Regardless of your artistic ability, painting from reference photos can be a vital part of your craft. While many fledgling artists have fallen victim to the false belief that the masters paint only from memory or life, most professional artists have used photos to enhance their work. In fact, many rely on them religiously in order to accurately portray likenesses and perspective.

The wonderful thing about painting from a photograph is that you can get up close and personal with it; you can analyze and compare colours, measure different elements in the layout, and capture small details that would otherwise escape your memory. Unlike en plein air, a photograph is static, so you never need to worry about the sun changing position or your subject sneezing. If you’re just starting out and wondering how to best use reference photos—or you’re looking to use them more effectively—I’ve compiled three tips to get you started.

1. Choose a photo with high contrast

This is a useful tip for anyone, but especially for beginners. Painting from an image that doesn’t have a wide range of values (strong darks, mid tones, and highlights) can be much more challenging. It will make it difficult to plot out the image and recognize where colours shift. A bold light source or dark shadows can help you find your bearings. It will inform you of what is salient within the image. I get a lot of positive feedback on the way I capture light in a painting, but I actually think the types of strong lighting I capture are easier to paint than diffuse lighting. Sometimes style is born from necessity!

2. Create a digital grid

You’ve likely heard of using a grid to map out your painting, but have you tried using a digital one? Rather than drawing a grid on a physical photo, simply scan it and upload it to Photoshop (or similar—Photopea is a free option). A digital grid is easier for several reasons. For starters, you don’t need to draw it; just click “show grid” and adjust it to the size you want (Note: For most paintings, assuming they aren’t mural-sized, I use a grid of 1x1”.) Secondly, you can use a much smaller reference photo than your painting and still use the same grid size for both. This will save you the headache of converting measurements from a smaller photo to a larger canvas because you can size the digital version to match the size of your canvas. Lastly, having the reference photo available in Photoshop will allow you to measure accurately. You’ll be able to hover your cursor over any part of the image and it will tell you the X and Y axis. I usually switch the grid to centimeters if I’m measuring—even if I’ve drawn the grid in inches—since the metric system is easier to use than the imperial system. I fall under the stereotype of an artist who can’t do math, and that means I avoid fractions at all costs.

3. Make sure you have copyright permission

…especially if you are selling your paintings! It is not uncommon to be commissioned to paint from a photo that is actually under copyright. Often people will see an image they like and want a painting of it—which is understandable! The average person is not well-versed in copyright law, and it can be difficult to make heads or tails of it. I’ve actually gone through the process of getting permission to paint something copyrighted through the Copyright Board of Canada, and I still don’t fully understand it. It’s important to do the work to ensure you are legally allowed to paint something, however. If you’re painting a commission, ask the client if this is a photo they took. If it’s something they found on the internet, I would recommend using Google Lens to search for it and then go from there. See if you can track down its origins, and if you can’t, try reaching out to the copyright board in your country.

Now that you know what makes a good reference photo, you’ll be better able to identify which ones will translate into successful paintings. This will help you make informed decisions about the art you create and the commissions you accept. Happy painting!