Photorealism Using a Grid

PAINTING 2: Exploring Concepts

Part 1 – Painting in Detail

Project: Surrealism

Exercise . Photorealism Using a Grid

I found making the grid proportionally correct was the difficult bit, because I could not create a proportion equivalent to my canvas size for the photograph.  In the end I was about an inch short at the bottom which I had to adlib.  The customize proportions did not permit you to put in the length and width without defaulting one of the measurements.

Maths or anything involving figure work always makes me cringe!

Eventually, I managed to set up the canvas board and once the drawing was complete and I got on to using the brush I felt much happier. I used oil for this picture.  At first it was a novel process for me because I had never copied a photo before. However, I felt it was a somewhat stultifying process and it felt very mechanical until the final details were required, then I began to feel pleased with what I had done, but in terms of creativity, there really was none.

I think if I did the process again I would alter the colours in more imaginative ways and that would bring some creative input from me into the process.

Check and Log

• How did you decide which detail to include or leave out?

I think I pretty well included everything, except may some deeper layers of the evergreen Lleylandi branches; the detailed was getting somewhat tangled at that stage.

• Were you happy with the image you and chosen to copy?

I felt I might struggle with the Lleylandi branches but the overall strength of the image appealed.

• What aspects of your copy are you satisfied with and which are less satisfactory?

I was pleased with the overall colour, perhaps the tone here and there could be amended but I was not dissatisfied with the result.

• Is the scaling up technique one you could use in other aspects of your work?

I hated getting the proportions right, and anything involving measurement and a rule is an anathema to me but to be sure of getting an accurate image the scaling up process is one I might choose again, perhaps next time I would be more confident, especially after seeing other Artists’ work.