Repost about cheating in Art

Caravaggio Cheated
well, not really, he just did what many artists have done throughout history
Caravaggio used 'photography' to create dramatic masterpieces.

Amor Vincit Omnia by Caravaggio

There are many purists/art snobs/dilettantes who claim that the use of projector/photograph is cheating and will dismiss the work of an artist who does use them. The problem with that view is that they will have to dismiss a whole slew of artists in history whose painting and drawing skills are unquestioned. One can't just copy a photograph/use a projector and render a realistic painting without a solid background in drawing, and anatomy/life drawing.
Vermeer and the Camera Obscura

Famous Painters who copied photographs.

So next time someone gives you a hard time about using photographs or a projector (camera obscura) tell them if it was good enough for Caravaggio, Canaletto, Vermeer, Sir Joshua Reynolds it's good enough for you.

I like using them sometimes for reference purposes, and other times to copy. For Shadow Songs I wanted that stilted frozen studio portrait look and copied the pose in the photograph.

Shadow Songs

Here is a completely different take on copying photographs and it is fabulous, found it on Mr.XStitch Blog.

The work is by Cecile Jarsaillon who stitches the actual photographs, and not as easy as one might imagine.

AdviceBetter to use your own photographs (or with permission of the photographer) unless you want to get in a pickle.