When working from photos, how do I make my paintings look realistic and accurate?

Work from multiple reference photos—five or six different shots of the same subject from different angles. Cameras can’t capture everything the human eye sees, so use your artistic judgment to add what should be there even if the photo didn’t catch it. With experience, you’ll develop an intuition for what needs adjustment. Combine the best elements from your various reference photos and add your own creative interpretation to create a final piece that’s more accurate and compelling than any single photograph could be.

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Asked by an artist working from photographic references · Answered by Brien Cole · art-marketing-podcast · 2024-10-04