Portrait Painting From Photographs

Portrait Painting from Photographs

In about half of the uploaded photographs that we receive here at Your Photo To Painting, especially those that fall into the portrait category, some prep work is needed. To create a painting from photographs like these, as shown in the example, it is necessary to isolate one or more figures from a less than desirable background. It may be a person or a group of people or a pet, but there is no doubt about the possibility of improvement by introducing a simplified and more color compatible surroundings.



The first step in isolating the figure shown was to use the lasso tool set to 1 pixel and make a copy layer. A tip to try when details are too hard to see (which often happens in darker areas) is to make the selection using a copied layer that has been brightened extremely (only for this purpose) to find the correct edges and then switching back to the main layer to make the live selection copy. When painting from photographs it also is necessary to then soften the edge of the figure so it doesn't look artificially 'cut out'. One way is to contract the isolated selection area by 2 or 3 pixels, then inverse the selection and apply a slight blur. This way the retouched photo portrait becomes more natural looking and only the edges were slightly blurred, usually by a radius of only 1.5 to 2.5.



It is important to not only select a suitable backdrop from classic portraiture standards but also to make sure the color saturation and overall color tone are compatible when painting from photographs. A last step that helps connect the isolated figure that has been imposed in this new surrounding is to anchor the figure to the background by a believable soft shadow effect. In this case, a duplicate layer was created and filled with a solid color sampled from the darkest corner of the background and the layer set to 'multiply' then blurred by a radius of about 45. The soft shadow is then positioned down and over by a dozen pixels or so in the direction of the light source. A successful portrait will have a look of natural and timeless grace about it.



Painting from photographs that have been properly prepared is then a relatively simple process that is as individual as the artist creating the portrait. At Your Photo To Painting, we apply a 6-step filtering process that is our own unique formula that can then be adjusted depending on the individual client's taste in terms of what type of realism and brushstroke amounts are desirable to them. This is achieved by our online proofing process that allows them to see the overall painting with our recommended cropping but also a few isolated close-up sections that really show off the exact degree of 'painterly' effect. When we first create a painting from photographs and the subsequent proof to post online we take the approach that has been dictated by the subject matter itself. Then we follow the reactions and desires of our customers. In most cases, the first recommended proof is chosen and purchased but we are happy to submit a 2nd or 3rd revision if needed. If several changes are needed it is most helpful to get as many comments as possible at one time rather than make piecemeal (multiple) revisions one at a time.

In the portrait example shown, the subject's wardrobe consisted of primarily gold and beige tones with smaller hints of other colors was then mirrored in the painted background. Making a good painting from photographs requires an eye for what makes for a good portrait as well as the skill to execute it. The example shown was finished off with a graphite (dark grayish black) wood frame.