I have a file of pictures I use while I'm writing. They are pictures of buildings, trees, views, flowers, etc. I have many, many pictures of rooms. Strangely, I don't have any pictures of people.
When I first started writing seriously five or so years ago I would always find pictures of people I would use as jumping-off points for my characters. I know of many authors that swear by this technique, but I don't do it any more. I find it too limiting.
I need to look at pictures of rooms for details. What does the ceiling look like? How is the furniture situated? What kind of fabric is used? Remember; I write stories happening 70 years ago in a country I don't live in. The internet and picture books are my telescope to the past. I can look at old menus; read books written in the period, look at pictures of old automobiles. I look at lists of what music was popular, what plays were being performed, etc. But faces? No, no, no!
I do have pictures of people, but for the clothes. How narrow are the belts? How big are the hats? What style are the shoes? What colours are the most prevalent? Actually, I have a fairly comprehensive knowledge about clothes (I was a costume designer at one point), so most of these pictures are for confirmation that my knowledge is correct.
I don't want faces. I have the faces in my head and I want readers (if I ever have any) to make up their own pictures. I'll say if someone's got curly hair if it's a character note (for the character or for someone else). I'll mention someone being exceptionally tall or short. I'll talk about the wart which she tries to hide. Someone could talk about someone's blue eyes or extremely long eye lashes. Physical similarities are also mentioned. But I'm not copying anyone's face. These characters aren't based on anyone and I don't want anyone's face on them; even if it's only in my head.
How important are pictures to you when you're writing? Do you refer to them constantly? Do you have pictures of your characters?
My WIP is the only one where I've ever had pictures of characters. I knew the basics of what each character would look like, but not details. So I Googled for images based on the basics I knew. Lots of pictures came up. I scrolled through and with each character I knew instantly I found his/her face, which surprised me. I haven't referred to them much, but I have them. And I don't know if I'll ever do it again. I've also written short stories based on a photo.
ReplyDeleteI tried using pictures once, and managed to find some that were fitting. I clipped them out (of magazines, I think), then they got filed, never to be consulted again.
ReplyDeleteI frequently use pictures that I've taken for setting detail, and occasionally for minor characters. I get distracted when I get on Google Images, so I don't spend much time there. :)
ReplyDeleteElizabeth
Mystery Writing is Murder
Carol; Isn't it funny you know the face as soon as you see it? I used to put faces next to my characters' names and descriptions in my games - don't any more.
ReplyDeleteAlan; But at least stuff in files appears to others that you have done tons of research!
Elizabeth; I agree completely about pictures for setting detail; I use them all the time. Google Images can be a real time user, can't it? I try to stay away as much as possible.
I rarely use photos for my fiction writing. Usually, as you do, only for details. Maybe for a certain location/setting, to get the feel for a place. Or if a room needs a certain ambiance I'll refer to photos. I'll use memory, too, of a certain place I've been to that I might have loved.
ReplyDeleteI've used pictures of bridges and destroyed cities for my WIP. One of my critique partners always calls me down for not enough description, so I've started using pictures to jog my wheels. Sometimes I use art as well.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the post!
Joanne; I've used memories of places as well.
ReplyDeleteTeresa; I've never used art. What an interesting idea! Thank you.
Old menus, that is interesting. How did you know to save menus?
ReplyDeletei don't use pictures but.. i keep a record of whatever i have to remenber. the Pictures thecniques sound good for places and rooms + notations.
ReplyDeleteVery interesting -- I don't think I've ever used actual photos or pictures. That might be because the mental images are so clear for me.
ReplyDeleteFor some reason I think photos might be too limiting. However, I wouldn't mind trying it as an experiment.
:)
Elspeth - You raise - as always - a really interesting question! I don't use photos when I write. I do have mental pictures of the characteres and the places and so on, but I don't like to get too specific. I think the reason is that, as Elisa says, it's too limiting. I want readers to get their own ideas, anyway, of what the characters are like; I think that makes the characters more real for the reader. I will say, though, that I've been inspired by pictures and images.
ReplyDeleteSheila; Why the menus? My characters spend a great deal of time eating. I needed to know what would be appropriate meals served in a manor house in 1935.
ReplyDeleteCarlos; I have a notebook filled with notes with dates of events, etc.
Elisa; I don't use them for characters, but I find them very helpful for settings.
Margot; Aren't you kind! I don't know if I've ever been inspired to write anything from a picture, but I can certainly look at them and wonder what the story would be.
Yeah, I do some of that. Sure. I have graphic drawings of my main characters (my son is a grpahci artist and I employ him to render them for me based on my descriptions) and I'll often Google images of settings similar to the setting of the story. It helps.
ReplyDeleteMarvin D Wilson
I don't use pictures, just my imagination (and memories/impressions of real people).
ReplyDeleteI like this idea. My novel is set in the 50s so I've had to go back and make sure some of the details I've provided are correct, including the way people dressed.
ReplyDeleteI have my characters pictured in my head, not in actual photographs. I don't use photos often but I do refer to them occasionally for a room or area description.
ReplyDeleteI don't use photos - I know what my characters look like to me and I suppose readers will want to do that for themselves. I will mention details but not too much - more quirks or clothes or gestures or styles. I go on and on about rooms though. My protagonist is a cop but her hobby is home decorating so she always notices what the places look like that she goes to.
ReplyDeleteOld Silly; See? That's what I need! A graphic artist in my life!
ReplyDeletePatricia; Imagination is the best tool of all, isn't it?
Carolyn: Pictures are great for getting historical details correct.
Jane; I find them very handy for rooms.
Jan; What a nice character note! Good for you. Anyone with that hobby will notice decor.
Interesting! I don't have a picture file, but I do a lot of net surfing while I'm working on my Steampunk. I'm not as knowledgable as I'd like about Victorian times, so the research has been for visuals of the area, the outfits, the stores, the food... I don't look for faces either.
ReplyDeleteI often use pictures or google information about setting or how people were dressed e.g. in the 1980s or so, but I don´t use pictures for my characters either. I have not really thought about why, but I would probably also see them as restrictive. I don´t even know what my protagonists look like. Of course I know the colour of their hair and such, but their faces? No, not really.
ReplyDeleteJemi; I confess I never had heard of steampunk until you've mentioned it in your blog. It sounds fascinating.
ReplyDeleteDorte; It is interesting, isn't it, what we know about our characters physical appearance and what just doesn't matter.
I think this is a great suggestion, although I'd be more inclined to use pictures of places or things. Those can be really easy to miss details when writing about them. Thanks for the tip.
ReplyDeleteteacherwriter; Glad I could be of help. Thanks for dropping by!
ReplyDeleteThe only story I have ever got anywhere into is my current WIP. I know exactly what my characters look like, but have only sketched out the physical features in the book - I want people to make up their own pictures. Set in the present, so no pictures of places, etc either.
ReplyDeleteBUT, what we do quite often in my writing group is to write really short stories to pictures. Often we just pick a painting or photograph and write a story to accompany it, sometimes we try to tell the same story from two PoVs, and once, seven of us collaborated to tell the stories of a bunch of people from a Renoir painting. That is amazing fun.