Painting from photos

Max and Abe by the shore. Oil, 8" X 10". A little study from a photo I took in Israel in 2012.

The composition of  the original photo (above) left a lot to be desired. I didn't want my friends to be looking out of the edge of the painting. I tried using Photoshop to rearrange the composition, but eventually decided that cut and paste would work better for me.  So I printed out the photo, both in black and white and in color and moved the pieces around. I decided that less of the lake would look better too as I wanted the focal point to be on the men, not the lake. I didn't think the bird was needed either.

I'm not sure if the painting is done. I'll leave it for a few weeks and see if I feel that I need to do something more. It is study and I didn't like it enough to make a larger painting. The photo was taken at the International Birding and Research Center in Eilat, Israel (this is at the southern tip of Israel). I don't remember if this was an actual lake, or just an inlet from the sea.

Meanwhile I started a more abstract painting in brighter colors of clouds, mountains and water. I'm not sure when I'll figure out if that is done or not. I'll post it next week.

I'm also working on a study for an urban painting that will eventually be 4' x 5'.  This is for a canvas panel that will be donated to a non-profit children's home and is part of a project from my Friends of Art Manchester group. My husband and I went down to the millyard in Manchester one cold day and took photos of the bridge, mill buildings and the river.  My study is of an urban scene for the painting which will eventually go into a conference room.  It should be interesting if my study is approved as I will have to grid it up from 8" X 10" to 4' X 5'. I know how to do that, but it can be tedious. Even if it is not approved, I may do a larger 16" X 20" painting since I have that size canvas in stock and I like the image.