FREE VIDEO LESSON & GUIDE SHEET

Will My Reference Photo Fit on My Canvas?

Ever wondered if the reference photo you're painting from will transfer proportionately onto the canvas you have?

When I’m painting from a reference photo I always paint from my computer and I always print out the reference photo in black & white. I use it to draw the initial lines and shapes at the start of my painting and to check the values while I’m painting.

But how do I know if the photo I’ve printed out will transfer proportionately onto the canvas I have? If my reference photo is a square, that’s easy. Any square canvas will do. If the photo is rectangular it gets a bit trickier.

In this video and guide, I will show you the technique I use to make sure that my reference photo always fits my canvas to scale.