Where Can I Find Reference Photos?
For starters, there's the collection
of artist's reference photos on Painting.About.com. While these photos remain the copyright of the photographer, the terms of use let
you use them for paintings.
Sir Mac, a contributer to Painting.About.com, has created an online gallery of his photos which he says
painters are welcome to use for paintings.
Another good source of photos is Flickr, but be sure to use the Search Tool that enables
you to find those photos labeled with a Creative Commons Attribution License. This license allows for copies and derivatives to be
made from a photo (which a painting would be) and commercial use (which you'd be doing if you then sold the painting or exhibited
it in a show) provided you give credit to the photographer. To check what copyright applies to a particular photo in Flickr, look
under "Additional Information" in the column to the right of a photo, and click on the tiny CC logo to check the Creative Commons
License.
Then there's the Public Image Reference Archive Morgue File, which provides "free image reference material for use in all
creative pursuits". And Stock.Xchng where some photos can be downloaded for free. When you do a search, the free photos are listed
first, and the ones you'd need to pay for below a bar saying "premium results".
Sites some of our members have used:
http://www.istockphoto.com/index.php
http://www.easystockphotos.com/
Please remember to read all the information on each site about use of the photos.
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Staying Inspired, by Arleta Pech
OK, here's the truth; a full years of work is sitting in Charleston hanging at
the gallery. People loved the work at the opening, I loved doing the work. HOW do you stay inspired to create more work
when the current work is still hanging? In this economy it's a FACT that sales are slow. Sales do encourage us to create more
art, but what if your still waiting for that sale. OR your so exhausted after a big push that finding the paint brush is the last
thing on your mind, unless it's to paint the front porch (which I did after Charleston).
So the HONEST truth, lets get serious about
what an artist's job is.
TO create, to fall in LOVE with an idea, to be full of passion about color, texture, design,
realism, anything that makes your art special to YOU!
Here's a few tips:
"Care and Feeding of the inspired artist"
Being
nice to the CHILD within you is job #1, all work and NO play is considered artist abuse.
DO something with art that is out of
your comfort zone, being scared is an emotion.
Take a class for an adreline push, that affects your emotions.
Read
a good art book to get excited that affects your emotions.
Add new colors to your palette and only paint with them, with your
fingers! That is sensory and affects your emotions.
The art spirit needs good things to fill the creative well, go see a
great art show. Which can move your emotions.
KNOW what makes you happy- and gets you excited-touches you. DO I NEED to type
it again????
Colors is a great MOOD enhancer!!
GO
FEEL textures, at material stores, fall in love, by a yard or two!
SEE great art, listen to music that moves you!
Go collect
colored leaves while you walk the dog!! DOG LOVES YOU!!
So see a movie that makes you cry, take a bottle of water to help the
tears flow!!!
GO to the art museum, and just look at COLORED abstracts or the great art in the kids museum-DO COLOR
THERAPY.
Creating ART is about emotion,and if your drained you need to put more emotions back in!
GO PLAY!!! If
this word looks strange to you then you need to do it more!!
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