Lighting Is Paramount

When drawing we usually draw from photos these days. It is rare when I get to draw from life so I’m used to it. Photos can be distorted or capture light in funny ways. You have to start with a good photo with excellent light or you may as well give up before beginning. Invariably I will get someone approaching me to draw their child or grandchild but they give me a photo taken from above so the proportions are distorted, or one with such bad lighting that the face is absolutely flat. Or worse, they give me a photo taken with a flash. Flash is deadly to artists. It completely removes all shadows. Sure it looks like your precious darling in the photo because that’s a photo, but doing a drawing the features would appear flat and lifeless without some shadow to mold the face and give 3 dimensions. Always take the photo outside from the eye-level of the child if possible and not YOUR eye level. DON’T USE FLASH. Make sure the light is coming from one side not directly above. Good shadows are a must for good drawings.

These are from my 100 days of children challenge. In this section I am using days 23 through day 34 as examples.

What do you think?

Day 23

Even the cutest pose can be ruined by the light or lack of good light. If only I could have seen more of his face this would have been adorable.

This was harsh overhead sun but still I got some good structure to the face from it.

Good side lighting but reflected lighting gave him a surprised look.

This photo was taken outside with late afternoon sun. It made her face well lit but gave some harsh shadows on the sides of the nose between the cheeks.

There was overhead light and reflected light from a nearby river.

This photo had terrible lighting so the drawing was difficult to create giving him a dirty face look. The photo was taken under the shade of a tree with sunlight directly overhead. The reflected light was coming from both sides and very confusing to draw from.