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For Portrait Artwork
Choosing the right Photograph Can be Difficult. So How do you choose one?
This portrait of Will Smith is the ideal example of the perfect photograph.
If you do not have a photograph that meets this criteria it is ok. Please understand I draw as the photograph shows. However, I can make slight edits. If it is an old photograph or the only photograph you have, I may still be able to work with it. Please provide several photographs of the same person.
Examples Below
Distance and Positioning
Portraits are done best with the face up close to the camera. You should be able to see the color of the eyes and outlines of the pupil. Portraits are done with the head faced forward not turned. (unless we are doing a picture requiring the head to be turned.) Regardless, this picture is not good for drawing.
Discoloration & Saturation
It is hard to determine what the natural colors are and certain shadows. The distance of the person's face from the camera lens is too far. This is a semi-workable photo but extremely difficult.
Blurry & Distorted
I can not work with this picture at all. I can not determine facial features that are critical to drawing.
Size & Disfiguration
Picture Left is torn, worn & discolored, yet I can still somewhat work with it. This is what I mean by close up photograph. The picture on the Right is almost perfect. The only thing is it is slightly blurry & the contrast is a little low. I can absolutely recreate this. The size of the paper that you choose from the price structure for the drawing is also very important. 11x14", 18x24" or bigger is best.
Disfiguration & Blurry
I could work with this picture but it would be very difficult. It is discolored, torn, lines going through the faces, blurry and Not much contrast.
Distortion & Incomplete
It is blurry, distorted, and incomplete. I can not see the bottom of her mouth, or the rest of her body. I cant see the facial features they are blurry. Can you see her eyes or are they dots, lines or blurry? The contrast is not good either. Just because it is black & white does not mean it has contrast. The lady in the back is not clear at all. Plus theres a big black blob on the image. Not workable.
Eyes & Discoloration
This is a good example of a "Close up" however look at those eyes. The issue is I cant see the color. Though if I am drawing in graphite I can still work with this image. You can see the lines of the hair, the outline of the eye, the details of the shirt. Even though the head is slightly turned this is a workable picture.
Glares & Photos of Photos
This occurs from camera flashes. I can not work with this picture at all. Please have ZERO glares.
If the glare was not there, this would be workable but still not the best selection.
Taking a photo of a photo. Please make sure the picture is good, the flash is off, your in good lighting, no glares, and all 4 corners of your camera lens meets all 4 corners of the photo. Not folded, bent, cut off, or floating. Tape it flat to a flat surface. (All portions of photo including the middle must be FLAT)
Sun Streaks
This is an example of what a sun streak is. Although it may not be on her face in this example, a lot of pictures do have them over the face. Please have ZERO sun streaks. This photo is still not good due to the distance their faces are from the camera. Once again, the eyes are dots.
The lighting is too dark and there is a sun streak on her face blurring out facial details. You don't want shadows on the face or highlights. This example picture is workable but many images with these errors are not.
Too Dark & Sun Streaks
Resolution & Pixilation
Can't draw a portrait with either poor resolution or pixilation. Just look at these two examples.
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