By Heather Michelle Chinn

In this 4-part tutorial series, Painter Master Elite Heather Michelle Chinn will show you step-by-step how to create a painting from a cell phone image. Photos captured on a cell phone can sometimes be difficult to work with because they aren’t always the best resolution, they may be out of focus, or there’s not a lot of information in the subject. But with these helpful tips, you can use Painter’s cloning technology and unique brushes to create an amazing painting.

Preparing your file
Before you begin painting, it’s important to do some prep work on your file. This video will show you how to use the Dodge and Burn tools to accentuate the highlights and shadows, particularly to give more definition to facial structure. This simple step will add a lot more interest to your final painting.

Painting the background
In the second lesson, you will learn how to create a background for your painting using Painter’s standard brushes and paper textures. After filling your canvas with a neutral color, you can use cloning technology to pull in colors from your original image and blending to create an impressionistic, textured background.

Painting the subject
Once your background is established, lesson 3 will show you how to paint a more realistic interpretation of your subject. Using your original image as a clone source, you will first do some roughing in to tie the subject to the background and bring in details to maintain the likeness. Then you will work with different oil and chalk brushes to add texture and make it more painterly.

Finishing the painting
In the final lesson of the series, Heather demonstrates her process for finalizing a painting created from a cell phone image. Now is the time to focus on the little details, paying attention to edge lighting and working on the areas that need more definition, particularly the facial planes. Using varying degrees of different textures and pops of color are also important to add interest to your final painting.

See what’s new in Painter 2023!

Download your FREE 15-day trial for Windows or Mac and venture outside the lines with realistic brushes, exciting media, and an array of versatile tools.

See what’s new in Painter 2023!

Download your FREE 15-day trial for Windows or Mac and venture outside the lines with realistic brushes, exciting media, and an array of versatile tools.