An overhead projector is an ideal tool for copying artwork and paintings. Rather than taking a long time to execute an exact drawing of the painting you are copying, you can trace the contours of the painting directly onto your canvas or paper. Once that process is finished, paint in the areas with color as you need to. You don't need to continue to project the painting at that point, so you don't need to work in the dark. Plenty of color is in the transparency, so color matching is possible without projection.
Instructions
1. Place your painting support on the wall. The relative dimensions should match that of the painting to be copied. For example, if the painting in the transparency is 6 inches by 8 inches, your support should have a 3:4 ratio of height to width.
2. Set up the overhead projector so it projects onto your painting support.
3. Place the transparency of the painting on the glass of the projector.
4. Focus the projector so it projects clearly on the painting support. Adjust the size so the projection of the painting full covers your support surface. If there is no zoom control on the overhead projector, move it away from or toward the support to achieve this.
5. Turn the light out. Trace the contours of the painting projection on your painting support with a pencil. Write in color names on your support to match the projected colors, for reference.
6. Turn the lights on when done. Fill in the areas of your outlined contours on your painting with the colors of the transparency, using it as a reference.
