ON USING PHOTOGRAPHS
Photographs always present a challenge because cameras record information in a different way to human perception. There is a difference in focus, colour and sharpness as well as lens distortion. This may not be obvious at first sight but becomes a problem when you take and transfer the outline straight from your photo, as facial features may appear crooked or exaggerated.
The photograph I am using (left) comes from Pixabay, a free resource for creatives. There is no need to ask for the photographer’s permission to use these pictures, which can be very liberating for artists. I cropped the picture to focus on the face only. You’ll notice there is a clear division between light and shade on the model’s face, as well as a range of both warm and cool colours.
The disadvantage of this picture is that parts of it are too dark, for example the hair. Pictures from Pixabay or other free photography resource sites have usually been adjusted with Photoshop and filters. Filters and retouching remove the warm and cool colour contrasts that are crucial to realist drawing and painting. I spent two hours searching for an image that had hints of this contrast left in the face. One of the ways photographers alter their images is by retouching the eyes, often making them larger, brighter and with a greater spark than we normally see. It brings focus to the eyes in portraiture. I use this idea whenever I draw portraits, putting greater emphasis on the eyes and blurring other parts of the image on purpose. Coloured pencil is all about creating the detail but thinking of a selective focus can improve the visual impact of your drawing.