Paint with Better Results from Your Reference Photos NOW!

[@shawnas464]

Beautifully done👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼

[@RaelNikolaidis]

Hemingway said you have to learn to “murder your darlings”. Hardest thing I had to learn, in art, was the real time objective critique. Editing out. Now, I use detail to direct the viewers eye, leaving out details or adding contrast, dark to light, saturated color to desaturated color. But, boy, was it hard at first. But once I found how much control it gave me, over the final work. It was, I think, the single, most important thing I learned from my mentor.

[@christinebravomom5711]

This is an awesome tutorial. As you said, "If I'd rendered this as it was in the photo," I thought, "If you've got a great photo, why bother painting it? Just print the photo!"

[@MusingsFromTheDen]

It's interesting how everything suddenly started to make sense when you added the greenery in the foreground. 😊

[@annenglish2935]

Thanks!

[@barbarawinkle6421]

That little "down arrow " just below video on the right gives his brush, and other supply information.

[@jeffmoodie6144]

I always thought of watercolours as sweeping washes and uncontrolled splashing. While I knew detail could get in there it is nice to see some good examples of detail work in addition to the big sweeping washes in WC. Lots of great tips in this video.

[@tarahall1025]

Oh geez! You are a gift from Heaven!! Soaking up all these ideas and bought my supplies through your links!

[@halnewhouser1217]

Hi Steve, your points about painting the cliff dwelling are great. Your scene speaks to my efforts to learn better. Hal

[@chrissie4452]

Merci Steve for this most important lesson ! I will never see a reference photo the same way again 🙏😊

[@stephanejohnston9945]

Thank you. Always look forward to your videos! 🎉. Hope Storm Ian hasn’t caused you problems.

[@capbin146]

I thought I was just being a coward or lazy leaving things out! Now if I could just paint and draw I’d have it figured out. Beautiful painting. Thanks

[@sundaysunshine2925]

Thank you Steve . My most difficult thing when painting from photos has been color . Now I can see it is more about value .

[@amberdreams_0]

I take SO many photos that are intended for future paintings... One day I'll actually, you know, make one (or a few) into a painting. 😂

[@kathrynmoon8793]

Ahhhhh....to be able to travel back to AZ and visit this majestic place! I should have some similar photos from several different visits. Will give your reference tips a try! Beautiful vignette....❤️👍😃

[@crystalheart9]

Beautiful work on the painting, it looks amazing.

[@paulinedavis3660]

Amazing 👏

[@jaquelinedeponce5251]

Ha! I live in AZ and I have amazing pics of Montezuma’s Castle amongst many other pics. I’ve been house bound for a few years and I’ve been looking for inspiration in the extensive library of pics I had taken. Really appreciate this post! Thank you Steve.

[@sophiewinkler7549]

This is very helpful and interesting. But also, you have introduced me to a fascinating monument! I knew nothing about this place. Fascinating!

[@judybreedlove5348]

Wonderful information, Steve. And thank you for the reminder to not be a slave to my reference, I am so guilty of that. Thank you for this great lesson. I always learn so much from you.

[@grannieannie1371]

I learn so much from you. Thank you.

[@EddyfyingArt]

Great wisdom here! Thanks Steve!😊

[@MsRain49]

Gorgeous!

[@ann-marielofberg1159]

Wow, just love it!

[@DanitaReynolds]

Your tips were extremely helpful. Thank you for sharing your insights on painting from photos. Your cliff dwelling is wonderful.

[@davidkemp1585]

Wonderful !

[@sharonargyle]

Great advice. Love your quotes at the end.

[@loissemanek1715]

I like how you did this piece

[@karenkay5324]

I've been to Montezuma's Castle! I recognized it immediately. It's such a lovely setting and not as well known as other national parks in the southwest, which makes for a less crowded, pleasant experience. Your vignette captures it beautifully.

[@Stacy-rl9mp]

Loved this video & the great tips. Wonderful painting!

[@susannerauch8237]

I started oil painting in the late 90s and am just now coming back to watercolor. I've found your videos incredibly helpful as I pick up watercolor again. But given how long I've been painting, you'd think that by now I'd get the idea that I can edit out the parts that don't work well and edit in, so to speak, the images that do work. However, I always find myself feeling like I'm cheating if I do that. I see a number of other people here who have very similar issues, so I feel better. lol! Also, and more importantly, watching and listening to your videos has helped me to start watercolors again, which is a joy. Thank you for sort of giving me permission to leave things out and to add things in as needed.

[@mindofwatercolor]

Thanks Susanne! Funny, I always thought it was cheating to leave a scene exactly as the reference.

[@susannerauch8237]

@@mindofwatercolor Oh no! Then that means I've been cheating for the last 20+ years! 😂

[@arlenemurphy804]

Steve, this is beautiful. Great Advice. Love the vignette. You are a master.

[@sandrarogers1200]

I used to work at the McDonald's there in Camp Verde back on the early 90"s. My parents lived just northwest of Montezuma's Castle and I traveled the road past there nearly every day! I lived in Rimrock, 15 miles east, where Montezuma's Well is located and is another interesting ancient site. I always thought the Castle would be a fun picture to paint! Thank you for the info on picture to painting! I have a beautiful sunrise I've been wanting to paint!

[@nanschifris8734]

Thank you! Wonderful & meaningful advice!

[@ericakauffman5786]

Ugg. I have to get an iPad. All my reference photos are on my phone. I paint florals but you have given me a lot of great ideas. Awesome video as usual.

[@firdyk]

Thanks so much Steve such good advice.

[@fabd8067]

Wow your artwork is truly beautiful! When you first showed us your reference photos, I thought how on earth are you going to render/paint those rocks!? Plus I personally didn’t think too much of the photo subject… but the end result was amazing - so much better than your reference photos - you really did take the best of them all & put them into a ‘wishlist’ of a painting! 🧡🤎💚

[@jenniefrench1338]

Superb!

[@jhorne3180]

Thanks, great tips!

[@gloriawachel917]

lovely

[@lisah336]

Yes, this does sound like a super power.

[@clarejohnson232]

Really good advice thankyou❤

[@geckonia]

That craggy shadow on the right of the building is so awesome 🤩 really helps tuck it in.

[@StefanHelldoerfer]

Danke sehr für dieses äußerst hilfreiche Vide , super schön :)

[@maryanharrell561]

Wonderful tips for working with reference photos, Steve. Beautiful painting. Thanks so much!

[@Juhani139]

I also do the mental collage thing when I can't find a non-copyrighted reference. Like lighting from one image, pose from another, detail from another; and make a composite. Great advice and demo as always. Love your laid back style.

[@dougg1075]

Very cool

[@eileengoldenberg270]

Really great! I have been to a few of the Cliff dwellings, now that I am sketching , I would love to go back and spend some time there. Thanks!

[@1msfit]

This was very helpful as I recently completed a scene but lost track of my center of interest and put way too much detail in the foreground. I would like to try it again with these four points in mind. Thank you.

[@c.f.callier]

I have used what I learned as artistic license with reference for many, many years. However, I still picked up some tips from this. Especially the use of more than one photo. Thank you!

[@irishelinac]

Its gorgeous ! and thank you for your advices, love this channel (just suscribed) 🌸

[@jodihigginsjh]

Thank you Steve! Your tips were awesome and the painting is just amazing. Your talent is an inspiration.

[@Lily_Anne]

Great information! I have always been a slave to my reference, and this was very freeing. My mother was a porcelain painter, and she taught me to put the most contrast in three places next to my main point of interest to frame them. You reminded me of her in this. Thank you so much!

[@jo-annejacques5400]

Hello Steve. Your tips are very thought provoking. I love watercolour painting, but find myself shying away from it rather than continuing and practicing. Lack of confidence seems to step in. However, I will not give up! I take your expertise suggestions to heart, especially....Just go and have fun with it. THAT is what I will do instead of being too hard on myself. Thanks Steve. I always feel better spirited towards watercolour when watching you on youtube.

[@dawnchapman3558]

Many thanks for sharing! Great tips and painting as usual!

[@agold1702]

Excellent tips!

[@susannewendt4543]

Thank you Steve, this is an excellent video, and one I'll come back for reference. Full of insightful ideas and tips. A beautiful painting.

[@LaLa_ArtGal]

What a terrific and concretely USEFUL video! Thank you! 💛

[@terrythompson1564]

Wow!!! Thank you for your tutorial on this. I've tried to draw a cave dwelling by Lake Rosevelt, in AZ, but kept adding too much detail. I'll follow your instructions and try again. I appreciate how you break down the techniques you use. I'm 82 and have been watercoloring for about three years.

[@barbarawinkle6421]

Such a beautiful painting. Information was great, and greatly appreciated.

[@Ann-ey1tw]

Great tips, and so needed. I love the thought of combining the best of more than one photo. Thanks, Steve!

[@cynajoy433]

Really enjoyed this one. I learned a lot.

[@annenglish2935]

Thank you for sharing this!!! Also appreciated you linking supplies and going out of your way to make Amazon work better for viewers around the world. That was awesome! Also for giving links to artist's sites that are similar to Dr. Ono ... fabulous. Thank you for the encouragement at the very end of your videos... BTW, I mentioned MoW to Paul Clark UK., as he did a watercolor pour, and he knows Steve Mitchell! 2 of my favorites! God bless you! A California Gramma ♥️

[@shereewilson6278]

Thank you . That is an amazing brush you are using!

[@lindaking9222]

Great advice..been to that awesome place..wonder how the people got up there? Probably ladders?

[@Ynattirb73]

Just wow at your finished painting! Rocks are so intimidating to me but you made it look almost easy. The combining of reference photos is so simple but I've never tried it. Thanks for the video 💙

[@ollie54able]

Another excellent demo and lesson. Thank you. I'd like to ask your permission to use your photo as a reference. I have a sister living in AZ. and I think she'd enjoy this scene.

[@susanshisler7074]

So much helpful advice in this video. I didn't know the name for the kind of paintings I want to do until now - VIGNETTE! And, thank you for having such high production values in your videos.

[@rebanelson607]

I learned a lot from this. Good advice and demo. Many thanks!

[@RosieKuhnPhD]

I’m finding such delight in your style of teaching. Your playful, curious wonder-full presence to what shows up or can show up brings me into that space of curiosity and play-letting go of the shoulds-all of them. I’m hearing and really integrating your lessons in ways I’ve not been able to before. I’m playing with watercolor, as opposed to painting with acrylic. SO GOOD FOR MY HEART!!! Thank you, Steve!! Rosie

[@mikepolo2887]

My approach to combining references is to use video instead of photo references, especially for portraits. In a video I can capture the best elements of a pose: hands from one still, head angle from another. I usually take pictures/videos of my models whenever it is convenient to them, but then I combine these references with my model with some other references of lighting.

[@litylu]

Absolutely amazing painting.

[@tradingpostfarms]

This is a very good video, between the skill of focusing detail, and combining or editing your reference; these skills are so important. I found myself "automatically" painting everything in my reference photo no matter how many times I would tell myself I'm not painting this section, or that bush, or this detail, I would be painting along and each of those elements I intended to leave out one by one would show up. So I've had to practice using artistic license or opportunity to make my painting my own. I'm still working on it often by redesigning and combining images.

[@donceltic4631]

Great video! I often paint flowers by combining the blooms, buds, and leaves from several reference photos into a scene that has everything I want.

[@brendacookiebreton4481]

You are fabulous! I have always used multiple references unknowingly and changed composition elements and many times my painting pals think I am nuts!!!!! Love your work and your clear instruction!!! However, I often mess up my “why not add” artistic opportunities…. Ha ha Learning

[@colleenmcchesney1482]

Fantastic painting! Thanks for sharing this wonderful informational video with us. I have tons of photos of memorable trips that I have wanted to paint. Thanks for explaining & showing me how to go about the editing process and that it is okay to edit your reference photos. I’m constantly learning so much from you & your channel. Hope you’re enjoying a wonderful weekend and have a great next week!

[@craftergin]

There is nothing like the light in Arizona. Such a beautiful rendering of one of the best sights in that state. I have so many photos of Montezuma's Castle from when I lived in Prescott. I'm going to try your suggestion of combining, subtracting, adding elements from each. I love the vignettes although I have yet to paint one! Walnut Canyon is another wonderful cliff dwelling site. Wupatki National Monument is an outstanding red rock dwelling that is actually not in a cliff. It's north of Flagstaff near Sunset Crater.

[@ashleyhawkeswatercolor]

This was incredibly helpful! Thank you Steve! 👌🏻

[@pattycyr8662]

This is great! I live 2 hours from there, and it's one of my favorite places. I love the colors and technique you have used to paint this. Thanks for your great teaching skills. Coincidentally, I happened to get one of those brushes a few months ago. Now, I'm ready to paint - thanks for the motivation and inspiration!

[@maverickspirit208]

Very informative! Thank you!

[@vee35233]

Wow, this is an awesome painting - but then, you are an incredibly talented artist! Thank you for these valuable tips - I particularly like what you said about the combination of various shots. I don't possess the ability to paint from photographs yet, but I hope to get there eventually! 😄😄

[@phathiker]

All great tips Steve, thanks as always! It really is amazing how important overall composition is for making great paintings.

[@stephw1363]

Loved this! But the whole time i kept thinking maybe i should go back to the basics because your brush strokes seem almost more like pencil drawing and i was a bit wondering how it wasnt streaky like mine would be or patchy as mine gets when i sort of drybrush color like that? Kept wondering how much water is in that very long point? Interesting brush!

[@lauras6956]

Beatiful painting and insightful description of the process. I'm excited to try these tips on my own references!

[@lindaknox9908]

This is just a wonderful little painting and I learned so much from your tips. This was perfect timing for me today because I just started drawing a favorite scene that will certainly benefit from editing, focus, and lighting effects. Thanks so much!

[@berniehayes286]

Beautiful painting,love it will have ago my self at some point,and just love that brush you are using, would be great to purchase if know where to .love you work ,always great to watch,bernie

[@mindofwatercolor]

Thanks. Check the description for all my product links.

[@mmanto]

I absolutely love the way you explain your processes so clearly. One question please....once you are underway with your paint, how frequently do you refer back to the original photos? Thanks. :-)

[@mindofwatercolor]

Hard to characterize but pretty frequently.

[@babatao]

Great topic, Steve. Our weekly watercolor class often uses reference photos, and "how-to" is always part of our discussion. What to leave in, what to leave out, where to add contrast, can I combine 2 photos? Thanks for sharing!

[@ralphcrosby9622]

Thank you once again

[@heidicook2395]

Thank you! This really helped.

[@martinette650]

merci beaucoup

[@sheilahight7709]

Love this video, Steve. Can you say what brush you are using? I like the fine point and the detail you’ve rendered from it.

[@mindofwatercolor]

In the description. 😊

[@lauriefolsom6747]

This is a really good tutorial. I think i would benefit from watching it a few more times too really get it. When you use the term vignette I'm not sure what you mean when it comes to painting. Could you please elaborate. Thank you, Laurie

[@mindofwatercolor]

A painting that does not go edge to edge but leaves and engages the white space around it as design device. At least thats MY definition. 😂😉

[@ralphanderson2603]

I want to move the center tree to the left, just the way I composw

[@lotusphere6]

Wow. Thanks for sharing.

[@PenelopePink17]

Question; is that palette you’re using available to purchase? Looks like it holds many colors yet it’s smaller sized. I love all your videos, thank you for sharing your knowledge 😊

[@mindofwatercolor]

Yes, definitely. Check out this Amazon link. amzn.to/3fwIzaJ

[@KingdomDV]

What is the brush that you are using here and I’ve seen you use in other of your videos? I love it and want to get some.

[@mindofwatercolor]

Lebenzon Handmade brushes. Check the links in the description.

[@opabinnier]

Stunning- you've made me understand the point of vignettes. But wait! What was that fanulous brush you're using? I NEED one like that: it stores tons of paint and is so versatile! Pleas can you help?

[@mythokki]

I’m pretty sure it is one of the Lebenzon brushes, goat and synthetic?

[@susannewendt4543]

Yes, Steve's using the Lebenzon paintbrushes. For your future reference Steve always puts a description of the materials he uses in the dropdown area. There's a link to the Lebenzon site in the description.

[@opabinnier]

@@mythokki THANKS Mythokki- I'll look them up. Wow, this is an awesome crowd here- and you're a real mate!

[@mindofwatercolor]

I list supplies in the description.

[@opabinnier]

@@susannewendt4543 Hey Susanne, thanks so much. I did look below, nut I'm hopeless at tech and couldn'r find anything- I have a talent fpr looking in the wrong places!

[@VanneKoontz]

What is that first brush! I NEED that wide handle and fine brush!!!!

[@mindofwatercolor]

Lebenzon Handmade Brushes. Check the links in the description.

[@ralphanderson2603]

Like to observe your brush grip variation