Artist Daily Offers Free Guide Photo Reference: Art Tips for Drawing and Painting from Photographs

Aug. 10, 2012 - PRLog -- The free eBook can be downloaded online: http://www.artistdaily.com/photo-reference

Using a photo reference is, for many artists, a matter of convenience. It may not be how an artist develops their work foremost, but it is a useful method, especially when wanting to capture a likeness without the luxury of having a model available. Using photographs is the easiest way draw or paint a subject from a reference. Portrait painters, for instance, often go from photo to painting because it is not often possible to complete a commission working solely from life.

Using the camera to create a photo reference doesn’t magically take photo to painting. There is a lot to assess in the process of painting from photographs, and plenty of pitfalls. That’s why it can often make sense to start drawing from photos first in order to get a handle on how to use photos without the time commitment of a major painting. This free photo reference guide from Artist Daily covers the benefits of using photo reference in art.

The free eBook provides insight to:

-   Recommended materials for drawing from photos and why they’re important
-   Using a photo reference only as a stepping-off point
-   Three common mistakes that often arise when working from a photo reference and how to avoid them

Artist and instructor, Sandra Angelo, explores the positives and negatives to using a photograph as a reference for a drawing, as opposed to someone sitting for you while you draw them. A lot of artists concentrate on drawing eyes when starting a portrait. Some concern themselves with the general shape of the head, while others may find that likeness resides in the mouth. But many beginners are filled with trepidation at tackling the most changeable, finely detailed, and idiosyncratic feature of a person: the hair. The eBook covers expert approaches for an artist to learn how to draw portraits from photos and convert photos to paintings that are sure to get noticed.

The free eBook can be downloaded online: http://www.artistdaily.com/photo-reference