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Great advice, Sharon,
I especially like your recommendation about the camera being waist high. In my first post I hinted about that when I said I bet the camera was held at eye level to the subject but I did not mention what would be a better height. So I am glad you brought it up.
I am sure you have much more experience than I in getting great photo reference for a painting like this. I usually try to work from life and my photos are usually only a guide for latter work when the person is not there.
Although I have done plenty of illustrations of full-length figures, I have not done that many full-length portraits, for the very reason you referred to in your post. And that is, they must be large and usually the people that I get commissions from do not have the room for such a large canvas and a full-length portrait is out of the question. I sure would like to get more, since I would make a much better living if I did, but at this time I get way more head and shoulder commissions then even 3/4. To date I have only received one standing full-length portrait commission and a few full-length adults in a seated pose so the canvas did not need to be as tall. It may be that because I do not show full length portraits, I do not get more commissions for them, but it is hard to do a lot of large paintings like that when you are not getting many requests for full-length portraits. It is kind of a Catch 22. I might get more commissions for them if I painted more and I would paint more if I got more commissions for them.
Well, anyway, I will always value your advice, and on this one especially, since you have done way more paintings like this than I.
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