Make a photo into a painting with confidence
There is something satisfying about having a favorite photograph made into a painting to hang on your wall. The easiest way to turn a photo into a painting is to scan the photo into your computer and use photo editing software to simulate a painting, then print the size you want. Another way is to pay a professional artist to turn your photo into a real painting. But if you want to make a real photo painting yourself, use the grid photo transfer method and acrylic or oil paints to make a photo into a painting with fairly good accuracy, even if you are a beginner.
Instructions
1. Buy a canvas or other painting surface that is the same shape as the photo to be turned into a painting. If the photograph is square, any square canvas will have the same proportions. If it is rectangular, the canvas should have the same proportions of length to width as the photo.
2. Draw a grid with a pencil and a ruler on the photo that is to be made into a painting. Make the grid using 1/2-inch squares if your photo is a standard 3 1/2-by-5-inch photograph. Use a larger grid for an enlarged photograph.
3. Draw a grid on the painting surface with a pencil and a ruler using the same proportions as the grid on the photograph. Count the number of squares used for the length of the photo and divide the length of the painting surface by this number. Count the number of squares used for the width of the photograph and divide the width of the painting surface by this number. This copies the photo grid proportions onto the painting surface.
4. Draw an outline of all the objects in the photo onto the painting surface using the grid as a guideline. Copy the same details for each grid square on the painting surface as the corresponding grid square on the photo. Once the outline of the photo is transferred to the painting surface, the grid is no longer important.
5. Paint a wash of the photo onto the painting surface, leaving the lightest parts of the image unpainted. A wash is a very light painting done with diluted paints. Dilute acrylic paints with water, and oil paints with mineral spirits. A wash is also called an underpainting. Use the underpainting to give you a good sense of the main color blocks, shadows and highlights.
6. Paint the photo image with undiluted oil or acrylic paints on the painting surface. Mix the paints to match the colors of the photograph as closely as possible. Clean the paintbrushes between color uses, using water for acrylic paints and mineral spirits for oil paints. Dab the brushes dry with paper towels.
7. Paint over any imperfections after the original layer of paint has dried. Paint over acrylic paints within hours, but wait several days before painting over oil paints, as oil takes much longer to dry.
8. Allow an acrylic painting to dry overnight before hanging or framing. Allow an oil painting to dry several weeks before handling.
