Why is it hard to find a good reference photo?
Search: “Eye”
Problems:
Search: “older female eye”
Problems:
Most searches provide
homogenous results
Art Prof Reference Photo Collection
on Flickr
Magazine photos are heavily Photoshopped
Magazine photos are heavily Photoshopped
Magazine photos are staged with a specific look in mind.
Magazine photos are staged with a specific look in mind.
Finding a good reference photo can take a loooooong time...
SEARCH: “Hand writing with pencil”
Hand is cropped
SEARCH: “Hand writing with pencil”
Wrong
Angle
SEARCH: “Hand writing with pencil”
Bad
Lighting
SEARCH: “Hand writing with pencil”
Fingers
covered
SEARCH: “Hand writing with pencil”
Shoot your own reference photos!
Don’ts
Using another artist’s artwork
You need an original source!
Using a really famous
photo
V-J Day in Times Square
Alfred Eisenstaedt
1945
Migrant Mother
Dorothea Lange
1936
Using a really famous
photo
Using diagrams
or charts
Encyclopedia Britannica
Don’t limit yourself to a literal reference!
Jordan McCracken-Foster
@jo.mc.fo
What qualities make a good reference photo?
It takes time to find a photo that will work as a reference!
Search for “large” images
Dramatic lighting
Blurry
Shadows are flat
Michael Clarke Duncan
Eyes are in shadow
Low resolution
Dramatic lighting
Michael Clarke Duncan
Chin is cropped
Lighting is even
& not dramatic
In focus
Michael Clarke Duncan
Michael Clarke Duncan
Good lighting
Sufficient resolution
Nothing cropped
Clara Lieu
@claralieu
Shooting your own photos is easier & faster!
Maxfield
Parrish
Model:
Susan Lewin
Maxfield Parrish
Model:
Susan Lewin
Maxfield
Parrish
Model:
Kitty Owen
Norman Rockwell, The Problem We All Live With, 1964
Norman Rockwell
reference photos
Clara Lieu
@claralieu
Cat Huang
@cathuangart
Cat Huang
@cathuangart
Clara Lieu
@claralieu
Alex Rowe
@arowe.agogo
Cat Huang
@cathuangart
Cat Huang
@cathuangart
Cat Huang
@cathuangart
Cat Huang
@cathuangart
Cat Huang
@cathuangart
Shoot a video and take screenshots
Cat Huang
@cathuangart
Cat Huang
@cathuangart
Reference Photo
Google Images
Why this photo?
Reference Photo
Google Images
Reference Photo
Google Images
Reference Photo
Shot by Cat Huang
Reference Photo
Shot by Cat Huang
Cat Huang
@cathuangart
Cat Huang
@cathuangart
Recommended sites for reference photos
Art Prof Reference Photo Collection
on Flickr
Download high res reference photos for free!
Download high res reference photos for free!
Download high res reference photos for free!
Download high res reference photos for free!
Download high res reference photos for free!
Download high res reference photos for free!
onairvideo.com
line-of-action.com
Imdb.com
Imdb.com
Library of Congress