4. Reconstructing Historical Landscapes

There is a growing opportunity for painters to make a living by painting historical landscapes using old postcards or photographs as reference material.
I recently experimented with this by taking three old faded, black and white postcards and reconstructing the landscape. They were subsequently scanned and printed and sold in the area they were painted. This could be done in any location should you possess the skill of an adequate landscape painter and a modicum of flair for color and drama. 
This painting (24"x36")depicts a flood in a main street of a seaside town in 1892
Taken from the postcard immediately above.
This depicts a dry dock in the same town 1895. I applied a Turneresque look to the scene.
These paintings were also made into postcards and small prints for which I receive a small income.



Again, the painter should not be so elitist as to spurn such work. Society has, and always will, treasure such efforts should they be atmospheric and definitive. With the right training a painter could always make a good living traveling up and down the coast, or around the country just producing such pieces of work. You might find the local Historical Societies are also interested in commissioning such work - they surely have a wealth of material you could use! 

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