Page 86 - The Decorative Painter Summer 2015

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TIPS FOR USING YOUR OWN PHOTOS
n Always keep your camera close by. The next beautiful moment is just around the corner.
n Review your photographs frequently. Observations and conclusions many times depend upon the circumstances of the moment.
n Determine a surface and size that you want to use.
n Technology allows us to crop the pho- tograph for its most interesting po- tential. Also, you may take the pho- toghaph to your local copy center and they will be able to do this for you. Ask the technician to copy an enlarge- ment to your choice of size.
n Place tracing paper over the enlarged photo, and using a fine-point marker, trace the lines of the photo. You have your own design!
n Tape the traced design on your sur- face. Using dark graphite paper, trans- fer the design to your surface.
n Select your light source and remain constant with this choice throughout the painting. This project uses an up- per left-hand source.
n Choose the colors that you want to por- tray in the painting. Use the photograph as a reference, but feel free to change the colors according to your preference. Keep in mind that this is your interpre- tation of a beautiful moment that you are sharing with the viewer.
Art Supplies
Specialty art supplies and
skin care for painterly hands Brushes • Canvas • Easels • Frames • Red Clay
Mixed Media Art Teacher
Marlene is available to teach Mixed Media Art. Contact her to schedule a workshop.
Choose a photograph that may present a visual appeal for a prospective painting.
Place a piece of tracing paper
over the enlarged photgraph. Trace the pattern with a fine line marker. Transfer the pattern onto your surface.
Crop a part of the photo using com- puter software. Photoshop is a great choice or go to a local copy store.
Choose an appropriate size surface. My choice was an 11" x 14" por- trait smooth canvas. Have the copy store enlarge the cropped photo to fit the size of your canvas.
Ask the copy store to print a gray scale reproduction of the same enlargement. This will aid you in determining the placement of the light and dark values.
www.MarleneLehman.com
Marlene Lehman
(260)768-7651 • m-lehman@live.com
84 The Decorative Painter • ISSUE NO. 2, 2015
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