Using Resources...

[seraph]

Hey, all. I was just going through some of my reference stuff and I was curious- How do you all gather your reference materials for your work?

I'm lazy, so I use my computer and the wonderful internet for reference photos and such. For example- I had to research the interior of a 1980's California highway patrol car for several panels in a script... and had a HELL of a time finding photos of one.

Problem is, I hate having to look at the computer screen then back at the page. Drives me nuts, but it's the best I can do at the moment.

What methods do you guys use for researching stuff for artwork?

[metalgearray09]

Hm, that's what I do to. I do everything digitally now (no scanner here).
I keep forgetting to use references. Maybe the things I draw won't look so bad if I do

[piotrov]

While I do have a sizable amount of reference saved on my hard drive that I've looked up online, I've also got a growing amount of traditional reference files as well.

Lots of stuff torn from magazines - everything from National Geographic and Popular Mechanics to Museum Replica Limited catalogs and Toyfare.

I like looking through the bargain sections at Borders and Barnes & Nobles for those big cheap reference books too - I've found all sorts of good ones: dinosaurs, weapons, even Knight Templars.

Unfortunately it really just comes down to keeping all the weird things I come across, as I'll never know when I might need some really obscure pic. I guess the real trick is keeping the stuff you find organized in some way that makes sense to you, so you can actually find it later.

[Archerion]

I do alot of searching the Artistic Nudes on DA. There are a very good source for anatomy , poses and dynamic lighting. I ask the photographer if i want to use something. Also google and magazines can be great.

[rach83]

i use the internet, more then i should, but i also use magazines take my own photos, and i pick any thing that looks like it will have an interesting texture.

[mistresslegato]

Ever since high school, a teacher told me to keep a "morgue" of images. I'd tear out things from magazines and newspapers, etc. that I really liked. I buy a lot of art books, fashion magazines, etc. I try to keep fresh. Sometimes crazy stuff just comes from my brain, though! I have a TON of stuff in a box, so if I'm ever like "Man, I want to draw some cool looking glasses," I dig through it to the glasses section and pick a pair I want to work from!

[tyzue]

If I have an exact idea of what I need, then I have to go to interet cuz finding an EXACT pose in a magazine is damn near impossible.

I also hate looking at the screen for references. So I print them out

[rach83]

tyzue, you may want to look into getting a pose book. i use them all the time. and coupled with my knowledge of the figure i dont need to go online to look for a specific pose. plus its a good investment to have in your art library.

[tyzue]

Ohhh that's a good idea. I'm pretty picky when it comes to books; there are so many bad ones... I only buy em if they're really good. But a general pose book sounds like a good investment..

[rach83]

Mar 18, 2009 14:17:18 GMT -5 tyzue said:

Ohhh that's a good idea. I'm pretty picky when it comes to books; there are so many bad ones... I only buy em if they're really good. But a general pose book sounds like a good investment..

another good book for anatomy is Human Anatomy For Artists by Eliot Goldfinger. its kind of expensive but its very through

[tyzue]

Oh that is a good one. I own that one too

My absolute favorite anatomy book is called Drawing the Human Body by Giovanni Civardi (www.amazon.com/Drawing-Human-Body-Anatomical-Guide/dp/080695891X). I encourage EVERYONE to get this book. Go to the bookstore and thumb through it; it's BRILLIANT.
It's alot of written explaination on top of tons of examples. In the introduction he says that he knows artists that know the human anatomy better than some doctors lol. Kind of a scary thought but I suppose it makes sense :3

[seraph]

I actually used "Anatomy for the Artist" by Sarah Simblet. It's put out by DK books, but I think it's a good one.

[chargedgraphite]

I use a combination of art models from ' Art S. Buck ', as well as camera shots that I take with a digital flip camera/video recorder that I carry EVERYWHERE with me.

Also, magzines and clothes catalogs for clothing reference, to show how it lays on actual people. I suggest highly NOT using that one for figure reference though.

I use the models and see how the position would look, then framing out the image from the traditional method of using the classic stick figure/ wire frame method.

Another thing is to go to walmart or a local craft store and get yourself a portable pop up photography studio. It comes with a couple of standing lights, a panaramic surround canvas. With these models and other props, you can get nearly any angle you want for interior room shots. Simply use a flip cam, ( You can find one here and any radioshack or electronics store will carry a variety of generic and name brand models... www.theflip.com/ ), A couple of good, anatomically gendered artists models, ( www.dickblick.com/products/art-s-buck-anatomical-models/ ), and your computer to make an unlimited assortment of endless positioning and such.

I've been known to use my daughter's baby blocks and my nephew's army men for setting up really interesting long shots, as well as taking close ups of the models for profiles and such from new angles that I've needed to construct images.

Be creative. The concept of reference is to take that and rebuild it as a 3D object within a 2D environment. Something I wouldn't dare try but true none the less that my wife pointed out... Barbie clothes fit the models perfectly, which of course caused an issue for a bit with my 3 yr. old over wanting to play with and dress up my art models...lol. If you were ever desperate for the latest fashions and an example of how it would look in a specific given pose, there you go...heh.

Anyway, hope this helps. It's just one of the many methods to get the shot.

On a final note, pay attention to photography and coffee table books for interesting perspectives and composition for things as well.