We put a lot of pressure on artists (on ourselves) to be original. We think we should be able to turn that blank canvas into something no one has seen before, something totally authentic, illuminating and wondrous. Truth is, people aren’t very good at being original. Inventing totally new things from scratch is nearly impossible for us. What we’re really good at is taking something and altering it slightly. Copying is one step, altering slightly is the next.
Use photos as a jumping off point. The painting must be allowed to be it’s own image, not confined to match the photo. If you find yourself saying “I copied the photograph perfectly, so my painting must be good,” check yourself.
Below is a blog post illustrating how some impressionist paintings were born from photographs. Photography was new then, and likely very exciting. It caused painters to question what the point of painting was, if an image could be captured in a click. It also allowed painters to play with a new tool, which ended up changing how they recorded moments, movement, and how they established compositions. For example, Degas’ hazy figures, some cut off at the edge of the frame, to my knowledge did not occur until photography hacked them off with the shutter click.
You can see how the painters used the photographs as inspiration, collaged them, altered them, and the painting was made “original” from that process.
Wherever you are in this process, enjoy it.
[image_with_animation image_url=”1185″ alignment=”” animation=”Fade In
FAMOUS IMPRESSIONISTS COPIED PHOTOGRAPHS
Source: http://www.fogonazos.es/2006/11/famous-painters-copied-photopraphs_06.html
No invention of the Industrial Revolution influenced Impressionism more than the camera. Most of the Impressionists had cameras and experimented with their new images. Photography inspired impressionists to capture the moment, but did you know that some of the most famous paintings of Van Gogh, Toulouse Lautrec or Paul Gauguin were inspired on an original photograph? Here you have some interesting examples:
One year ago in March, to protect our students and teachers from a new coronavirus, the Seattle Artist League moved our classes online. The virus was declared a national emergency, and we went into quarantine. We have now been in quarantine for thirteen months. Through this year, we have met each other online to draw, …
William Scott (1913 – 1989) British artist, known for still-life and abstract painting. He is the most internationally celebrated of 20th-century Ulster painters. (wiki) Yesterday I posted charcoal drawings by William Scott. Today I’m posting his paintings. I look at these as a series of compositional experiments. I like to look at each object that he separated, grouped. …
If you followed the 30SAL challenge last year, you may remember a series of posts about perspective. These perspectives include much more than the dominant Western standard of 1 point, 2 point, and 3 point linear perspective. These perspectives span the globe and include centuries of humans depicting space on a two dimensional surface. We’re …
I’ve been asked to participate in CoCA’s 24 hour marathon. I laugh at this a little, because the premise of the marathon is to put art-making into an unusual and exciting time constriction, but given my method of working, 24 hour marathons have been the only way I make any art at all. I used …
Impressionists and Photography
PAINTING FROM PHOTOGRAPHS
We put a lot of pressure on artists (on ourselves) to be original. We think we should be able to turn that blank canvas into something no one has seen before, something totally authentic, illuminating and wondrous. Truth is, people aren’t very good at being original. Inventing totally new things from scratch is nearly impossible for us. What we’re really good at is taking something and altering it slightly. Copying is one step, altering slightly is the next.
Use photos as a jumping off point. The painting must be allowed to be it’s own image, not confined to match the photo. If you find yourself saying “I copied the photograph perfectly, so my painting must be good,” check yourself.
Below is a blog post illustrating how some impressionist paintings were born from photographs. Photography was new then, and likely very exciting. It caused painters to question what the point of painting was, if an image could be captured in a click. It also allowed painters to play with a new tool, which ended up changing how they recorded moments, movement, and how they established compositions. For example, Degas’ hazy figures, some cut off at the edge of the frame, to my knowledge did not occur until photography hacked them off with the shutter click.
You can see how the painters used the photographs as inspiration, collaged them, altered them, and the painting was made “original” from that process.
Wherever you are in this process, enjoy it.
[image_with_animation image_url=”1185″ alignment=”” animation=”Fade In
FAMOUS IMPRESSIONISTS COPIED PHOTOGRAPHS
Source: http://www.fogonazos.es/2006/11/famous-painters-copied-photopraphs_06.html
No invention of the Industrial Revolution influenced Impressionism more than the camera. Most of the Impressionists had cameras and experimented with their new images. Photography inspired impressionists to capture the moment, but did you know that some of the most famous paintings of Van Gogh, Toulouse Lautrec or Paul Gauguin were inspired on an original photograph? Here you have some interesting examples:
[nectar_image_comparison image_url=”1190″ image_2_url=”1191[nectar_image_comparison image_url=”1192″ image_2_url=”1193[nectar_image_comparison image_url=”1194″ image_2_url=”1195[nectar_image_comparison image_url=”1197″ image_2_url=”1196 Paul Cezanne [nectar_image_comparison image_url=”1198″ image_2_url=”1199
Paul Gauguin
2. Paul Cezanne
3. Toulouse Lautrec
4. Vincent Van Gogh
5. Edgar Degas
Coming soon: More examples from Toulouse Lautrec, Vincent Van Gogh, Edgar Degas, and more!
Original post: http://www.aloj.us.es/galba/MONOGRAFICOS/LOFOTOGRAFICO/POSTIMPRESIONISTAS
Related Posts
Online Anniversary Show: Figures and Interiors
One year ago in March, to protect our students and teachers from a new coronavirus, the Seattle Artist League moved our classes online. The virus was declared a national emergency, and we went into quarantine. We have now been in quarantine for thirteen months. Through this year, we have met each other online to draw, …
William Scott’s Paintings
William Scott (1913 – 1989) British artist, known for still-life and abstract painting. He is the most internationally celebrated of 20th-century Ulster painters. (wiki) Yesterday I posted charcoal drawings by William Scott. Today I’m posting his paintings. I look at these as a series of compositional experiments. I like to look at each object that he separated, grouped. …
Day 21: Inverse Perspective #30SAL
If you followed the 30SAL challenge last year, you may remember a series of posts about perspective. These perspectives include much more than the dominant Western standard of 1 point, 2 point, and 3 point linear perspective. These perspectives span the globe and include centuries of humans depicting space on a two dimensional surface. We’re …
24-Hour CoCA Marathon
I’ve been asked to participate in CoCA’s 24 hour marathon. I laugh at this a little, because the premise of the marathon is to put art-making into an unusual and exciting time constriction, but given my method of working, 24 hour marathons have been the only way I make any art at all. I used …