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Wildlife Reference Photos for Artists

Wildlife Reference Photos In response to many inquiries from artists about using images for art reference, I've now built a dedicated site, African Reference Photos, where artists can choose their own material from a large and diverse selection of high quality wildlife reference photos (more than a thousand with many more to come).

It only costs $10 for 20 photos of your choice that can be downloaded over a month, while there are also free photos available for anyone joining as a member. For both aspiring and established artists needing quality reference material for art that can be sold, this is definitely worth considering.

Wildlife Art Resources and Links

Keith Joubert
The late Keith Joubert, who died in January, 2013, is internationally recognised for his extraordinary wildlife paintings that reflect not only his impeccable draughtsmanship and mastery of the medium of oil paint, but also his intimate knowledge of the African bush and its inhabitants. Scroll through his most recent paintings for a stunning visual feast. His recent death is a massive loss to the wildlife art world. Keith Joubert Obituary - by Peter Comley
Keith Joubert Artwork
This gallery site features some of Joubert's exhibited work, including paintings from exhibitions in 2010, 2011, and 2012.

Sue Dickinson Wildlife Art
Showcases the work - including original wildlife paintings and wildlife prints - of renowned South African artist Sue Dickinson. View her most recent original watercolour paintings plus a wide selection of limited-edition prints, mainly of Africa's Big Cats, that are available to order.

Wildlife Art.net
Features work of Paul Bosman, who's career as an African wildlife artist has spanned 25 years and two continents.

In addition to hundreds of original pastel paintings, his African and North American wildlife art has been reproduced in many sets of limited edition prints. Recently he has moved into large scale oil paintings as well as three dimensional work with his African wildlife sculpture. Bosman's work is represented in the permanent collection of the National Museum of Wildlife Art.

Originals cost in the thousands while Giclee prints are also available for those with less to spend.

WetCanvas!
A community of visual artists that has grown from humble grass-roots beginnings in 1998 into a veritable gold mine of information, serving painters, sculptors, illustrators, digital artists, photographers, and other visual artists.

WetCanvas! has more than 100,000 members and the forums, with more than 3 million posts, is the single largest repository on the Net for interactive visual arts information.

About.com Guide to Painting
An information-rich site packed with tips and tutorials covering a wide range of art topics and subjects, the Guide to Painting also offers useful resources for artists such as a forum and downloadable reference photos. The site is administered by Marion Boddy-Evans who epitomises the About.com philosophy that the guides are written by "real people" who are contactable.

Info on Copyright

Picture Archive Council of America
Includes copyright guidelines about artists' use of photographs. Definitely worth reading PACA's "Copyright Commandments"

Artists' copyright
General info on Copyright for Artists from About.com

List of FAQs include these common questions that artists face:

  • Can I Make a Painting of a Photograph?
  • If I Change 10 Percent, Isn't It a New Image?
  • What about reference photos?
  • What about photos of famous paintings?
  • How Do I Get Permission to Use a Photo?
  • What About Collage?
  • Doesn't Fair Use Cover Artists?
  • What about paintings made from Old Masters or How-To books?
  • How Long Does Copyright Last?
  • If someone commissions me to do a painting, who does copyright belong to?
  • What is 'in the public domain'?
  • If I Sell a Painting, Do I Lose Copyright?
  • What is 'work for hire'?
  • How Do I Sign Over Copyright?
  • What If Someone Infringes My Copyright?


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