How to Make Dramatic Paintings from Your Photographs
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- Опубліковано 28 вер 2024
- Most of us paint from photographs. Perhaps not always but often. In this video I show six photographs and the paintings I made from them. You'll see the photograph suggests the major shapes. From there I simplify those shapes into a cohesive whole.
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That is the weirdest thing: none of those photos looked especially interesting...until they were rendered into paintings and the structure in the photos became clearer. I've really enjoyed the design / composition videos in this series and the notion of looking at larger areas and how they relate in a composition. Really helpful. Thank you.
A lot of mediocre photos can make great paintings . It’s truly difficult to make an exceptional photograph.
I'm currently developing my vision and interpretations, this video helps to see things through the artist's mind. Beautiful!
Idk where ai is taking us however I’m sure many people were disturbed and threatened by the advent of photography yet clearly it takes more than just capturing what’s there to make an excellent work of art and I would imagine that intelligent touch will maintain an appreciation for art rendered from the human perspective over rapidly produced ai images.
It shows how great painting is like providing the viewer with a new sense
I’m really enjoying these little snippets of gold. They are just long enough to absorb all these crucial elements towards creating a good work of art.
I am very grateful to you for sharing your knowledge and time to help us become better artists.
I just discovered your channel a couple of days ago and after watching a handful of your simple yet amazing videos, this long-time "autodidact" can only say BRAVO and THANK YOU. You are both informative and succinct, cutting to the nitty-gritty and backing it up with EXCELLENT examples. You have a new subscriber to your channel and newsletter. Be well.
Very helpful, as an artist I definitely struggle with simplifying my paintings. I give way to much detail to the background ... but I think watching this will help me a lot!
I have been watching this whole series of highly informative, inspiring videos, thank you! And I have to say what a wonderful thing it is that they inspire comments of only gratitude and inspiration and not all the other stuff we see so much. It's like an oasis of sanity and beauty.
Just what I needed to understand how to work from photos, and how to simplify !!! Thank you Ian, from CHILE
Simplicity is truely more beautiful!!
Thank YOU.
I'm so glad I ran across this informative video. Thank you!
I'm not sure how I got here either, but I found this very useful. I do tend to try putting too much in a painting, so this was helpful - it's only when I use photographs that I tend to crowd a canvas (even if I've taken the photograph): putting too much distracting information in the background for example, not blue-ing it out when I should. I sort of KNEW I was doing that, but it's good to have a demonstration of how it can be avoided.
Oh my gosh. Thank you so much for sharing. The values are so helpful. I end up changing a few things too. I really love the background and distance.
Looking so forward to going down the rabbit hole of your channel. I appreciate your instruction, and I find you warm and engaging. Hope you're well.
I'm new to your work and videos and find them very helpful. It's a constant struggle in looking at nature to fight against the instinct to be a stenographer and record everything rather than being an interpreter of what's before you. It's easy to get overwhelmed by the scene and the mass of material in nature. Juggling shapes, values, and elements takes constant awareness and discipline. Just as a writer needs a good editor, painters need to be good editors of the abundance nature presents.
The expression I use is cataloguing. Just making sure it's all accounted for and included. Rather than stripping it to its essence. Glad you liked the video. All the best, Ian.
Absolutely beautiful paintings!!! My sons and I are artists. It is so funny how we always say look at the shapes make them simple.
I paint a lot from my own photos, so this video has been really helpful. I learn something from all of your videos, thankyou for your generosity
Ian, recently found your videos and really enjoying them. Thanks for your generosity
Makes you look at the pictures we take and really look at shape and form and the layering in the landscape I’m really learning lots from your videos Thankyou
Hi Yvonne, I am delighted you are learning a lot from the video. I really appreciate your letting me know. You seem to have got the idea for this week. All the best.
You are such a generous artist and human begin! Thank you so much for sharing your experience and wisdom. I bought your book, but there is so much to learn from your demonstrations. THANK YOU!
Ian we want more of this! This is such an important topic.
Thank you for taking time to share all this information!😍
You are so welcome!
@@IanRobertsMasteringComposition 😍
Your videos on composition are a great discovery!
Very useful video . I love the descriptions of light and shadows in the paintings Very simple way.
Excellent lesson in depth and structure and simplification. Thank you sir.
Friend. Stumbled across your page. Loved it. Subbed. Thank you for sharing your talent. On a catch up mission!
Genius!! Hope I can do something similar eventually!!
Extremely engaging and helpful!
I appreciate your videos so much. Thanks for sharing your knowledge in a way we can grasp.
Stumbled onto your video, immediately subscribed. Would like to learn more of ...'stuff I don't know'.
I’ve just discovered your videos. Thanks a lot. You are very clear and the way you teach is very helpfull for myself (sorry for the mistakes, I am French and not really comfortable with English 😅). Comparing photographs with Paintings explaining your choices to create a new image is clearly helpful and adapted for me. I’ll try to go this way too, for my future paintings. Thanks a lot ! Go on ! You’ve got a new student 😊
Agree with Jean Ross. I’m so glad your video popped onto my feed today. Subscribed and ready to peruse through the rest of your videos.
Amazing how you make a clear distinction between what is to be paint and not . Great and thank tou so much .Will try to paint from photographs!
Hi Christine, I think the main thing is I look at structure and strip most of the rest away.
Ian “Shadow Master” Roberts!
I’d love to see how you mix your paints to get the different shades of the lit items in your photo. I also wonder how you place/set the reference photo when you are roughing out & painting your piece.
Again, awesome city/urban paintings (I’m super drawn to them).
Hi Jeff, If I'm painting from a photo I paint from the photo on the screen on my computer and have it up high at eye level. I'm going to do something on color mixing and temperature this coming week.
Ian Roberts thx. Look forward to your next video
It's a challenge to edit my photos effectively and this is very helpful information Ian. Thank you.
Ian this is so fascinating and so timely now we are cooped up inside and can't go out painting. I find it so fascinating how you make changes on a photo to make an amazing painting. This is something I need to learn how to do.
Thanks Frances. Someone suggested the idea of doing one on photos for your very reason and I thought that is a good idea and timely. All the best.
I loved it. Thanks 😊
I learned a lot! So short and informative! thank you!!
That was awesome, thanks!
Hi Ian, So glad to have discovered you here on UA-cam. Love your examples, examination and easy to understand explanations of what you're focusing on regarding seeing and transferring to the canvas. You paintings are inspiring and quite beautiful! Use of color I like very much. I'll certainly be tuning in more. Best regards, Philip.
YES!!! using light to create drama!!!
Thank you Ian, your videos are incredibly useful, I mostly paint from photos, and I can spend hours looking for a good one, feeling unable to choose...
Thank you Ian
Great examples of simplification . Really enjoyed this tutorial.
Thanks a lot.😎🇦🇺🦘
Glad it was helpful Dave.
Beautiful beautiful beautiful Thank you 🙏
Painting Harrison Ford is such a fun instructor - thank you, art grandpa
I was drawn to the market place painting...it was loose and atmospheric..thanks...
Thank you Ian Roberts
you're welcome Nick
I stumbled across it beautiful beautiful thank you
always excellent ❤
Thank you so much 😀
Beautiful, beautiful. Really nice.
I take lots of pictures but I'm not sure what parts to take out of the photo to simplify but still make it look interesting.
Maravilloso uso del color Splendido! Grazie
Excellent video
Really useful thank you!
Awesome!!. Very instructional!
Fascinating.so glad I found your channel. Great to see how do this. Could you possibly do a video on why/how you choose colours? I get how things go bluer as they recede and colours are more vibrant at focus but how do use choose your colour palettes? I just end up close to the reference.
Great video - very insightful, yet simple!
Glad it was helpful Mindy!
hi new to art don't always understand but i love your vidio's thank you 👏👍
This is very interesting and helpful. Thank you.
this was very useful thank you very much :o)
very useful. thanks
This was an excellent video, most of my work is from photos I take. I spend a lot of time trying to crop ones into good composition ideas, then making notans Your book and these videos are helping greatly. More info on working from photos would be excellent
Glad you found it helpful Karen. So many topics to cover. But will definitely do more on photos. All the best.
And thank you, very interesting technique but simple in a way, you obviously make it look way easier than it is though.
very helpfull , thank you
Wish to see marinas soon
This was incredibly helpful!
I keep looking at the floating trees in the foreground of the first photo.
Thankyou, thankyou, thankyou.
Wonderful 👩🏻🎨
This was super awesome! I could look at this for days... more, more, more! That said, coming back to your video about finding your voice, could you tell us a bit more what you are trying to tell us/ show us with these paintings? Is it that rustic, dusty Provence feeling? I'm trying to find the theme that pulls it all together.
Hi Mike, first I'm delighted you liked the video. I wish I could give you a quick and easy guide to practically finding your voice. I'm still search around for the theme. Because it changes. It isn't static. But you do have themes that pull you more than others and those are the ones we look at and trust and hopefully can engage with enough to produce work.
@@IanRobertsMasteringComposition I am flabbergasted at the amount and quality of your videos. They are a true gem between many other art videos! Thank you for putting them out here for us to view!
Just to be clear, I am not asking how I can find my voice (as a non- native speaker, I find this an intriguing expression btw), I think I'm not far enough into becoming a painter to be worried about this. However I am wondering if it is something you (for your voice) can articulate using this (or another) painting. I'd like to see what the actual, concrete effects are of such an (for me) abstract concept. How does 'voice' end up in a painting? And is there something you did in this work to strengthen it?
Thank you. Very helpful!
I love the paintings👍🏼💖,💖💖💖what size are they?
Thanks .. through painter’s eyes what could produce is aN interprétation,
Inspiring me to do more pastels!
Now that is good news Heather.
really helpful! thank you!
Stunning work!
Are you a fan of Edward hopper and Andrew Wyeth? You seem to have mastered a style similar to theirs.
You sir have earned my respect and subscription 😮
Well thank you so much. I really appreciate your telling me. I'm not sure exactly what influence Wyeth and Hopper have had on me but I like them both for sure.
thanks for this .... found the video very informative and encouraging.
Glad it was helpful Kevin.
thank you
You're welcome
What technique is used to transfer the photographic images onto the canvases? And what are the sizes?
I grid the photo with thirds and the canvas and just draw it. That image of the woman in the market was 8 x 10.
I'm wondering how the message would come across using these photos and paintings in gray scale.
You sure that's Provence? Looks exactly like the Similkameen.
I'm not sure the image you are talking about but I have driven beside the Similkameen once long ago.
Seems very helpful if your demo "point" You are showing were more clear.
What sort of painting style is tis called.
Not really sure it has a specific name.
@@IanRobertsMasteringComposition it's sort of impressionistic, (from a beginner's eye), as it has the characteristics of a tree or cloud etc. But there is a set of ?tones? That make it not seem to be but from another type or era.
I have been painting for less than a year and this was one of the most helpful instructional videos I happened to hit upon. Thank you so much. I want to see more of this! You could have run through 12 or more photos then actual paintings and I would have been totally engaged! Great and helpful video , thanks!
Keep it going, the long term rewards of painting are awesome!
Same here. I loved this.
I'm really enjoying your videos, I feel like I'm in a university art class. I'm getting all the core concepts that most YT videos don't cover. They give you an image to copy, but not how to create your own original art. I just ordered your book too 😉. I have a ton of travel photos. I'm going to watch all your YT videos, read your book and cull through photos to paint!
I am delighted Lisa. Thank you for letting me know. It is true, a lot of youtube videos give you things to copy, or a demo to watch. For me, as a teaching tool, watching a demo is a little like trying to learn piano by watching someone play. You cannot get to the 101 internal and now largely unconscious decisions that the person is making.
Agreed, man. Soon to be former truck driver and I have thousands of photos I plan to work from!
GREAT opportunity for photography! Good luck on your new life, my friend ✌️
"...the role of vision and skill." At this point my vision greatly exceeds my skill. This photo analysis was very helpful. Thanks. l can't help but wonder how digital photography would have influenced Paul Cezanne and the way he used light and color.
Your videos are gold. You are a talented artist and the best art teacher. Your time and knowledge is very much appreciated. Thanks for sharing your beautiful work and expertise.
I just found your videos recently and am so glad that I did. After a series of painting classes, I knew there were some fundamental things I wasn't getting. Fellow students may not be able to draw as realistically as me, but their paintings would be so much more compelling and powerful. Your videos are helping me understand how to simplify the subject matter (something that has been so hard for me to do!), see shapes and values, and focus on the whole composition of a painting rather than individual objects. Your teachings on structure and composition are just what I feel I have needed to move forward. Thank you for your sincere and generous help!
Ian, I really enjoyed this.I am not a trained artist but I have always sketched, done the odd wartercolour etc.
This will hopefully help me improve and I must follow you.
Thank you for sharing this.
My takeaways from this video are: SIMPLIFY and TAKE AWAY. This basically leads to LESS IS MORE (something an illustrator friend of mine said about some of my paintings). However, this is still something I struggle with, because I often allow myself to get caught up in too much detail.
Explore both!
Have a day where you adopt lead is more!!
Then another day dedicated to detail.
But maybe the details can be increased in micro imagery!
Details of the animal fur, or the hand stitched craft, etc.
To Joyces comment below, and if you explore both and find your are attracted to one over the other, then that probably helps guide you on how to go forward. One isn't better than the other, only what you are attracted to has relevance.
@@IanRobertsMasteringComposition thank you to both of you for taking the time to give some advice and guidance.
What a beautiful spirit you are. It was so nice just listening to you, you are such a caring human, thank you for sharing your talent with us.
Really appreciated this presentation! I paused the vid at each photo and considered how I might approach each one myself. It was great to see how you treated and problem solved each composition. I also really appreciated hearing that it does take a lot of photos to find that one that sparks inspiration. That's been true for me also.
Hi Angela, so nice hear from you. I just saw you today on something, an internet platform, I don't remember. But front and center. I'm glad you liked the video. I am just working on that photo I showed a week or so ago and I realize it is so interesting to watch yourself making decisions. Some to push toward the photo and others that happen sort of on their own and you decide to go that direction. Almost the paint making the suggestion and you think, hey why not?
Anyway hope all is well up there in the north. Best wishes, Ian
This was really helpful. Thank you Ian. I am enjoying this series of videos and finding them really inspiring.
I don't know how I got here, but I am very happy it happened.
Same.
Same here too
Me too! 🇦🇺
Me too!
Photos always dissapoint but now im starting to understand the idea of structuring and simplifying
Thankyou for doing this. You’re a kind man and a wonderful artist. today’s idea has really given me courage to paint from photographs but not paint every detail, which is what I would always get frustrated with. LEARNING SO MUCH FROM YOU. THANKYOU
Very helpful analysis, demonstration, and instruction. Love the Rumi quote on the wall. "Out beyond right doing and wrong doing, there's a field. I will meet you there…" and Ian will show us how to simplify it structurally to make a great painting.
This is unbelievable how the composition changes the whole theme of the picture. Thank you for sharing your talent.
This is the first of your video/tutorials that I have watched, but I’m sure it won’t be the last. Your way of teaching is very clear and you really brought out some techniques that I had never really thought.
I am an amateur photographer with thousands of photos, lots of landscapes, nature, animals, birds, flowers, cityscapes, etc.
When take pictures, I am always looking for elements of composition.
I haven’t done a lot of painting, but I am at a place in my life where, hopefully, I am going to be able to get back into my exploration of different art mediums.
I’m very excited to go through my photos and find some that I can use this technique on.
What I also find fascinating and helpful is that if someone prefers more detail, they could certainly add as much or as little as they want.
Thank you again for posting, and as I mentioned, I am looking forward to watching many other of your videos!
I could have watched that for an hour. It was great fun trying to predict how the painted images would look.
I love the idea of using a diagram when planning a painting. I just discovered your videos, now I hope I can stop floundering when it comes to composition. Will be watching! Thank you for this.
This is mind opening. I love seeing how you are treating the subject here. I struggle to paint from photos for a lot of reasons, I seek painting outside.