Painters Online Logo

Login/register

Studio

Fiction versus fact when painting

Welcome to the forum.

Here you can discuss all things art with like-minded artists, join regular painting challenges, ask questions, buy and sell art materials and much more.

Make sure you sign in or register to join the discussions.

Hang on Studio Wall
Author
Message

David Perry

  • Respected User
  • Last active:
  • Posts: 610
Posted
I find that when I try to paint fiction I.e. a scene that exists only in my.mind I end up doing far worse than when I try to paint a real scene. Is this a beginners thing or a general thing ? Am I alone in this? D

Sylvia Evans

  • Prestige User
  • Reputation: 15279
  • Last active:
  • Posts: 4120
Posted
A general thing in my case David. I need to be able to see what I am painting. Though you could use references for different elements of a picture . Saying that if it's a subject I know well and have done it before I can do it from my head. But usually no.
michael

Michael Edwards

  • Prestige User
  • Reputation: 3850
  • Last active:
  • Posts: 1552
Posted
Certainly not a beginners thing - we all (well most of us) need a reference point to start from even if we do adjust it and play around with it as we go along. It doesn't apply so much to abstracts although I do have a general idea of where I'm heading when I start out - even though I do often end up in a totally different direction.

Syd Edward

  • Prestige User
  • Reputation: 4602
  • Last active:
  • Posts: 441
Posted
David ,I paint a lot of pictures using my memory and imagination and it is not so easy as doing them without a reference such as a photo you have taken somewhere. I am past the stage of romping in the countryside and hence the above . In a photo you can generally see the light source and the various shadows , cloud shadows, cast shadows which all go to describe the subject . However , when you have no reference you must establish a light source and where the light is falling and all the shadow areas and changes of tone and colour not to mention perspective.If all this rings a bell for you ,as Sylvia says , use areference where possible and you cut out a lot of the brainwork required without a reference, such as a photo which is only a guide (and not a copy) to a successful painting ......Syd

Peter Davison

  • Forum Expert
  • Last active:
  • Posts: 533
Posted
Not having a reference or, preferably, the scene or subject matter in front of you makes life harder no matter how much experience one has.

Keith Orange

  • Forum Member +
  • Last active:
  • Posts: 239
Posted
An artist needs talent, a good visual memory and years of practice to create convinving paintings or drawings from memory. I can't . Another problem I have is that if I use my detailed sketches to do further drawings or paintings, the results aren't very good. To me it's a tedious way of working. I'd much rather paint from the real subject. Even painting from a photo is better than painting from one of my sketches.

Edited
by keora

Peter Davison

  • Forum Expert
  • Last active:
  • Posts: 533
Posted
I often work from sketches (usually with colour notes and comments) supplemented by photographs and find that OK but nothing beats painting from life. Working from a photograph alone I find difficult as the photograph usually distorts and does not give all the information required.