- 1). Scan your reference photo into your computer, using at least 300-600 dpi resolution. Save the file in a directory of reference images with a descriptive title.
- 2). Open your scanned photo in your digital imaging software. Determine if the photo dimensions match the dimensions of your canvas. If they do not match, crop the photograph to be proportional to your canvas dimensions.
- 3). Ensure that any horizon lines, floors or table tops in the image are level. Rotate the image if necessary to correct for camera tilt. Use imposed grid lines in the software as a guideline.
- 4). Correct any fish-eye or barreling distortion caused by a wide-angle lens. Most digital imaging software can accomplish this through the use of the transform, perspective, skew and distort functions.
- 5). Adjust color balance, tint and intensity to match desired levels for your painting. Save all changes to the original reference photo up through this step in a new image file.
- 6). Create a copy of your reference photo and convert this copy to pure grayscale. This version of the photo will be useful as a value reference and for completing any under-drawing or under-painting steps.
- 7). Print both the color-adjusted and grayscale versions of your reference photo onto photo-quality printer paper. Print them to the maximum size possible for your printer to have large reference images.
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