This is a drawing from one of my sketch books of Lenny Cabral a local story teller. The photograph was in our local paper the “Bristol Phoenix”. I hope I was able to catch his charisma www.lencabral.com. I have not met the man or heard his stories but he certainly looks like a happy camper.
This is a local story teller Lenny Cabral
I love to draw different nationalities. I love to draw dreadlocks and frizzy hair. I am an Illustrator and we need photo references to visualize the details. I normally work with many images to create from the photographs one of my own. The Lenny and Quing sketches are drawn from only one photograph as my reference In order to get the likeness and nationality correct. When I do this I try to give credit to the photographer or note the copyright information on the photograph. I have seen too many times a very recognizable photograph and the drawing or painting created from it very technically accurate. Using the photograph without giving the photographer the proper credit is copyright infringement to the photographer. They have the same rights you have as an artist. You could not have created your image without that photograph.
Qiang a pencil sketch of a young Asian girl in her native costume
Once I met a woman who was trying to paint an old barn. I bit my tongue and tried to give her helpful criticism even though I was young and attending art college at the time. She wanted me to go to her house to see more of her paintings. To my amazement they were exquisite and beautiful, I soon learned that they were all copied from another painting or photograph. She could copy but not draw. I learned then how important it is to be original and not to copy.
This Chinese young lady is a pencil sketch from a color photograph. This is Qiang in her native costume.https://www.chinahighlights.com/
Watercolor painting of live model with dreadlocks
This watercolor is my first attempt at dreadlocks, it was many years ago and I was at a drawing group with a live model. You do not need written permission from the model they know by accepting the job that images of them will be created. Famous people or performers fall under the same rule.
Make sure to be careful and respectful to other creatives, writers, photographers and artists, famous people and models, be cautious and knowledgeable of copyright laws of infringement.
© Sandra Dingée
Add Comment