The Importance of Good Lighting
We had visited our neighbor last night, and on our way out she offered to let me take some peonies home. They had been storm battered and wouldn’t last much longer anyway, so I plucked one. (Yes only one, I had to remind myself it was not proper etiquette to scamper willy-nilly about the yard, gathering them up by the dozens.) This morning I awoke to find it had opened up into this lovely flower, and I couldn’t resist taking a few photos. The darker ones are from my garden. (In this instance the word garden is used in the loosest possible way.)
Now the number of flower paintings that I have created in my lifetime, can probably (meaning that’s all I can remember) be counted on one hand. (Yup, that many.) But for some reason I can’t quite stop myself from taking lots and lots of pictures. Hmmm. The inner workings of a critter artist’s mind. Maybe it has something to do with my complete adoration of Georgia O’keefe.
Back to the Lighting.
Anywho, good lighting can make the difference between an ordinary photograph (and thus generally an ordinary painting) and a stunning piece. Good lighting can bring much needed contrast between shadow and highlight. Most of the time when I am photographing critters, I have to take what lighting there is. But for this I get to play around a bit.
The first photo (above) is just using the overhead light as well as the natural light from the window. It offers an okay amount of contrast. It would probably give me enough information to make a passably good painting. (If I were so inclined, and if I used loads of artistic juju to bump up the contrast while in the process of painting.)
The second photo is the flower lit using a natural spectrum light bulb from my drafting table, as well as overhead and natural sunlight from the window. I placed the lamp at a 45 degree angle from the windows. It not only added contrast, but also a myriad of soft and subtle hues of pink, yellow and blue. Lovely! (Plus, it will require much less of the juju to make a great painting.)
Had I been really feeling the flower power, I would have spritzed it gently with a water bottle, to mimic dew. It’s almost enough to make a critter artist think about painting peonies. Or maybe I am just drunk on the sweet smell of flowers that is currently permeating the gallery.
Tags: photography, technique
The flowers are beautiful. We just mow everything flat in our garden! Much easier to maintain!
I have noticed the same thing about lighting when looking for photographs to use to practice my portraits. On some, the lighting is just too bright, and some of the facial contours are just completely lost. Another problem is dark hair on dark backgrounds.
I’m glad the rain has eased off by the way.
These are beautiful photographs of beautiful flowers. You are so right the a good reference photo can make a painting zing and flow along so much easier. Are you going to paint these? I know Maggie talks about not deviating much from your “brand” as being impartant. But I think animals and flower are all nature — and thus not a huge, huge leap. Long winded way of saying I would love to see you paint these flowers — would be a feast of color. I think you are so established in your genre that you don’t have to worry about image in any way. Off to mom’s for until tomorrow sometime — see you soon, hope you stay dry. Angela
I have been enjoying their fragrance for a couple of days even though they should be tossed because Budda keeps knocking them over and using them for chew toys. (Heavy Sigh)
I might paint them, just not right now. Though if I were to do it, now would definately be the best time. Am working on the lambs again. Will post some WIP soon.
Undaunted, people have always been soooo hard for me for just that reason. There is so much subtly to faces. Do you take your own reference and play with the lighting? Obviously not for johnny, but do you in general?
Well, so far I suppose there is no “general” - I’ve only drawn two portraits! I know this is probably not the case for most other art bloggers, but everything I complete I put on my blog. So they are the only two I have done so far, there are no others.
I have spent a lot of time looking through photographs recently, trying to find suitable ones to draw, and I’ve found most of them are not clear enough or the lighting isn’t good enough. I have thought about changing the brightness on some photo’s on my PC, to add more contrast - is that what you mean? But I can’t do much with the ones that are too dark (like around the eye area), the detail just isn’t there.
I didn’t expect to have to become a photographer as well! I see now how photography is a form of art in it’s own right.
I guess I was asking if you took the photos yourself or use other peoples. I am not much of a photographer. I have a nice camera but it does all the thinking. I never really got into all the functions and stuff. But yes, a good photo really helps with the creative process.
My lambs that I am working on have horribly flat reference photos. They are blue with no real lightsource. It is a chore to bring color and life to the little guys. Couldn’t imagine the problem if they were like children or something. Yikes.
I am always impressed when artists do people portraits. Most folks don’t really like the way they look so actually pleasing them is all the more challenging. Bravo to you for taking on the challenge and succeeding so well. (again with johnny) Bravo!
Thank you Mona. I suppose I just see it all as an essential part of my learning process - I didn’t expect the portraits to come out as well as they did.
Yes, I agree; getting the portrait so that the person is happy with it must be very difficult. Most people don’t even like photo’s of themselves! The problem is that the photo is the other way round to how the person would normally see themselves in the mirror. Also, people who know them well will notice any slight errors. I think with famous people you can get away with it not being exactly right - people can see who it is meant to be and no one knows them well enough to really pick up on small flaws.
Ah, I see what you mean now about my own reference. I only use my phone camera! So far the only photo’s I have taken specifically for reference is of my nephew crouching down, for a reworking of The Screams. I was going to paint it for a competition but lacked confidence and never got round to it. I might still do it sometime in the future, but I keep having so many other ideas!
Sorry Mona, I waffle on quite a bit when I get going don’t I?
Waffle away. As long as your having fun, who cares!
Hehehe
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