[petite]

Painting through projections is actually still quite difficult. Remember that what you see on the canvas is a lighted projection, and not true to the original photograph's color. What the projection can be useful for is retaining the proper proportions and locations of a highly detailed photo. The real skill involved here comes from being able to reproduce the color (the way they are shaped / blended) and paint without leaving any evidence of the brush.

Note: I have been painting / drawing for about 18 years and while I thoroughly enjoy the challenges of drawing (finding correct proportions / locations, creating volumous shapes through line), I find the process utterly tedious and boring while working on a painting. The reason I picked the brush up in the first place was to get away from the pencil.