Photocopying Paintings...

[RJohnston]

A Photo copy of one of my wife's wildlife paintings...
"A Wolf in the Moonlight.
This is an 18x24 painting done in oils.

Most of the time when I make copies of paintings, I set them up outside on an Easel at about noon at an angle to the sun. Generally making the image before she has put a coat of varnish on them, to reduce the reflections. But when she has, then use a polarized filter. That way the lighting is very broad and even all over the painting. Because she uses a very fine canvas, the grain or thread of the canvas does not show.

[KatMitchell]

RJ,

Your wife does beautiful work... Does she ever paint your photography?

Kat

[RJohnston]

Originally Posted by KatMitchell

RJ,

Your wife does beautiful work... Does she ever paint your photography?

Kat

She used to when she was into Seascapes or Ocean and Beach scenes. But, when she began painting animals back in the 70's stopped. Guess that is why I began painting in 1995, as I wanted to see some of my own Photos in oils. Like the painting of the abandoned rusting tractor in the VT woods.

[KatMitchell]

Ohhhh............. I see.. I did not know you painted.. That is awesome. I always did admire that tractor, I had assumed you just made it look painted in photoshop... Nice work..!

Kat

P.S. My eldest son sketches a lot of my photography...

[RJohnston]

This is the First painting that I ever did it is an 18x24. My wife will never let me sell it. It blew her away, she had been painting since she was three. I'd done some sculpture when I was about 12, carving animals and other things out of soap. Made a few sketches to prepare to do that, but we had a kid in art class who was so amazing, decided that I had no talent.

[KatMitchell]

wow RJ... Impressive indeed.... Almost like looking through the viewfinder.. Love the composition..

So did you paint this from a photo or from actually sitting there?

Kat

[RJohnston]

Used one of my Photos, it takes too long to paint an 18x24 than to sit there while doing it. This took me about 5-6 hours a day, for a week. When had been painting for a year, managed to get the time down to a couple of days. When I paint, really get into it, now use mostly a Palette Knife for the rocks, brushes for the sky and clouds. But then get my fingers involved to blend, like the light colors in the rocks and white water.

The BW to the left is also one of my paintings. From memory of an experience in Korea. It is my platoon Sgt comforting a man who lost his best friend, who he knew since the third grade. Painted it to resemble the Marble on the Korean War Memorial Wall, with all the etchings on it. Put about 15 coats of varnish on it.

The faint image represents his friend, writing his last letter home. He gave him that last letter to send home, if he did not return from a patrol. They ran into an ambush and he was killed. . . ..

[KatMitchell]

ok. I see....

Well it is gorgeous..

How blessed you are to have two different outlets for creativity.... and even though the avatar is small, the emotion is apparent at first glance, even without knowing the story...

What talent you possess. You have so many profound life experiences. You really should consider a table book someday, and couple these photos with their stories..IMHO

Thanks for sharing

~ Kat