How to use photo references for painting ✶ TIPS for location scouting

[@basenkaua]

Dear Sarah, your paintings get better and better. They are marvelous! I had to watch it twice how you painted waves in the first big painting, cause I missed that moment how a few simple strokes converted in a very realistic wave! I thought there was something more in between, but no, it's just exactly what you mean: know your tools and they do what you want to express. You master them sooo well. Wishing you lots of great reference hunting trips! Thamk you for the video!

[@SarahBurnsStudio]

Wow thank you so much!!

[@SapphosSails]

Protip! Lots of new phones have the "live photo" option that lets you photos also store a extra short clip that includes a few frames before and after the photo. That way for references you can pick the best frame or see the motion.

[@SapphosSails]

Also Google photos in general is a life saver for organization! And auto backup!

[@SarahBurnsStudio]

Yes - great point! I never use my live photo option but it's certainly useful! And I use Google Photos religiously - instant backup off my phone, then I just download them onto my ipad or computer.

[@suew4609]

I was wondering what that mode was for! I turned it on accidentally one time and couldn’t figure out what was wrong with my phone camera. Thanks for posting this!

[@janm8477]

Your calm, lovely voice and calm approach invites me to watch and see - very thorough process, beautifully shot and presented. No hype, just art. Mindfulness. Walking. Seeing. Painting. Thanks so much!

[@jennylewis8894]

What a great teacher you are.I Have a Fine Art degree, and been painting with all mediums for many years mostly plein air.But your chatty way of involving us in so inspiring I feel as if I have a companion now.Please keep taking us with you on your painting trips.

[@SarahBurnsStudio]

Hi Jenny! Welcome 😄

[@AlatarielMeneldur]

I have ADHD and I just watched an entire video of almost 20 minutes without a break! It's a miracle :D Thank you so much for this.

[@SarahBurnsStudio]

That's amazing! :D

[@perinilan4364]

Loved watching you use the huge brushes and rubber palette knife with oils.

[@AlatarielMeneldur]

I'm only 2mins into the video and I already love it!

[@bessiemcgaughey6717]

you just got 10,001 subscribers. Love your painting style. I've learned some tips to use with my own paintings. I was going for hyper-realism to no avail. Your the best painter and explainer about what your doing that I've seen on youtube so far. Thank you for sharing your art with the world and with me this evening. I have tons of photos I've taken and realize now that I should be using them as references and painting them without trying to use so much realism cause that's got me stuck with painters block. Time to just throw some paint on the canvas and go for it. Thank you so much for the inspiration!

[@havefundrawing]

Can’t like this enough. I always take photos thinking I can sketch at home, but never worked out. Taking videos is a great tip!

[@jeriemiahborela4433]

Thank you to you too, Sarah. these videos of yours impacted my art significantly since i started watching your content last year.

[@SarahBurnsStudio]

Wow, thank you!

[@chloewaterfield7178]

This is a super useful and inspiring video. The humble reference photo has been elevated. Now I'll take more care when I'm taking my own photos, and be more mindful!

[@miriamgillham6701]

So Wow! Completely mesmerised by this video. Your process is incredibly nuanced and involved and I think such a wonderful way of seeing the world and applying all that sensory information to your work. Got so much out of this and will be even more intentional now when looking at my world. Because here’s the thing Sarah. I thought I was being so aware and involved in my environment, however your slowed down and considered, structured style of observation is quite an education. Now I’m sure my observations will be much more in the moment with so much more ‘layering’ to my musings thanks to this in depth view of your subjects and your world. Thank you for making this video.

[@SarahBurnsStudio]

I'm so glad this resonated with you Miriam!

[@miriamgillham6701]

@@SarahBurnsStudio Absolutely… so much more to consider and in such an exciting way.

[@nukhbahsany9712]

I appreciate your effort in making this video so much. I'm new in painting and already learned a lot from this.

[@SarahBurnsStudio]

You're very welcome!

[@kathygore6615]

fabulous - you are not just a great painter but you have excellent computer skills and are very good at explaining things

[@SarahBurnsStudio]

Glad you think so!

[@scottishwifie14]

Cullen is one of my favourite places. Always have to have an icecream 🍦 when I visit love the antique shops as well. The beach is amazing as well.

[@SarahBurnsStudio]

It's such a cute town!

[@hannahthufvesson]

I think you are an amazing artist And art teacher. I'm so glad I found your page! Thank you!

[@pinkflamingo5628]

Thanks Sarah. This was nice and relaxing after a bitter day 🦩🌺

[@SarahBurnsStudio]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@evangelinepoe8952]

Congratulations on 10K! So well deserved. 🎉 🎈 💙 You are an amazing artist and teacher! Many, many thanks for the incredible videos you create. I hope to get the internet soon and join your patreon family.

[@SarahBurnsStudio]

Thank you so much!!

[@quoteworld3375]

No kidding... I started painting a week ago... Now the way i see things changed a lot ...i think about colours..warm Or cool Or light Or dark..background...Shadows... Shapes... The way they shine in moonlight sunlight... And lot more.. No one taught me that but i know that is what everyone do when they start their painting career!!! I love the way i am thinking now!! I want to practice more!!!

[@SarahBurnsStudio]

That's so exciting and it will make life so much more fun haha

[@kr2112]

That was absolutely beautiful. You are an amazing photographer/videographer and person. I am so feeling your feelings. I've been so sad, too. Thank you for uplifting and inspiring me. Sending you love from Berkeley, CA. xo

[@SarahBurnsStudio]

Thank you so much :)

[@bellap2570]

I love so much your videos and your teachings! Thank you for sharing ! ❤️🦋🌻🌸🙏🏻

[@SarahBurnsStudio]

Thank you so much!

[@weishaark]

Love, love, LOVE this video... so much great information & inspiration -- & so uncannily similar to my own Olympic Peninsula environs - it's no wonder we fell in love with Scotland -- it just felt like home 😍

[@SarahBurnsStudio]

Thank you!!

[@pumpkinspice1456]

Thank you! This was so helpful for me ❤!

[@dmassekula9778]

So much helpful information -- thank you!

[@SarahBurnsStudio]

Glad it was helpful!

[@Pedalinglover]

You are amazing and You deserve 50k+ subscribers

[@SarahBurnsStudio]

Thank you that is sweet 😄

[@emilydeaton1169]

Taking videos is such a good idea! Photos don’t always reflect things as well, and videos remind you of the atmosphere. Also, I know some artists (especially at the beginning) think using reference photos isn’t “allowed” or something-that’s so not true! Your own reference photos are always best, but reference photos are incredibly valuable. Great video, Sarah!

[@SarahBurnsStudio]

Thank you!

[@beckyisj]

omigosh your file management system!!! I don't think I've ever met any artist who is more disciplined than you are, it's so commendable. Thanks so much for taking the time to create this explainer on how to capture reference photos and how to soak in more than just the "image" of it!

[@SarahBurnsStudio]

It has taken me a long time to figure out my process and workflow. And I still learn something new every day! Its all thanks to my endless curiosity

[@mypaintedhut111]

This was super helpful. Thanks! 😀

[@crystalromaine7281]

Thank you for making this video.

[@aj.creativelyyours]

I am so happy I came across your channel!! I love your videos, your work and your teaching methods! You have so much offer up and coming artists and I for one am extremely grateful for you taking the time to share your experiences and growth! Super excited for your "Pathways" collection and seeing the process come to life!!

[@SarahBurnsStudio]

Wow thank you so much Ashley!! It makes me extra happy to know my videos might inspire others to chase their own dreams

[@perinilan4364]

Great tips! You are such a good photographer so these tips are so useful (especially to take videos for reference!)

[@ShahanoorMamun]

I am quite enjoying this video.........The places you have visited are very beautiful. My heart was touched! And your painting is also very impressive💙💙👍

[@SarahBurnsStudio]

Thank you, glad you enjoy!

[@heyheyrenee449]

Fantastic! You do a nice job explaining your process, especially the more mental/emotional aspects. Can't wait to see the next one!

[@SarahBurnsStudio]

Thank you so much!

[@philipdown3147]

Thanks greatly Sarah I have not been painting long so only come across your videos recently, enjoyable video at have learnt different method to create a picture. I've seen others how they've inspired me too, thanks greatly appreciated stay safe and healthy

[@SarahBurnsStudio]

That's great to hear Philip!

[@caroltube0]

This is fantastic! Its such a privilege for us to see your process. What a great video. You're so talented and by far my favourite artist on youtube.

[@SarahBurnsStudio]

That’s so sweet of you!

[@slvva]

I'm not sure but it looks like Scottish Highland to me (Plodda Falls, Glen Affric) :) I' originally from Poland but since 2006 when I moved to Scotland and travel a lot across Highland I had feeling like I have to learn how to photograph those beautiful landscapes, wildlife or weather and I did. Now I have desire to learn how to paint and you're right every time I feel blocked I go for a walk and come back with new ideas and inspirations. Greetings from Inverness Sara! I really love your channel.

[@SarahBurnsStudio]

Hello! That's awesome to hear. I LOVE Plodda Falls - that whole area in fact. gorgeous! We used to live in Inverness, it's a nice base for lots of trips.

[@larrymisiak915]

Oil. Eww. Gloves. But, your colors are great. I’d probably try it with gouache. Well organized and comprehensive! Your access to stunning reference subject matter is nowhere near what’s available in Houston, Texas! Thanks for your commitment to painting and teaching. Larry

[@talbar-shira4089]

Thanks for the great tips!

[@wendyhepting6056]

The costal areas are especially beautiful and inspiring! 😍

[@SarahBurnsStudio]

They REALY are!!

[@cgittens2]

Wow! What an excellent series! So detailed and informative. Thank you so much for sharing your processes. It's very helpful. I wish you had many, many more "likes" to go along with all the views. Please don't stop sharing your beautiful art, vlogs, and tutorials

[@SarahBurnsStudio]

Thanks so much!

[@jackiegarroutte8970]

Wow such great info! I just loved watching your process and hearing you work through it! Your paintings are always so beautiful!!!

[@SarahBurnsStudio]

Thank you!

[@KCrayGaming]

Amazing video really enjoyed watching it

[@SarahBurnsStudio]

Glad you enjoyed it :)

[@PatriciaSilveira11]

Yey congratulations on the 10k !!!!

[@SarahBurnsStudio]

Thanks!

[@belindahall5220]

This video is wonderful! Very inspiring and informative, and you did an especially great explanation of your software! Thanks so much for sharing your process:)

[@SarahBurnsStudio]

Glad it was helpful!

[@traceymars]

Scottish ice cream is awesome because of the high quality milk that goes into it. I have fond memories of driving through northern Scotland and getting ice cream ;). Yum!

[@SarahBurnsStudio]

So good!

[@isabellecoulombe9569]

As always, really interesting! Thank you!

[@linpetite777]

Thank you so much for sharing your skills. I learn a lot from your explenations.

[@SarahBurnsStudio]

Glad to hear it!

[@juliedowling1430]

Such a helpful video Sarah, thank you 😊

[@SarahBurnsStudio]

Glad it was helpful!

[@jillcotton2516]

I live on the West Coast of the South Island in New Zealand on a wild beach……painting heaven….I m at my happiest trying to interpret my environment.

[@SarahBurnsStudio]

I hope someday I get to see NZ!

[@attheranch873]

Thanks😀

[@KarenmitchellANI]

Thank you, some great tips!! I've had to stop using Adobe Creative Suite after 16+ yrs as I simply can't afford it. I wanted something I could buy outright.. I'm now using affinity. I'm only JUST learning it and looks good so far. I'm planning my first beach scene in watercolor, I usually use acrylics

[@SarahBurnsStudio]

I've heard affinity is great!

[@graciousmom4127]

Thank you so much for the advises and tips, very helpful except I have only one cheapest phone... I love all your works! Cheers from Philippines. 🇵🇭❤️🙏

[@SarahBurnsStudio]

Happy to help!

[@Freedaaa]

That is one astounding video... very helpful and confirming what I already do .... ok... not to the fullest, I admit, hahaha :-) Love!

[@SarahBurnsStudio]

Excellent!

[@debbiethornhill9941]

I'm a new subscriber, loved this video and learned a lot about using reference photos. Signed up for your upcoming Etchr mini workshop which is how I stumbled across your channel. Looking forward to it as I am newly exploring gouache as a sketching medium. I have an incidental question about the big flat brush you used in the oil painting. I abandoned oils some years back for watercolor, urban sketching and now gouache as well, with one of my concerns being my tendency to get lost in too many little strokes with oils, and too much reworking, not to mention the messy cleanup process. I'd love to get my hands on that brush, it might be just the thing to liberate me.

[@SarahBurnsStudio]

Hi Debbie! Looking forward to Sunday! And the big flat brushes I use are called Liquitex Freestyle (4 inch, 6 inch, and 8 inch). I love them so much!

[@marionwigzell7334]

A great vlog, thanks for sharing Sarah (-: Marion

[@julieandrews217]

Thanks Sarah, I really loved this video and how you drill right down into your art creating processes! I love that it is a holistic exercise. Ps: To start, do you have your phone camera settings on "auto" or do you have your own preferred minimum default settings for taking painting reference photos? Pps: I totally agree with everything good others have said in these comments!! 🤩

[@SarahBurnsStudio]

Wow thank you! That was very sweet of you. Yes I keep my phone settings on Auto. If I need to edit it later its easy if there isn’t a weird filter on it. Phones nowadays take great photos.

[@robertradocha6871]

Very very lovley painting 💞💞🎨🎨🎨

[@SarahBurnsStudio]

Many many thanks!

[@robertradocha6871]

@@SarahBurnsStudio 😊🎨🎨🌺

[@hartinisugianto7906]

Hi, your videos are always inspiring and I love listening to your thoughts, ideas, suggestions, feelings I love how you use the large flat brush, is it Liquitex brush? I like a good size flat brush, but they’re a pain to clean. How do you clean your large flats, like the one you’re using in the video? Thank you

[@SarahBurnsStudio]

For the massive brushes I just soak them in the Master’s Brush Cleaner in the sink, very easy and everything comes off

[@SharonCullenArt]

Congrats on your 10,000k! Very interesting video. I’m hoping to get there next year. I want to see it all but am particularly interested in the highlands because well I’m a Ross, and my relative became queen back in the day and my ancestors were from Balnagowan castle. I’d like to see it but know I can’t any longer with Mohammad Al-Fayad owning it. Boo. We ended up over in the US because some of my relatiVes were Jaccobites and one ended up captured instead of killed and was sent over to the US on a slave ship to build colonies in Pennsylvania. Now we are in Michigan. So not sure what that makes me.... a royal slave?

[@SarahBurnsStudio]

It makes you a free American with deep Scottish ancestry and requires a future trip to your ancestral lands! With lots of side quests built in like visiting Skye 😁😁😁

[@ajspr1299]

❤❤❤

[@tuscanyrg]

Well done Sarah. This is one of your best videos. I have one quick question. In a previous video you mentioned drawing for two hours every evening. How did you develop such discipline? Thanks, Ruben.

[@SarahBurnsStudio]

Thank you! I spent a LOT of time on this one. Regarding drawing...I cant explain it. I just love it so much. It fascinated me since I was a kid. Its harder to stop than to start!

[@rebeccawong1]

🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻

[@karschier6246]

We... we can make our mindful observations AND still get ice cream, right? 🥺 Excellent advice throughout. 😁 Thank you!

[@SarahBurnsStudio]

Haha yes! I should have said, the obvious choice is ice-cream THEN mindful observation. I think it actually helps 😁

[@kathygore6615]

can you please tell me what that palette knife is - is it a Princeton Catalyst silicone blade? If so what size is it? Is it a mini? thanks

[@SarahBurnsStudio]

Yes it's a 4 mini

[@Slaveofhell01]

I think you accidentally flipped the footage, people are driving on the wrong side :P

[@SarahBurnsStudio]

Woops, my bad

[@lynnmanning6304]

I notice you are using Photoshop CS6. Since it does not support the newer camera’s RAW files, are you just shooting in jpeg to get around that limitation? I’m glad to see someone else besides me that finds Bridge more useful that Lightroom😀.

[@SarahBurnsStudio]

Yep, I never shoot in RAW anymore, its not worth it. I get it right in the camera first! Saves TONS of time editing. And my phone can technically do RAW files but definitely not worth the extra space! My phone jpegs are ultra HD

[@starvingartistscollective]

Have just been looking into this issue. My older Photoshop does not open my Nikon's RAW format NEIF. Found Adobe has a free program Adobe DNG Converter to convert NEIF files into 'digital negatives' that PS can read. Seems to support many camera brand-specific files into the .dng format.

[@SarahBurnsStudio]

@@starvingartistscollective yes I believe so, and I just haven't found the need for it as my current system works great. But it's good to know its an option!

[@kirsten5723]

What a great video! But now I'm stuck on how were you taping yourself taking photos? 🙃

[@SarahBurnsStudio]

Go pro! Strapped to my bag

[@angelan3385]

Fantástico 👏👏👏

[@becks13x]

Do you think art school is worth it? Like getting a BFA or even an MFA

[@SarahBurnsStudio]

Impossible for me to say. A better question would be: "What is my goal and which paths are available to me?" Each path has it's own requirements, ups and downs. I went to art school in 2007, before the internet was a prominent part of life. I grew so much as a person AND an artist during my time there. Nowadays there are seemingly endless options for learning online. Each path provides different opportunities and each person's pros and cons will be different!

[@jasjyotgill2839]

Its great but the issue is i don't have anywhere to go to find viewe like this and also i am a student i have school but i luv painting so i am learning

[@SarahBurnsStudio]

Not everyone has access to tons of beautiful views, which is why painting from reference photos is still great for inspiration. But don't forget the photo lies. You don't learn as much from a photo, but it's better than nothing. Why not follow advice from James Gurney - Do your best with what you have and find beauty in the little things. Painting a parking lot doesn't have to be boring.

[@jackiegarroutte8970]

What state or coastal area is this?

[@SarahBurnsStudio]

This is Cullen beach (Scotland..not sure if you knew where I live 😅)

[@jackiegarroutte8970]

@@SarahBurnsStudio oh! No I didn't....cool!!