From Reference to Reality
As an artist, there’s always the question of where vision meets execution. For me, photography plays a key role in bridging that gap. While my paintings are deeply personal and unique, the process behind them often involves a collaborative effort between my models and the lens of a camera. But it’s not as simple as snapping a photo and translating it onto the canvas—there’s an art to how I use these images to craft the final piece.
Recently, at an art show, someone asked me how much AI I use in my painting process. It’s a question that reflects the times we live in, where technology and creativity frequently intersect. The truth is, I’ve only used AI once, and that was to help me understand how reflections behave in a drop of fluid. It was a small but precise detail that I wanted to get right. Yet, beyond that, my work remains rooted in the organic beauty of human form, light, and shadow—something I feel is best captured through photography.
The Importance of Collaboration with Models
The models I work with are the heart of my paintings. Most of them send me photographs, often more than one, so I can get a variety of angles and lighting. When working on a painting, I’m not just trying to replicate a single moment or pose. Instead, I’m weaving together a narrative of the body—one that’s shaped by multiple perspectives. It’s not uncommon for me to ask my models to provide different variations on their poses, as sometimes the initial images don’t quite align with the vision I have in mind.
This requires a great deal of dedication on the part of the models, who must understand not only my artistic direction but also the subtle nuances of what I’m trying to capture in a particular piece. Their willingness to experiment with different poses, lighting, and perspectives allows me to build a more layered and intricate depiction of the human form. There have been times when, even after all these efforts, I couldn’t quite capture what I needed. In those moments, I’ve resorted to photographing myself in similar poses, just to see how things work from different angles or to grasp how light moves across certain areas of the body.
The Dance of Light and Shadow
One of the aspects I find most captivating in my work is the play of light and shadow. Chiaroscuro, the dramatic contrast between light and dark, is a technique I constantly explore in my paintings. It’s not just about highlighting form but creating depth, emotion, and a sense of realism that draws the viewer into the scene. For me, light and shadow aren’t just technical elements; they’re an emotional language, telling a story about the body and the space it inhabits.
My love for chiaroscuro stems from a fascination with stained glass, particularly the works of Louis Comfort Tiffany. Tiffany’s stained glass windows are masterpieces of light manipulation, with bold colors and intricate patterns that transform when illuminated. There’s something magical about how light filters through glass, changing its appearance entirely. It’s a quality I dream of capturing in my paintings—the idea that light can transform, uplift, and even define a subject.
I often find myself taking countless photos of the sky and the world around me, hunting for the perfect lighting to apply to my paintings. The hues of a setting sun, the glow of dawn, or the ethereal beauty of twilight are all inspirations that may not exist in the photos my models send me, but I can use them to create a particular mood or atmosphere. These environmental photos help shape the light that bathes the figures in my work, adding another layer of depth and complexity to the scene.
Photography as a Tool, Not a Crutch
Some may argue that relying on photography takes away from the spontaneity or "purity" of traditional painting, but for me, it’s simply another tool in my artistic arsenal. Photography gives me the freedom to focus on composition, texture, and lighting without the constraints of a live model at every step. It also allows me to experiment with different ideas and perspectives, giving me time to refine and hone the final image.
But photography is never the end of the journey—it’s only the beginning. The images I work from serve as a foundation, a stepping stone to the more complex and nuanced world I create on the canvas. Whether I’m blending several photos to achieve the perfect pose or inventing new lighting schemes that never existed in the reference, photography is a launchpad for the imagination.
Beyond the Lens
Ultimately, photography plays a significant role in my process, but it is only one aspect of a much larger creative journey. From the dedication of my models, to the careful study of light and shadow, to my own experiments in capturing the perfect angle, there’s a wealth of work that happens behind the scenes before a painting ever takes shape.
In the end, my goal is to create pieces that transcend their photographic origins, turning a captured moment into something that feels alive, timeless, and emotive. As I continue to grow as an artist, I hope to one day blend the chiaroscuro of classical painting with the luminous quality of Tiffany’s stained glass, creating a fusion of light, shadow, and form that celebrates the beauty of the human body in all its complexity.
Photo of a Louis Comfort Tiffany Stained Glass Window, Metropolitan Museum of Art by josephc