John Taggart

May 2019 Demonstration

Photography for Artists with MVAL member John Taggart, who is currently doing watercolor art. He retired as a photographer doing many types of photography—from weddings, portraits to advertising and commercial photography.  During the last 26 year of his career he did photography for Los Angeles Police Department. (Who is OJ Simpson?) John's watercolor art is not trying to paint the realistic world. It has been his desire to paint a feeling or use the real to create new visions or recreate elements to a painterly design. “If I want to paint a scene that looks like the scene—I would take a photograph.”

Photography for Artists will start with how to photograph/document your artwork with the tools that you may have. Often we are asked to make photographs of our paintings for submissions or just our own records. Sometimes there are shortcomings and procedures will be discussed as to how to make a good representation of your original art. Another feature of the presentation will be using a “photographers eye” which is really an artist eye. A camera or smartphone can be used as a tool to establish and develop compositions in your paintings. An artist can use photographs to visualize the world and make new visions for your art. Time permitted, copyright will be touched on and use of digital tools to help with your visual journey. Keep painting.

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