The joys of working from life
As a commissioned portrait artist, I've adapted well to working from photographs. However, photographs are extremely limiting for an artist when it comes to painting a portrait that truly looks real. In most photos, the whites are washed out, and the shadows are too dark, often making it impossible to see details and color variations. Working from life brings out a whole different dimension, as it gives the artist a much better idea of the nature of the subject...not to mention the fact that the lighting, colors, and details are much easier to see!

This summer I've had some incredible opportunities to practice life drawing and painting on a regular basis. I've discovered that, by viewing the model directly, I'm able to pick up on a person's character in a much deeper way. During the 2-3 hour sessions, a model goes through a fascinating transformation. His or her expression changes continually as the mind wanders, sometimes to places of energy and excitement, and sometimes to moments of deep thought. The final portrait, if successful, should capture any or all of these moods in a way that says more about the model than a photograph ever could.

In my portrait gallery, you'll find some brand new portraits of two beautiful young women, completely different from each other, but lovely in their own ways. The first is of a girl named Erica, whose serene expression borders on angelic. The second is of a punk girl with a mohawk, who might be expected to have an aloof expression and "I-don't-care" attitude; yet instead, she is soft and peaceful, showing a deeper beauty behind her outward trappings. Can you tell a difference between these portraits (done from life), and other portraits in the gallery (done from photographs)?

If you are thinking about having a portrait done, consider having at least one or two life sittings in addition to a photo session. I think you'll find it to be quite worthwhile.

Thanks,
Anna Rose Bain

http://www.annasblankcanvas.com/