dannyunlop says:

    wired darknet markets canazon [url=https://private-darkmarket.com/ ]bohemia market [/url]

  41. Craigpep says:

    best darknet market for steroids darknet markets fake id [url=https://mytordarknetmarket.link/ ]deep net access [/url]

  42. Hectorcorne says:

    alphabay market url alphabay link [url=https://alphabaymarketlinkss.com/ ]alphabay market darknet [/url]

  43. Zacharything says:

    best darknet market now darknet illicit drugs [url=https://premiumwebmarketlinks.link/ ]cannahome market link [/url]

  44. Charlesgog says:

    cannahome market best mdma vendor darknet market reddit [url=https://premiumdarkmarket24.com/ ]buying drugs on darknet reddit [/url]

  45. Jameskem says:

    darknet stock market deep web weed prices [url=https://mydarkwebmarketslinks.com/ ]best deep web markets [/url]

  46. Damonspilk says:

    the dark web url deep market [url=https://mytordarknetmarket.shop/ ]deep web links reddit [/url]

  47. Craigpep says:

    reddit darknet reviews tor best websites [url=https://mytordarknetmarket.link/ ]crypto darknet drug shop [/url]

  48. Hectorcorne says:

    alphabay market darknet alphabay link [url=https://alphabaymarketmania.com/ ]alphabay darknet market [/url]

  49. Shaneimmex says:

    Heineken Express darknet Market tor darknet market [url=https://mydeepmarketsweb.shop/ ]darknet market noobs [/url]

  50. Jameskem says:

    darkmarket url dark net market list reddit [url=https://mydarkwebmarketslink.shop/ ]onion link search engine [/url]