Painting From Family Photos 

The progression of your studies of the picture of you and your sister in bed should be a staple of art education. It is incredible to see so many different takes and ways in which a simple photograph can be interpreted and reinterpreted to create a new focus, ambiance, and story. I will be using this video as a resource for my advanced art students. Wow! I gotta watch this video again because it is chock full of precious information.

Get it Sandy! Your honesty is so important- inspiration and emulation are a part of the journey of every artist. Duplication and replication are NOT. I appreciate you.

Yes, I've noticed this too when drawing from family photos. I've been going through photos of my mother (she passed some time ago), so every time I go to draw my photos I feel a lot of pressure making them look beautiful. Having those strong emotions about your subject matter can be extraordinarily tiring sometimes and I end up needing to take a long break. Your sketches are STUNNING and so fun, I feel the love. Your oil paintings are also so vibrant, thank you for inspiring and being true to yourself!

That’s frustrating that people are plagiarizing your work. I hope a lot of them are just ignorant and didn’t realize it’s wrong and illegal. But nobody could emulate the unique joy and energy in your art! Thank you for sharing your process and philosophy. You inspire me to play and learn through trying. I always feel more calm and courageous after watching your channel ❤️❤️❤️

I can’t thank you enough! The way you present and talk about your art is the most inspiring thing I ever saw on youtube. I loved how you painted loose. I can feel how happy you were doing this through your paintings. And it makes me want to paint right away! I loved how you don’t stick to the reference photos too strictly. I want to learn to be free like this too. I now need to look through my old family albums! Thank you so much. ❤

I especially loved the painting in the yard and the Christmas painting with Santa out the window. I laughed out loud when you said you threw things at the couple making out in the pool 😂 So glad you addressed the copying in the beginning! Good for you!! I’ve been chatting about that with my viewers too.

Thank you Sandi for the hints as to how to get us to not be so critical of our painting or sketching sessions. I enjoy your thought process.

Sandi you are a blessing. You're not following trends. You are being an artist and sharing your skills, knowledge and honesty. Love watch and listening to your vids. ❤

Oh my goodness - I wish I could 'drop-off' one of my mom's old photo albums to you. My grandpa was big on photographing the family and the results are these big albums of travel, miscellany, and candid photos from 60s to 90s. Would be perfect to flip through for quick sketches - especially having a curation of 'mundane' pictures with the same people in more natural poses. Thank you for sharing, Sandi!

I have some really old photos, as my grandmother was born in 1896. I’ve always wanted to paint some of them. Thanks for the great inspiration and advice. Yours are so good. I enjoyed this very much.

I love the green lawn chairs in the last one. I think this video has great information of how to get inspiration from our family photos. It's such a good bit of information to realize we don't have to make anything just the way it's presented - but to merely draw inspiration and to add or take away what works for us. I'm very sorry to hear your work is being plagiarized - but it could never contain what makes your art uniquely yours. I so appreciate all the bits of information you give us. Thank you! 🌻

I do not paint or sketch but artists have long been my very favourite people. The work of the best ones, like yourself, move me in a way that I can’t actually describe so it infuriates me that someone would plagiarize your art. As an aside, I love to watch your hands as you speak to the camera, they are an artform in their own right.

Wonderful, Sandy. Thank you so much! I got my family albums out and am ready to go, haha.

I hear ya Sandi. The photos can be something for you to REACT and RESPOND to. Not copy for exact likeness. Love it! Great work. ❤

Great visiting with you, Sandy. Indeed your compositions are well executed' in harmony with the overall feeling of nostalgia. Good bits of advice, as usual - thank you.

As always, so much inspiration. I’ve used photos from thrift stores or from our family albums with people I can’t identify.

It’s actually an age old practice to copy from other artists. You can learn so much from them, and I know I’ve seen you do it with Mary Fedden paintings. I’m not trying to be critical, and I don’t know what you’re dealing with with people copying, BUT it is actually a complement that people would want to learn from you so take that as you will. No one should EVER copy another artists work to sell it though! I just appreciate how much you share with us and find your excitement inspiring, so thank you.

I love the progression. Raggedy Anne and Andy are so nostalgic to me. I loved my Raggedy Anne doll. I agree with you about the copying your art or reference.

Loved these, Sandi! I applaud and support your firmness concerning the copyright issue, and I hope all will respect this. Thank you for sharing your process, and I look forward to seeing the next set of paintings.

Sandi you had me cracking up with the Ann and Andy faces. So fun to see the comparisons of the tight and loose! Thank you for sharing 😊

Sandi after finding your channel I have been so much more inspired! I recently recreated one of your still life’s in my personal sketch book to learn from you but I would never dream of posting it or passing it of as my own! I hope that’s okay ❤️ it upsets me that people are taking your creations instead of your advice. You are so generous with what you share with us, I appreciate it so much ❤️

This is so fun, Sandi! Thank you for sharing. I’m exited to get out some old pictures and paint from them. It’s such a great idea for days when getting out of the house isn’t possible. Hope you are doing well. ❤

These are beautiful! There's a big difference between reliance on photos to substitute for drawing skill, and using them for inspiration and visual information. We loved seeing the difference between the earlier work that seemed more about capturing a sense of light, and current work that seems to be more about shapes, compositions, and raw memory. So glad you shared these!

This kind of project has been on my To-do list for 10 years! This was a great video. Thank you.

Sandi, you were the first person that got me excited about blind contour portraits. When you and Mel had that grand collaboration it really sparked something in me. I have been taking that approach with some family photos and it has been so much fun! It is a way to get catharsis and laughter all in one session. I just found this the perfect place to put a very sincere thanks to you. As an unrelated aside to your other topic, I have learned to abhor the "draw this in your style" trend because it has given people weird habits, IMO.

I LOVE all of your sketchbook pages and practices. They are SO inspirational and make me want to step up my sketchbook practice. I love seeing the journey and the process. It is encouraging to know that amazing artists like you are still growing and practicing. Thank you for sharing all this! And by the way, I LOVE your hair!

Love, love, loved this. Very inspired to get out old photos! You are so precious Sandi. Thank you!

Enjoying very much your wonderful people and their settings and your process 😍Thank you!

Always interesting to see what you are working on and your process.

You're the coolest! Thank you so much for making videos for us! 🥰

I'm rewatching because this is such a relaxing video. I think those orange computer things are called speak and spell 🙌😃

That was such lovely art work Sandy! Tks for showing us!

Very inspiring Sandi!

This is one of my favorite videos of yours. I love your process of doing a series with each photo and how you do them with different mediums, and then get creative with your compositions and design. Hearing you talk through your thoughts and process is really helpful. Now I’m off to look through my family photos so I can try it! Thanks again for the inspiration!

Sandi, I adore your free flying style. Thank you for sharing so much. ❤️

30:13 you nailed those old vinyl tube lawn chairs! I love them!

I love this idea of using our family photos! I'm going to have to go through and pick some out. Thanks Sandi for always being an inspiration to me.

You’re so talented. I’m inspired ❤️🙏🏼❤️

yay.. my Friday is better now with Sandi.. but first, coffee

Sandi you are such amazing artist, so inspiring video!! Thank you!!!!

What a fun idea! I already have some family photos in mind to start playing with. Thanks Sandi. You always inspire!❤

This video is so helpful. I love how you explain the process. It really makes a lot of sense. Your artwork has really been so inspiring. I learned a lot through you walking us through the home photo journey. New ways to look at something and make the beautiful changes. I loved all the Raggedy Ann and Andy transformations. They made me smile. 🙂

I absolutely love these-the narrative is so strong and I’m really into the level of abstraction and playfulness ❤

Thank-you for such a cool video and sharing your process. Love Friday's when you have a new video out. It's a great way to unwind see great art and relax xxx

Loved this video Sandi 🧡 thank you. I've been collecting family photos, since I moved to a different country and also some people have passed. Sometimes, I sketch from them. Now that the weather is warmer, I also have the impulse to paint again. It's so nice to see how your sketches change, and you have more freedom to portray the moment and feeling ✨️ ❤

So much narrative! I’m loving the compositions too!

This was so wonderful to see! Thank you for sharing this! I am very excited to try this with mine too! 🎉😊

How fun and inspiring I loved everything you shared! Thank you again Sandi!❤

Love your perspective and also your wavy hair is beautiful. Your sketchbook videos have helped me to start one and i love being loose and free with it so far- thank you.

Thank you Sandi, this really gave me lots of ideas! Can't wait to pick out some pics of my own. You are amazing!!

Man, i completely forgot there was a video this week. Thankfully it came up in my recommendations. A nice surprise.

What a fun video. I’m feeling so inspired to paint today. 🤩 Thanks for sharing your process, Sandi. Looking forward to your next video!

Sandi, I so relate to what you said about most resources for figure drawing feeling very dark. Thank you for sharing your take on figure drawing. Such a fun practice to meditate on pictures of people and places I love. So thanks for the encouragement to do that! ❤️ Grateful for you and your work, as always!

Soooo good! Just this past week I worked from two family photos. But I got so tight that I actually traced the outlines of the people to make sure I got the proportions correct. I did learn a lot by painting the photos. I rarely do things more than once. But you are inspiring me to do them again and try abstracting them. It's funny, people always like my tight, representational work better. But I think it is much easier. And not quite what I want to do. Thank you for your inspiration!

Very fun today looking at your sketchbooks!

Sandi, thanks! I never thought of doing that, but I am visiting my family which I do once a year, in another country, and I now… know how to spend free time, and it will help a lot emotional work too. it s hard going back as there are a lot of tricky memories, but I feel this way I might approach being there differently, with more appreciation and gratitude…somehow. Thank you!

So interesting!! Thanks for sharing your process and explaining it so well❤

Oh I really enjoyed this video! I feel inspired...thank you so much Sandi.

Love it so inspiring to paint from family photos I love your examples thank you for sharing!! I may need to try this. I love seeing the comparison with the photo and how you changed the wallpaper and blankets with you and your sister reading together. It makes the process look like a lot of fun. I tend to be tight and attempt a literal rendering or I never to at all! Thanks to you I am learning how to loosen up and enjoy the process a bit more. You’ve helped me to recognize when I’m getting too tight or precious about something. Sometimes I like to do that, but it’s so helpful to also learn how to relax more and have fun! Thanks Sandi! 😊

Such a great idea. I've never thought to use old family photos for reference before. Thank you for that idea 😊❤🤗💖 love what you did 💖💖💖

Wonderful Sandi, thank you for sharing ❤

So inspiring! I’m going to do this very same thing!! Family photos are such a hoot! And all the retro items! Not to mention what a joy to be thinking back on cherished times and memories!! I don’t know where you come up with these ideas Sandi but you’re a natural born teacher of joy! 💕💕

Happy Easter Take each day knowing He has blessed U with talent to share.

LOVE the lawn chairs...perfecto!

LOVE, LOVE, love your process, thank you for sharing. I’m going to get out some old photos and have a go!!!!

I'm a paint my own way type of girl. I don't follow art rules self taught playful painter. Me being me and I respect that a lot about your style. It you. Memories are very inspiring and I'm 59 and had a Raggedy Ann that was repaired so many times and she has showed up many times in my sketchbook as well as my best friend flower fairies. Comforting for a lot of little girls from our time period childhood. It was awesome to see your raggedy ann pop up as childhood memory with your sister. I agree about copying and so many youtube teachers encourage copy and tracing. I feel learning techniques and tools is essential but so many things around us in our homes and in nature is so inspiring there really is no need to copy anyone else's work. Patterns, lines shapes is inevitable everyone loves stripes and polka dots but yes your photos are very personal and should be respected as much for sure people should understand that. Enjoyed you sharing your works. Fun to see.

That was SO FUN , totally made sense. Gosh I admire how you can bring the image to new life in your loose style, just gorgeous… I think the milk and cookie one is one of my faves. 😊 and ohhh the playground. I’m gonna have to practice lots to get loose! Thank you Sandi, 💕🤗

I found a box of family pictures in the top of my grandfathers closet recently. He passed away last year. So going through his stuff has me all in my feels of what can I do creatively with my findings. That box of pictures screamed loud at me to use as reference, but for now they went home with my mom. Thank you for sharing as an encouragement to use things we already have in our homes.

I love the new figures painting! I like painting people and will certainly be tuning in to future videos on this.

This was a great video. I appreciate you giving yourself grace to start out tight and get looser as you go. Also trying things out in different mediums. This year I've decided grace is one of the things I need from myself. I'm not going anywhere with my art, my goal is to enjoy putting colour on paper and let the process be healing. At the moment I just need to be. What I find inspiring in your art is that you do have certain things you want to try or achieve and you work towards those things. Relating that back to me, I feel I can do those things too when I feel I'm in a better place to do so. I hope this makes sense, I think the point is your way of doing art is inspiring to me, even if we are in totally different places in our lives and our art. 🥰

Thank you!!! Very inspiring ❤️

What a great idea you shared here, Thank you. Get the idea that it is more personal to paint from family photos and do like that you have a go 2 or more times of the same.

Thank you for another great vid. It’s so interesting to see the progress in series. I am learning every day about art & realizing the limits I’ve placed in myself for so long, it’s embarrassing to admit. Like, it never occurred to me to be creative with the details of a reference photo. Now I want to revisit my own family photos, especially the of when we spent entire summers in Mexico City

Oh Sandi, this was so wonderful! Lots of info here, and lovely work to see. I loved all your family paintings. They express so much about your childhood. Bravo, many thanks!

The way you work the wallpaper and quilt in the paintings of you and your sister is a lesson on its own❤ all that texture and pattern!

Brilliant instruction and inspiration! Thank you.

Thank you Sandi for your artistic honesty highlighting the struggles we all encounter when painting. Your video was most helpful and inspiring, a rare occurance on you tube.

That was awesome

I loved this, such a great idea playing around with different medium's and compositions, going to have a go with my photos for sure. Thankyou for the idea 💡

Wow! Absolute magic! #19 is exquisite! Thank you for the inspiration!

My favorite is you saying several times "I really like how my sister turned out in this one...looks really pretty...nothing like her." Bwahahaha!!! From, Your Sister

Yes, very helpful! Thank you so much.

These are wonderful thank you for sharing. I’m going to dig through some old photos and see what I can come up with. Thanks for the inspiration.

Love these! Your aunt looks like she’s from the set of Designing Women. Love the Speak & Spell, Raggedy Anne & Andy, and the sprinkler & hose in the backyard. Thanks for this 80s nostalgia! 🥰

Lovely work! Enjoy your artwork 😊

a perfect Friday evening with your video! The family photo sketches and paintings are wonderful. I am so amazed each time how you use all the mediums together and the colours are always gorgeous. Mixed Media at its finest! Thank you for explaining your fab process and I hope people will stop copying!!! 😙

Thanks for a great video, as always Sandi! It's so inspiring to see your process and how you use the photos as a loose reference. I made a drawing of my Grandmother's home and tried to remember what was in the rooms and how it looked when I was a child. It was amazing how much I remembered! Sadly I didn't have any reference photos however it allowed me to use my imagination and substitute different paintings on the wall which I made up and in doing so created my own narrative of her life. It was such a fun experience and it felt genuine and authentic. Your method of using reference photo's as a resource is such a great way of learning about how we construct and see. You turned memory into fun narratives and produced work that was both compelling and exciting to watch. Just brilliant Sandi!

Love your style 🥰

Just love your sketches Sandi absolutely beautiful nostalgic too💜

This is such an inspiring video. Thank you for sharing this very intimate part of your art journey. I’ve drawn from my family photos in the past which was fun but the pressure to capture a good likeness made me stop after awhile. It would be fun to revisit them again. Thank you for the inspiration.

this is such a good idea to use family photos like this, bring back memories but also allow for style experimentation 😀

I love you Sandi, you are amazing. Thank you so much for this video. I have been wanting too use some family pictures as reference for some of my paintings but I was so scared of it! this has given me so much inspiration and a different way to approach this (for me) scary subject.

Your patience with your process is super inspiring to me. I've never been one to do, redo, and redo anything. The learning you obviously get out of that process, not only seems to clarify what matters to you with the images, but enriches each new variation in incredible ways. The 2nd painting of the summer water slide day has fantastic elements to it. Go Sandy go! I'm going to challenge myself to do, redo and redo too.🙃

This was my first video of yours and I loved it. Thank you for reminding me to stay loose. 🎉

This is so inspiring, I want to have a go now!🥰

Loved this video Sandi. I also paint my family photos.

Sandy...ugh copyright issues on social media SUCK. And I agree with you, don't paint my painting, don't paint my reference....unless I'm showing you how to paint...like me. Of which you do...I love your work. It's not the style I work in and I know how difficult it is to abstract. But if we teach other people our techniques I don't think we can ask them to "not paint like us". Just don't paint my personal for sale painting that I did not teach you to paint. Just my opinion because I've heard far too many artists on youtube show their process, even title a video as step by step tutorial and then literally say don't paint like me. It's silly. And I'm not saying you do step by step videos, but you do teach technique.

I love how you painted the lawn chairs!!

This video really fired me up to try this with some of my favorite family photos! Thank you so much! It was so inspiring!

how precious are these little pieces of your past! wow, love it all. The Christmas paintings were my favorites only because it reminded me of my Christmas pasts! thanks so much for sharing…I wish I could sketch like that but it causes too much frustration and I never finish. 😂