Photography and Painting

I have taken up painting again Landscapes of course. More specifically, seascapes. I have not abandoned photography. In fact, I strongly believe that every artist should learn the art of photography. Photography makes you more aware of the light and the possibilities that come from it. In fact, photography is all about light. Light and its effect on the composition selected from the scene is what makes a photo dramatic and creates a mood. The same can be said if the work was a painting. I have found that what I have learned here at NPN has helped tremendously in my endeavours as a painter. Even though I have not painted in any seriousness since my high school years. I am close to retirement now.

Any thoughts on this?

Thank you for your replies.

Will
Edmonton, Alberta
Canada

My first thought is that I'd love to see some of your work.

Guy

My favorite "photographers" are the ones who recorded landscapes before the advent of cameras- specifically the landscape painters.

There is so much in common between the two media when done really well that I simply don't draw a distinction. If painters would spend less time stomping photographer toes and photographers would spend less time justifying themselves, there is so much more to be learned in the crossover between the two.

Congratulations on going back to the painting. I don't have any background, but given time to pursue it a foray into painting is one of my fondest ambitions.

Guy, I would like to show you the first one I did since I revived my painting enthusiasm. But I sold it.

Hank another thing that both disciplines have in common is that they are accomplished only through hard work and determination. I have to relearn a lot of skills and learn many new ones but my path has been set.

Will
Edmonton, Alberta
Canada

I have actually painted off an on. The reason that I like photography so much is because I can stop and start it easier than painting. Plus, before we moved into the home that we are in now, I did not have a room that I could lock any painting stuff in away from the kids. Now I have room, I just have not started back up yet. I have found that my thoughts and visions of paintings that I have had lately are much more loose and impressionistic than what I used to want to do (I used to want to paint very realistically). I think photography gives me a very literal and realistic outlet and painting would be a looser and more abstract outlet. I just need to get going on it!

What medium to you paint in Will? I love to work in water colors...

Nathan

Will: I think you'll find that many photographers were first painters, and the demands of life did not allow them the luxury of time to set up their tools and paint. When my kids were young and my husband was away a lot, I took one night a week to take oil painting lessons so I could have some contact with grownups. I found that in the night classes we copied someone's photography from a magazine, so I eventually bought a camera and made my own images. That was many, many years ago and I'm just now thinking about painting again, using my own photographs. Maybe we should schedule a showing of NPN's watercolor/oil paint artists at a very large art museum for lets say two years from now!

Nathan, I suspect there are more here that pursue both art forms and both provide a creative outlet as it does in your case. I still want to paint realistically which requires a good eye for detail; something I have improved on while learning photography so that serves me well as a painter. I like the impressionistic style too and may attempt it.

I paint with acrylics.

Patricia, I just caught your reply after I posted this response. Interesting that you mention painting from photographs. An artist has bought a selection of thumbnail photos from me for herself and her art group. But trying to reproduce a photo exactly into a painting is too difficult and tedious for me. So if I paint one of my photographs it would look only somewhat like it.

I like your idea of a gallery.



Will
Edmonton, Alberta
Canada

One of the reasons I got into photography was so I could have photographs to watercolor paint from. I knew that it was copyright infringement to use other's photographs so I figured I'd make my own. But I got so caught up in the wonders of photography that I haven't painted in a year or so! But I've been inspired to pick up the brush again, and I find that this past year and a half of intensive learning about photography has taught me things that could be applied to painting. I think painting and photography are very complimentary pursuits. I feel hearten so hear that others share this thought.

Will: That's why they call it artistic license. Everyone's interpretation of a scene is always different, in photography and painting. I do not do well in watercolor because you have to be too loose and free and I'm too structured. In photography I lean toward the artistic palettes in PS although I need to maintain a sense of realism. When I buy a painting, it is usually has an impressionistic feel.

Interesting thread Will.

Stacy: Same with me. When I was a teen ager I wanted to paint, and wanted to use my own photos. It is surprising how this hobby grabs a hold of you, even when you have alterior motives.

Nathan

Stacy, I took up photography because I was searching for another creative outlet. I use photographs my own and others to help me see how the light works on the landscape and for other details such as the texture on rocks and trees. Right now I want to master the technique for painting fog and mist. But I do not copy anyone's work as that takes away from my own creativity.

Will
Edmonton, Alberta
Canada

Yes, Will, that sounds like the way to use photographs to be truly creative, as reference photos for particular elements in your painting (i.e. texture, fog, mist, etc.). I'm not there yet as a painter, limited in particular by weak drawing skills that I mean to work on. At this point I'm at the stage of pretty much copying photos as they are, so that's why I wanted to limit my reference photos to photographs I have taken.

Stacy, I have tried today, just for fun, to copy one of my photos. I can't do it for some unknown reason. My drawing skills are weak too; it takes me a week to draw the scene before I paint. Many artists paint and the image seems to appear right out of the brush.

What I find most helpful and inspiring from photography is how dramatic the light can be on a scene. I have rarely seen a painting with the same dramatic light as many of the photographs I see here. That is why I say that artists who paint owe it to themselves to learn the art of photography. It is paying off for me.

Will
Edmonton, Alberta
Canada

Yes, drawing is tricky. I've cheated by printing out an 8.5x11" of my photo, tracing it, and transferring it to watercolor paper via graphite paper. Of course, this lends itself to a rather small painting! My next attempt is to try and expand this 8.5x11 to 1/4 sheet watercolor using grid method...but this method still requires freehand drawing, it should be easier because the line shapes are referenced to a grid. Very laborious method though. Some people use projectors, but, well, those are mighty expensive aren't they? And I still regard it as "cheating" and think it more noble to free-hand draw, if I could ever learn to do it.

Yes, I hear you about the dramatic light in the photographs on NPN...very wonderful, and a far cry from the example reference photos painting artists use in their demos. I guess I think that if I can create good photos...well composed, good light, good detail, good subject...then I have a reference photo where most of the work is already done for me. Then all I have to worry about are the technicals of drawing and painting (which in itself is a challenge for me).

But yes, back to your point about the light...I think I'm starting to get a gist of how important it is. And understanding this seems to be a great benefit to both photography and painting.

Will: The methods of getting the picture on the canvas described above are very laborous. Try putting an very thinned out with water (acrylics) or a painting medium (oils) coating of ocre paint on a rag and giving a background color to the canvas. Take a narrow brush with a little ocre paint and sketch in very basic shapes of your subject. You can easily erase these with a rag wet with either water or painting medium depending on whether you are using acrylics or oils until you get a rough composition the way you want it. Then work from there.

I cannot draw at all, but I can paint. Don't know why, but guess it is more about tones, shades, etc. rather than shapes. After the intial laying of the composition on the canvas, its your choice whether to begin with a specific color, or go from background to foreground, top to bottom, etc. and build from there.

Stacy: As to watercolors,.. I have no idea how to start, except to wet the pinned down paper (which is on a board, desk, etc.) apply the paint, and spray with water to blend.

Very interesting to hear what all of you have to say about photography and painting. I have never had an art class. Egregious flaw in my education. Can't draw. Can't paint. But, I would be eager to know what you think about using digital software and graphics tablet to paint photos. This is probably really really bad cheating, huh, to those of you who are painters? Anyway, please carry on. I am enjoying this thread very much.

Catherine: I think the photo art forum shows that the method that you describe can be a great creative outlet for many people. If you tried to say that a work was a painting, then it could be cheating...otherwise I don't see any problems!

Nathan

Catherine: The artistic pallette on PS and other software are great creative outlets. As I have said I haven't painted in many, many years because of time constraints, but somehow I find time to play around on the computer after a day's work. As you know, it is great fun to come up with an image that will work with certain techniques. Love it.

P.S. -- I'm still waiting to see your images in the critque forum!

Nathan: As you know, the Photo Art critque forum gives us a place to show off our creative self, starting with a photographic image. I do wish more would enter. It's great place to see what others are doing and to get ideas.

Patricia, thank you for the art lesson. I am going to try it. I need all the guidance I can get. Could I use charcoal to sketch in the basic shapes? I paint in layers, starting from the background and working towards the foreground, adding elements as I go. I draw the scene out first on tracing paper, not the canvas. I don't concentrate overly much on the minute detail in the drawing; the details will come later.

Stacy, I believe Patricia is right when she says to sketch in very basic shapes. But judging from the work I see in your website, I think you have the creative talent to learn how to draw too.

Catherine if you want to make painterly images through Photoshop why not? I have done the same thing. As a matter of fact, I think PS offers a creative outlet that can not be duplicated by painting. Some of the work in the Photo Art forum is stunning and not all are meant to look like paintings.

Will
Edmonton, Alberta
Canada

Will: My way of beginning a painting is certainly not the only... and probably not the best... way to start. In fact, most accomplished artists, especially portrait painters, did start with charcoal sketches. It is just the method I was taught and I find the easiest. The most difficult part of painting to me is to get the first stroke onto the canvas and my way is easy and covers the canvas with a color so that a whole bunch of white canvas spots are not visible in the end.

Will, Pat, Nathan: Thanks for your comments. I will joyfully continue to use software to "paint" then. I really like it. Actually, I love it! and wish I knew more traditional techniques. But then, I don't have the mess I would undoubtedly make with paint and chemicals and brushes.
Pat: I'm still working up my courage to post. Perhaps haven't yet found my niche here at NPN. I'll put one in there for you, i.e., to the Photo Art critique forum.

The most difficult part of painting to me is to get the first stroke onto the canvas...

Patricia

Is that like the blank page for the writer, Patricia? If it is the blank canvas for the painter and the blank page for the writer, what would it be for the photographer?

Catherine, about working up courage to post. Just go for it. I promise I will be merciful in my comments My scanner is not working so I can't post anything and what I have already scanned I have shown here before along with a bunch that I don't know if I posted it here or not.

Will
Edmonton, Alberta
Canada

An unexposed roll of film or an empty memory card? Being afraid to take the shot because you might fail in getting it techically correct... Actually, I guess the hardest first step in photography is entering it into competition and having the image critqued... like on NPN with the whole world watching.

Patricia, photography, like any other art medium is meant to be seen. And if it is to the whole world, so much the better.

Thank you all for your replies. It has been fun.

Will
Edmonton, Alberta
Canada