Well Lon, you're right most of the time. Portrait artists do use photos for that very reason.
Most would also prefer to paint from life and others prefer to paint only from photos. But the issue is not what a seasoned professional does to make money or to get a commission. The issue is what will make you a better painter.
Although many pros do use photos, the best portrait painters both alive today and of the past learned to paint from life. And they painted many, many, many, paintings before they ever attempted to sell one or take a commission.
Your drawing from life has the same effect as painting from life and your experience doing that has many of the same benefits. And yes, Lon, if you could find a way to paint more from life it would no doubt improve your painting and the paintings you did do from photographs would be all the better for it.
Also I will note here that it is not always necessary to paint a model to improve your painting from life. Painting a still life requires many of the same skills needed to paint a figure.
If it is your painting you need to work on, painting anything from life under natural light will help. Granted there is no substitute for painting skin tone from life except painting from a live model but not all your painting from life must be the figure or portraits to improve your painting skills.
Sargent said it best when he said:
[QUOTE]You say you are studying to become a portrait painter and I think you
|
Hybrid Mode
