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Reference Photos
Where Do You Get em and Is It Legal?
This is an updated repost because it’s that important.
Using reference photos has probably been an artist’s (and model’s) best friend since photos came to be. Consider how things were before photography when your model had to sit for hours while you worked on their portrait. How much easier would it have been to work from a photo? Granted, there’s something to be said for working with a live model, but it’s also unrealistic to think they will sit there without moving until you’re done. And what about if you’re working with animals? Everyone knows you can’t get them to sit still for very long. Even if you’re working on a still life, using reference photos can come in extremely handy. There are of course, pros and cons. Here they are…
Pros
- Everything is captured perfectly, and everything remains the same, from your subject to your lighting.
- Nothing changes, no matter how long you take to finish.
Cons
- You do lose the challenge of working from life (with a three-dimensional subject), which is a true test of artistic skill all on its own.
