Paintings I've Not Done Yet--Landmarks

Copyright, Jim Lane

I think my wife was fortunate enough to capture this view of the
Grand Canyon. We chose different vantage points. All of hers turned
out better than mine. I especially like the depth of field here.

One of the drawbacks in producing a daily article such as this is that it tends to sap my creative urges, not to mention the fact that it eats into my time considerably each day. It would seem that in expressing myself, whether with prose or pigments, I do have my limits. Over the past six or seven years, my wife and I have traveled broadly over both the North American hemisphere and much of Europe as well. Of course we take at least three cameras, my pocket digital, my video camera (which also takes pretty decent still shots) and my wife has her cell phone, which is capable of capturing some really good shots (if she's careful). Ostensibly, with many of the photos I take, I tend to choose content, angles, and lighting, while framing them as if each would be a sort of "instant" painting (if only that were true). Taken together, these two factor tend to result in my having accumulated enough good photos from which to paint every day for the rest of my life (with some left over).

 

Copyright, Jim Lane

I really need not narrate these, they're so iconic. The one just
above is San Simeon in California, sometimes referred to as the
Hearst Castle. Feel free to omit all or most of the tourists if you like.

As a result, I've decided to "share the wealth" so to speak. I'm posting these photos in the hope that some of the artists who encounter them, will find at least a few which they'd like to paint. Keep in mind I'm not transferring the lot of them to the public domain. I'll retain the copyright. However, simply e-mailing me with a request to use any of them as source material for a painting will result in a quick positive reply. They are not for publication as photos, only works of art in some other medium. Once the painting is done, I'd like you to send me a good, high-resolution shot of it for my records and satisfaction. If you have a website, I'd appreciate seeing your whole collection.

 

Copyright, Jim Lane

The top photo in this set is from Pompeii. I call it "Open House."
The second is, of course, a nighttime shot of Paris from the Seine.
The third shot appeals to me for its Postmodern flavor, tying the
art of the past with that of the present.

In going through my archives I was amazed at how many images I found that, to my way of thinking at least, would make good paintings. Today I'm posting three sets dealing with famous landmarks as seen through an artist's eye. Over the next few weeks, I'll be posting addition shots, about ten at a time, covering subjects from animals to watery images. Please don't request the use of more than one at a time. Keep in mind that there are others who might wish to use some of them too. Permission to paint them will not be exclusive, although I'll try to manage them in such a way that artists using them will be widely separated geographically. Also, in displaying the finished work, you need not list a photographic credit, though you may if you'd like.

 

Copyright, Jim Lane

The top photo in this set is Frank Lloyd Wright's front yard at Taliesin West, just outside Scottsdale, Arizona. The second is the approach to Mont St-Michelle on the Normandy coast of France (a composite of two shots). The third is Lake Meade at what may be its lowest level since Hoover Dam was built.

I have Photoshopped these images and cropped them as I would if I were painting from them myself (some I may, in fact, use in the future, if I can find the time). I fully expect that any artists using these photos will likely choose to paint in their own style, crop, and/or alter the content as they see fit. Please feel free to depart from the photographic color as well. That's one reason I'm asking to see what each artist comes up with. Please don't think you have to be a professional artist to "borrow" one of these photos, amateurs are more than welcome. I might even provide some constructive criticism if you like. I'm not planning to get into signed permission paperwork, however if it suits your need, you can always print out the e-mail granting permission for the photo's use as a painting.

 

E-mail all requests to jimlane@jimlaneart.com

Please indicate the photo you wish to paint from, include your full name, and the city and state in which you reside along with the URL for your website, if you have one.