Reference photos – printed on regular paper vs. photo paper

Reference photo courtesy: Corey Sheehan

I’m a studio artist which means I work from photographs. I’ve taken many of the photos but as I seldom go off now, more and more I’m using, with permission, other people’s photographs. I’m a realist, but not an accurate photorealist. The photos I use are not to exactly copy the scene. They’re just a guideline to create a beautiful painting.

I print the photos on regular copy paper. I’m cheap and don’t want to waste expensive photo paper on a reference for a painting. However, the printed photo isn’t to the color and quality of the original. That’s usually OK, as the photo is only for inspiration.

See the difference between Corey's photo and the my latest work in progress.

My latest work in progress on "Snowy Ridge Trail"

I draw out the composition of the scene, usually on BFK Rives paper, using charcoal. Then, I let myself create the scene further with pastel. However, I often find when I look back on the computer at the original photo, I’ve missed points of interest. How is it I can look and look at a printed photo, spend time studying lines and shapes, and miss seeing things? Talk about duh.

This has been more glaringly so with the current painting I’m working on. The blue of the printed photo isn’t even close to the original photo. Yes, it’s OK and pretty, but it’s the original photo that first drew me in. Why shouldn’t I have a good copy to work from? Am I lessening what I do by choosing to work from a cheaper printed, less vibrant photo? It definitely causes some hardships when I look back at the original and see, what I feel then, are important aspects of the scene I missed.

So I am thinking I’ll print a 5 x 7-inch of the original photo. If I plan two paintings, I can use one 8 ½ x 11 sheet of photo paper to print the two reference photos. Any other photos can be printed on regular paper … black and white, a lighter copy to better see details, or cropped sections, etc.

I’m excited and ready to experiment with this concept.