Portrait from a Photo: What Kind of Photo Can I Use for an Oil Painting
I can paint a portrait from just about any photograph. A black-and-white photo works well too, and even a damaged photo is fine, as long as it is not damaged in the most important spot.
Words: Mika Anttila
- I can paint a portrait from just about any photograph.
- A black-and-white photo also works well as a starting point.
- A photo is too poor if the most important part of the subject is damaged.
”I can paint a portrait from just about any photograph, even a black-and-white one, even if it is damaged.”
What photos I paint from
I can paint an oil painting from just about any photograph. A black-and-white photo works well too. I can also make a painting from a damaged photo.
There is no limit on the subject of the photo. It can be a person, but it can also be something else.
When a photo is too poor a starting point
Damage alone does not stop me from painting. What matters is where the photo is damaged. If the damage falls on the most important part of the subject, the work becomes harder.
Such a spot could be, for example, a person's face in a portrait. If the important part is not damaged, damage in other parts of the photo does not matter.
What happens if the important part is damaged
In that case I have to think a great deal about what the damaged spot should really look like. I have to work out how that part looked originally.
What to do before ordering
If you have an old, black-and-white or damaged photo, do not rule it out in advance. A black-and-white photo works well as it is. First check whether the most important part of the photo is intact. If it is, the photo is likely to be suitable as a starting point.
Frequently asked
- Can you paint a portrait from a black-and-white photo?
- Yes, I can. A black-and-white photo works well as a starting point.
- Can you paint from a damaged photo?
- Yes, as long as the photo is not damaged in its most important part. The most important part could be, for example, a person's face.
- When is a photo too poor to use as the basis for a portrait?
- When the most important part of the subject is damaged. In that case I have to think a great deal about what the damaged spot should look like.
- Does the subject of the photo have to be a person?
- No. I can paint a portrait of a person or of some other subject.
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