3 Strategies that Produce Good Reference Pictures for Painting - Painting & Drawing Tips

Spring Weather is Here!!! 

While it's here today anyway.  Hopefully it is here to stay.  

This is the time when you grab your camera and start taking pictures for new works.  Everyone has a camera now, thanks to Apple.  And of course those cameras are clicking steadily.  

Closed for the Season - Watercolour, 16 x 20 Matted $550

But are you getting good reference pictures that you can work with?  

As a Wildlife artist I am constantly looking for wildlife and settings that would make for a nice place to put my wildlife.  Why am I looking for settings you ask.  Well, I find birds and animals don't always pick the best spot to be photographed.  A bird perched on a wire is not as interesting as one on a branch in the forest.  But its the birds on the wire that sit the longest for those good shots!!

Needless to say, I have tons of Reference Pictures. But when I go to paint with them, I realize many are useless.  Here are some of things I found very helpful when taking my shots.  

3 Strategies That Produce Good Reference Pictures

1.  Good lighting: Take reference pictures on a sunny day to get great shadows to work with.  Sure you can see all the details in a picture on a gray day but when you paint it, it will be flat.  Those shadows bring things to life.  

Two Seagulls: one with shadow patterns one without.  

Here you can see two Seagulls. (I have reduced them to grayscales for better evaluation)   The one on the left is clear, every detail can be seen.  It has been shot in low light conditions, probably a gray sky.  The seagull on the right has sunlight and shadows. Not all details are clear, some are buried in the shadows.  But which seagull catches your eye.  The shadow and light on the face of the seagull on the right has a strong contrast that grabs and holds your attention.  That's what you need if you want a bit drama in your work.  

2.  Stay away from the noon day sun.  Early morning and early evening gives lovely cast shadows that add interest and unity to your work 

Bright sunlight directly on the subject really washes it out.  

The bright sun washes out the colour as well as many of the shadows that add depth to your subject.  

Ducks in the evening Sunlight

Notice how the ducks have interesting shadows and lights that catch your attention.  And the late afternoon/evening light although bright is not so harsh as to wash out their colour.  

Tulip in the early morning light

This single tulip has soft interesting shadows that makes interesting eye candy for the eye.  

3.  Take lots: Zoom in and out and with the same light direction.  This can be a real game changer for you.  Often you see a great subject and snap a few pictures.  But the problem starts when you go to paint it.  

Some of the Reference Pictures needed for the painting. 

I was well underway with my painting, Closed for the Season.   I had a good little picture of a birdhouse and Towhee but then I stalled.  I realized my snow on the branches was not working and the branches weren't really right either.  Fortunately it was snowy here at the time (we actually don't get much snow and it usually melts so fast you can't find any on the branches)  I went for a walk and really looked at snow on branches and the kind of branches and underbrush I needed for my background.  And of course took more pictures. You can see the finished picture at the top with the changes I made.   

So take pictures of not only the subject but zoom out a bit and include the surroundings.  Try and keep the angle of light the same.  The vegetation and bits of things in the area may be just what you need to finish off your background or foreground. 

Have fun with your Photos, your work will definitely reflect this extra knowledge of the surroundings. 

Awesome Opportunity - 2 Artist Retreats in the Shuswap

June 23-26 or September 15-18, 2023

Join me for 4 DAYS of Outdoor Sketching, nature walks, deck and beach time, creative conversations, gourmet meals and simply relaxing 

Your Hosts, Joanne Denis and Myself
Cost: $450 single room or $300 shared room
Art instruction, transportation (from Lower Mainland), meals and lodging included (Bring your own art supplies.  

Space is limited to 8-10 attendees, Register Early 

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Have a great Artful Day,

Wendy