BHS Sketch
Painting from reference photos may look easy, but the practice has so many traps. The trick is to find a way to use the photo, but end up with an original work that does not "copy" the reference photo. Not an easy thing to do. There is a flatness that happens with painting from photos, that one does not face when working from live observation.
Now here is the problem: I wanted to do a painting of my old school in Brummana. I was not going to fly there to do it, and I didn't have enough angle shots of the administration building to combine and build my own view. I had one image and I had to go with it.
The result? This is a little sketch (6 1/2"x6 3/4"). It's not exactly what I had in mind, but as a study it will do. It got muddy a bit as I was testing the colours, but I think in a full scale painting, I now know what I need to do. I hope this post will be read by fellow BHS(ers) and that someone will send me more photos of the Admin building and I can do a better job at a real painting soon.
:-)
10 comments:
That is so cool, Fawzan! Beautifully done!
Brummana High School does have a lovely campus and I am thrilled that you are turning your talented hand to it.
I know only of a couple of other pictures online of the administration building (besides the one you used as a guide, by Haig at Webshots I believe). You can find them, taken by Sarmad Al-Wadi, by scrolling down at
BHS70s BHS Campus Pictures 1999
Nice one - though it isn't necessarily what a painter wants to hear, brings it all back to me - actually you have captured the atmosphere of that lovely warm welcoming building.
Loved it.
Nice one - though it isn't necessarily what a painter wants to hear, brings it all back to me - actually you have captured the atmosphere of that lovely warm welcoming building.
Loved it.
Looks great to me... I see no mud. Don't you just love the small size????
Love your new portrait in your profile, tres plein air artiste.
Dena De Rose is wonderful! Are you familiar with Diana Krall? Or Holly Cole (Trio)?
I am a new visitor to your blogspot. I agree it is hard to get the real feel in a painting when working solely from a photo - it is restricting and the danger is to just copy and not give an artistic interpretation. But if the place is in your memory and not unknown that helps and I think you have achieved a delightful and highly personal end result here.
Margaret
http://www.galleryacanvia.co.uk
You have stirred a lot of fine memories, Zan. Although I never attended BHS, it was sort of our summer backyard so to speak.
Debi Frances, Nancy, Margaret and Neda, Thank you all for your comments about this little study. I have a a nice commission that I will be working on soon, but when I finish, I hope to do some more BHS paintings. The theme is one I have been meaning to do for a while. :-)
I like your light and shade depiction. Adds depth to any painting. Good work. I am also a watercolourist myself and you are most welcomed to my site at www.malaysian-watercolours.com
Nice job. This painting stands out.
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