After discovering the beauty of digital painting with my girls in the flower garden, I spent some time exploring how wedding images would look painted. Not every image is right for a painting. I’m still working on a list of the components needed to pick the perfect shot to paint, but it’s a fun process. So far I’ve found I really love images that are scenic or have dramatic lighting, and ones where the subject isn’t camera aware. As you’ll see below, I just got a painting back from the lab from Britney & Sam’s blacktie session, a favorite from the past. I haven’t decided for sure where I want to display it and therefore how it should be framed (it’s important to consider the color/pattern of the wall it’ll hang on), but I’ve got options!
The below image resulted from one of my first times using off camera lighting in a session. I’ve always loved the drama of this shot. But it was almost too sharp (I know…opposite problem from the girls dancing). Now that I’ve painted it, I love, love it and how the brush strokes have softened and romanced up the scene.
I have the canvas mounted to masonite, so they come from the lab like this. You can see how lovely the added clear brush strokes and oil paint are to the finished product.
Once I have the painting in hand, it’s time to pick out a frame. I have about 20 different frame corners, but will be getting more now that I’ve figured out how to display them in my office. I’m still not sure which combo will do the trick for this art piece. ..
I know I want at least one more sample painting in my office for clients to see and I’m 95% sure it’s going to be Laura and Ryan at the piano for many reasons, but most importantly, because I face the wall this painting will hang on so I like the idea of my sister watching over me while I work. And Ryan’s pretty much prince charming who made her world right again, so all in all, it’s the happiest of memories for me to enjoy daily.
BUT I seriously love these other paintings too so I may print another to have in here as well. At the very least, I know I’ll be making an album of wedding paintings so clients can flip through and get a taste for how their photographs can be transformed at their consultation.
I plan to spend most of January & February compiling/creating a digitally painted portfolio so if you have a shot from your wedding (that I photographed) which you’d love to have in your home as a painting, please email me!
For past & current clients only, during December & January, I’m offering framed paintings at my cost plus $150 (which pays for my babysitter while I paint them plus goes towards the price of the program) as a way of getting them out into the world and giving me the experience perfecting the painting process for future clients. I will be selling these as part of my Heirloom product line so this is pretty much an amazing deal that I of course won’t really be making a dime on and will thus never be able to offer again. So if your interest is perked, email me and we’ll discuss which shot will be the one, what size you’d need, and the resulting cost to produce it.
Now that I’ve got the hang of the basics, I’m working on making the paintings a little less photographic in feeling, a little more messy/brush strokey like the real oil paintings I enjoy. I’ve spend years finding “my style” photographically speaking, and now I get to start the discovery process again and see who I am as a digital painter.
If you’ve never been photographed by me, but would like a scenic painting of a subject I’ve shot before (the temple, mountains, flowers, etc.) the “sell at my cost” offer extends to you too. Let me know what subject you’d like and I’ll see if it’s something I have on a hard drive some where 
Eventually, I plan to open an etsy shop where I’ll sell non-client images. I’ll keep you posted when that time comes.
If you’ve never been photographed by me but would love a painting of your self or child, by all means, book a session today! They’re only $525 which includes your session and credit towards your finished products. See more details HERE. We’ll photograph you in January when there’s nothing else to do but sit around and be cold. You’ll still be cold during the photoshoot, but I’ll make you feel warm inside when you see the images and your final finished piece of art!!
So, so excited for 2016!