My essential question: What is the connection between painting and photography?
Initially I thought the only connection between a photo and a painting was how you can paint a photo. I was very focussed on how to convey the image in my painting but I realized that there is another type of connection.
For the past few weeks, my mentor has been teaching me how to effectively annotate a photo when preparing it for a painting. I was taught to use different colors to highlight the dark and light spaces and places small x’s at important points that define the subject. These techniques have helped me convey the correct proportions of my paintings, this has been something that I struggle with. But I’ve realized that I need to draw the line between my paintings and pictures, not necessarily the portraits I am painting. (ex. below)
As I looked over my paintings and developed photos, I found few connections. I feel that I cannot definitely answer my essential question yet which makes sense since it is still in the early weeks. Although, a simple connection I have made is that the paintings and photos are both from my perspective and portray subjects in my life. Painting and photography are two active ways that I have been able to capture certain moments and memories. I have loved various art mediums since I was a kid, maybe this project will help me figure why I’ve always done it.
It is an interesting process to learn two art forms at the same time. I wonder if there is a connection between the specific process of painting and photography and if so, will this help me answer my essential question?
Other questions I would like to answer:
What are the similarities between a photo and a painting?
Why is it usual for studio artists to also be involved in photography?
How does the connection change between the two art mediums when I am painting something different? Follow up question: Are there certain subjects that match better than others?