An Artist's Toolbox - Weyakin Designs

An Artist’s Toolbox: Art Reference & Research

Posted on May 19, 2023.

Many times through my life, I’ve heard this myth about artists: A true artist doesn’t need to look at pictures to help them draw—they can draw anything right from their own imagination. But, contrary to this tall-tale, reference images and research are wonderful assets for most artists, especially illustrators. And really, how many people actually have a photographic memory? Very few, if any.

Think about art schools. Life drawing is a basic foundation class most artists take. And what do they draw from? A live model—not just their imaginations. Artists don’t draw or paint in a void. Reference images and research are key tools to keep in your artist’s toolbox.

Collecting Reference Photos

Like many artists, you may first have an idea about something you want to draw or paint, and perhaps you’ll scribble a few rough sketches and jot down some notes to flesh it out. But, once you’ve got an idea, you need to develop it into a cohesive composition, whether it’s a one-off piece of art or part of a larger project, like a picture book or gallery series. This is when I turn to reference photos.

Reference photos are images you may find or take yourself to help you with accuracy in your drawing or painting. I usually use a mix of images found and images I’ve taken myself, depending on what I’m able to find and what my specific subject is. Once I have an idea of what the elements of my piece will be, I’ll start collecting reference images that help me accurately portray those elements.

Final art of a woman floating underwater with moon jellyfish. Next to the final image, two reference photos taken for the piece: one photo of moon jellies at the Mystic Aquarium. The other photo is the artist posing herself with lines to help with perspective. — *_{Final art of “Falling, Floating, Free”, next to two reference photos taken by me. Moon jellies at the Mystic Aquarium and me posing myself with lines to help me figure out perspective.}*

Taking Your Own Reference Photos

If part of my piece includes something I know I can find locally, I’ll go out and take some photos myself. Or if it involves a person in a specific pose, I’ll often pose myself or one of my family members to make sure I’m drawing that pose accurately. Sometimes, I’ll even use my dog as a reference (dogs are some of my favorite characters to add to a visual story). If a stranger were to look through some of the photos on my phone, they’d either think I’m a very interesting person, or downright crazy. Don’t worry though—it’s just reference photos.

A pencil drawing of a girl running next to a photo of the artist's daughter running used as reference. — _{A pencil drawing for a picture book dummy and one of several reference photos of my daughter running taken from the ground.}

Drawing From Live Reference

Another option for reference images is drawing from a live reference. You can have a friend or family member hold a pose for you while you draw. Or, go to a zoo to draw the animals you’re hoping to capture. You could even sit in your back yard to observe the birds or flowers.

Often it’s easiest for most artists to take photos of live references, so you still have that image to use back in the studio. But, sitting and enjoying the slow-down time of drawing a live reference can be a lovely experience in itself. I’m lucky to have places like the EcoTarium and New England Botanic Gardens at Tower Hill near me which I visit to find inspiration and references.

I recommend exploring local opportunities near you that can provide some surprisingly wonderful reference opportunities. Here are some resources to help you find great places near you.

You can search for zoos and aquariums near you using AZA.org
You can search for botanical gardens through the American Horticultural Society website
You can find a museum near you through the Museums 4 All website
You can also find a National Park near you at the National Parks Service website
And you can find local state parks near you through the America’s State Parks website

A sketchbook with ferns drawn in pen in front of ferns in the woods. Image by Victoria K. Chapman. — *_{A sketchbook drawing done from live reference in the woods of a species of wood fern while at New England Botanic Garden at Tower Hill}*

Collecting Found Images

For some subjects, it’s not always easy to go out and take or draw from live references. As nice as it would be to hop on a plane and travel to Hawaii to take reference photos of volcanoes, it’s usually not realistic, unless you live there. That’s when the internet comes in handy.

I don’t condone the stealing of other people’s images by any means, but looking at photos and other images for inspiration and to get a sense of what something looks like can be very helpful. As long as, in the end, your final piece of art isn’t a direct copy of somebody else’s work. Found reference photos are a means of practicing and finding inspiration, not plagiarism. Don’t steal the images—practice and learn from them, but then create your own composition from what you’ve found in your own style.

A northern saw-whet owl in a pine tree. Royalty-free photo by Chris Tolman via Pixabay. — _{An example of a reference photo used to help me learn what northern saw-whet owls look like, next to the final piece of original art. This photo is a royalty-free photo from Pixaby taken by Chris Tolman.}

"Happy Owlidays"! Three illustrated saw-whet owls wearing winter scarves on a tree branch. — _{An example of a reference photo used to help me learn what northern saw-whet owls look like, next to the final piece of original art. This photo is a royalty-free photo from Pixaby taken by Chris Tolman.}

Keep it Legal!

If you love a particular pose or way of lighting a figure that you want to borrow to use in your art, there are ways you can legally do so without violating copyright laws. There are a number of royalty-free reference photo websites out there that won’t step on any photographer’s toes, and can also support them and their art. Some are completely free, but it may be harder to search those and they may not always have what you want. Others have a nominal fee to give you access and you support photographers and their art through that. Artists supporting artists. Its’ a win-win.

Alternately, you can also reach out directly to a photographer and ask them for permission. Just make sure you get a clear “yes” and what their terms and restrictions are.

Here are a few pay reference photo websites:

And here are some free reference photo websites:

IMPORTANT: Always be sure to check out the terms for use. Some photographers require attribution if you directly use their work. Others require you pay an additional fee if it’s something you’ll be selling commercially.

Lisa Clough from Lachri Fine Art also has this great video about using reference photos legally that you can check out:

Doing the Research

Often times, I’ll realize I simply need more information before I can finalize part of my composition. I started to draw a child lying in a field of flowers, but realized I wasn’t sure which flowers actually bloom at the same time. Sure, many people wouldn’t notice if you drew a spring daffodil blooming at the same time as fall mums (unless they’re like me), but you might feel better knowing that your piece doesn’t contain gross inaccuracies.

Places to do the research

There are a lot of ways to research your subject matter, a classic place to do so being your local library. Books are an excellent resource if you can find a book about your subject. Libraries also have access to newspapers, magazines, and sometimes videos, microfiche, and photo slides. Libraries are an important local resource for so many reasons.

There is also, of course, the internet. But, you also need to be careful that your searches make use of reliable resources. Here are some of my favorite reliable sources of information for my nature research:

Audubon.org for bird and wildlife info
- and more regionally to me MassAudubon.org
NationalGeographic.com
- and their education blog: blog.education.nationalgeographic.org
SmithsonianMag.com
NOAA.gov
State wildlife websites, such as Massachusetts’: www.mass.gov/orgs/division-of-fisheries-and-wildlife

A lot of reputable newspapers, magazines, and education organizations have websites with free information. Just be careful of where you find your information and double-check it against other sources.

Watercolor and colored pencil illustration by Victoria K. Chapman. A smiling Black child lies in the grass among dandelions, asters, and clover with a ladybug on their shirt. — *_{For this image, I did some research to make sure dandelions, white clovers, and asters all bloom around the same time.}*

An example of why to do the research:

Perhaps you are drawing an echidna, a curious egg-laying mammal from down under as part of a non-fiction book you’re working on. It’s helpful to also find out where the echidna lives, its general size, its behavioral characteristics, and what its habitat looks like. If you draw an echidna in a New England forest, it’s going to seem awfully out of place. They’re actually from Australia, Tasmania, and New Guinea. Or if, for example, you draw an echidna next to a horse, but you draw them the same size, it’s also going to look rather odd. Echidnas are closer to the size of a large house cat.

A rough sketch of an echidna next to a horse, roughly the same size. The text reads, "Yeah, we're confused too..." — *_{A rough sketch of a horse-sized echidna next to a horse. Or…maybe it’s a tiny horse? We’re all confused here.}*

Doing the research will save you a lot of headache later when you find you included some innocent, but terribly inaccurate detail. It may be a little extra work, but I personally find it to be one of the most interesting parts of my job as an illustrator. And if you do have the opportunity to go on-location to do research for a piece of art, do it! That is, if you enjoy traveling and learning. I sure do.

Reference is Your Friend

Reference images and research are amazing tools that can help your art not only be more accurate, but more interesting as well. Research can help with precision, but it can also help with inspiration. And what artist doesn’t like feeling inspired? I love looking at photos, going out into the world to see new things, and spend time really looking at the amazing things around me. Plus, learning something new in the process can bring a whole other level of joy to your work.

Just remember that it’s okay to learn from other artist’ images, but stay away from plagiarism. Learn and practice, and then create something new and original that’s yours. If you want to copy another image, make sure to do so legally. And most of all, enjoy the time spent really looking at the world around you. This Earth is an amazing gift and there is so much to see!

Do you have other resources relevant to reference images and research that you’d like to share? Leave a comment here.

Do you have an art-related topic you’d like to hear about from me on this blog? Let me know!

An Artist’s Toolbox: Exploring Watercolor Brands

Posted on September 23, 2022.

There are a lot of materials for artists to choose from in the world. How do you settle on one medium, let alone specific brands of that medium? One of my favorite ways is to explore and play with mediums, especially my favorite—watercolors. Every year, my family will find various art supplies that I probably don’t need but want to try on my holiday gift list. And sometimes they surprise me too!

I fell in love with watercolors early on when I was a kid, and even more so when I discovered watercolors outside of the standard kids’ paints. My first set of “real” watercolors was gifted to me by my parents—an extensive full-pan set of the Winsor & Newton Cotman paints (their student-grade line). It was my go-to set for many years, which I added on to with liquid tube colors here and there. When I could afford it later on, I upgraded to their professional line, which offers more vibrant and longer-lasting pigment, though with an extra price tag. I was a Winsor & Newton gal for many years.

But, like many artists, I like to play and try out new things. I love it when other people introduce me to new materials to try. One year, my brother-in-law and sister-in-law gave me several tubes of M. Graham and Co. honey-based watercolors. As stocking stuffers, my husband gave me several Daniel Smith gemstone pigment watercolors from their PrimaTek line. I gifted myself some handmade pan watercolors from Artistic Isle after watching the amazing illustrator Stephanie Law create breathtaking shimmering pieces with them. I just had to try those out. I’ve purchased a tube of this or a tube of that when I’m looking for a particular pigment. I’ve built up a nice collection of watercolors that I like to mix and match. But, I’m always looking for other things to try.

To give you a sense of just a handful of the watercolor brands out there, I wrote a little bit about my experience with four different brands: Winsor & Newton, Daniel Smith, M. Graham & Co., and Artistic Isle.

Winsor & Newton

Winsor & Newton is a standard in the art world because their products are reliable and high-quality in both student-grade to professional. They have a variety of styles and colors to choose from and they’re relatively easy to find. You can find both liquid tube style and pan style in both the student and professional grade. Beginners find Winsor & Newton nice to start with because they have a lot of sets with a variety of basic colors that make it so you don’t have to think too hard about what colors you need to get. And the Cotman student line is a lot more affordable. But, professionals will also find their choice of over 100 colors for their needs with a vibrancy that’s consistent and mixes well.

What I like about them:

^{Winsor & Newton Sample Card}

Winsor & Newton has a consistent quality and range of colors to choose from—108 colors in their professional line to be exact. When I buy a tube of Winsor & Newton, I know what I’m getting and I know it’s easy to find at most art stores. I also appreciate that many of their colors come in more than one size. So, if I want just a little bit of one color, I can get a smaller 5ml tube. If I know I’m going to use a lot of a certain color, I can get the larger 14ml tube.

They also have cadmium-based colors in real cadmium (brighter color) or cadmium hues (not as bright, but overall safer and nice for student classroom situations). It’s nice to have choices. They also have a lot of mediums to use with watercolors to change up how the paint acts and what you can do with it, which can be fun to explore. I particularly love their iridescent medium.

Daniel Smith

Daniel Smith also has a wide range of watercolors to choose from, including several specialty lines. I have the most experience with the PrimaTek gemstone pigments, but I also have tried out the Extra Fine line of paints. One quality that Daniel Smith watercolors are known for is the granulation. Granulation is when the pigment separates in water, forming clumps of deeper color in some areas, which creates some of the interesting textures watercolor is known for. If you’re an artist who likes to play with texture and variations in pigment, granulation is something you’ll want.

What I like about them:

^{Daniel Smith Sample Card}

One thing I like about Daniel Smith is the consistency of quality. When you buy Daniel Smith, you know it’s high-quality and will last a long time. The Extra Fine line has a nice range of colors, which as mentioned before, granulate really nicely. This is great if you want texture and a natural flow to your color.

I really enjoy Daniel Smith’s PrimaTek line in particular. PrimaTek watercolors are made with actual gemstone pigments, including things like amethyst, bronzite, amazonite, sodalite, and garnet. Because they use actual gemstones in the pigment, many of them have a slight shimmer to them, which is a fun bonus. But, the color is also more of a muted and soft tone. Sometimes, that’s what you’re going for, so it’s nice for projects that have a softer color palette.

M. Graham & Co.

M. Graham & Co. uses a different approach for their paint production than some of the other art supply companies. One unique quality of their watercolors is that they use blackberry honey as a main ingredient. This creates a different consistency in the paint than standard watercolors both in how it spreads on the page and how it sits in your pan. This paint always remains tacky, even when exposed to air. This can be great if you prefer working with watercolors while they’re soft out of the tube. But, not so great if you want it to dry to pack it up, for example, in a travel pan.

What I like about them:

^{M. Graham & Co. Sample Card}

One of the things I really appreciate about M. Graham & Co. is that they use ingredients from nature as part of their commitment to preserving the environment. They also adhere to eco-friendly practices when running their business, including purchasing carbon off-sets and using renewable energy options. This is a big win for me as a consumer, knowing I’m buying from a company that cares about the Earth!

I also enjoy how M. Graham & Co.’s watercolors flow on the page. Because of the use of honey, the color spreads on the page in a very quick and smooth manner. It makes it really great for creating large washes, because it spreads so well before it dries. Their colors are also super vibrant and bright. If you want colors that pop off the page, you’ll find them in these paints. One of my favorite colors is their cobalt teal, because it’s a fantastic sky blue for children’s book illustrations that spreads on the page easily.

Artistic Isle

Artist Isle is a different kind of art supply company than the others listed here. They are a family business, run by just a small handful of people. And unlike larger art supply operations, their paints are usually limited edition. This can be both a great thing and a not-so-great thing. You know that the colors you’re getting are unique in the way that only hand-made paint can be. But, if you fall in love with a color, chances are, if you run out, you won’t find it again. Artist Isle’s watercolor paints only come in pan style, so if you prefer tubes, you’re out of luck. That said, the unique quality may make you want to try them out anyway.

What I like about them:

^{Artistic Isle Sample Card}

One of the watercolor products Artist Isle is known for is their metallic and shimmery paints. They create colors that have a lovely fairy-like shimmer and shine that adds a really magical touch to original art. They also make some colors that have two tones depending on which way the piece is facing. This can be really fun for original art in-person, but perhaps less-so for reproduced art. They do have regular watercolors that aren’t metallic or shimmery as well, and those colors are also wonderful to work with.

I love that you can find colors they create by hand that nobody else has. I just wish I could get my favorites again if I run out! As a bonus, they often give you a freebie pan when you order a certain amount and a lovely hand-written note. If you enjoy process videos, they also have some interesting reels on Instagram of the process of making their paints. I also love that their pans come with magnets adhered to the bottom so they easily fit into their watercolor tins, which makes it easy to arrange them how you want and take them with you.

I hope you found this review of watercolors helpful. No matter what brand of paint you try, it’s always fun to explore and play. As professionals, sometimes we can forget about the art of play, but it’s also one of the most important parts of our creative process. If you want to break out of a creative rut, maybe try something new just for fun!

An Artist’s Toolbox: Measuring & Templating Tools

Posted on February 16, 2022.

Various measuring and templating tools for artists including rulers, a circle maker, and flexible curve. — *Various Measuring and Templating Tools for Artists*

As illustrators and artists, there are a vast variety of tools at our fingertips that can make our work more interesting, easier, and more fun. This post is the first in a new series I’m writing called AN ARTIST’S TOOLBOX. The first topic for this series is about measuring and templating tools.

While many of us may prefer to freehand everything as much as possible because it feels more natural and more easy to go with the flow, there are also times where measuring and templating tools can not only help make measurements and shapes more accurate, they can also make our lives easier. In this post I’ll go through some of the measuring and templating tools I find myself using most often and some of their possible applications.

L-Square

The L-square as been one of the most helpful tools I own for measuring the initial dimensions of a piece, ensuring the corners are square and the horizontal and vertical lines are the same length. In the past, using only a ruler, I sometimes found myself with corners that weren’t quite square, resulting in one measurement being slightly longer than the other. Having to erase the initial lines and start over is just plain annoying. If you don’t notice your error until the piece is finished, it goes from annoying to downright frustrating. The L-square helps fix this measuring dilemma with nice precise square corners.

Draw one horizontal line and one vertical line all in one shot, making sure to mark where the end of your lines are. Then, flip the L-square around and do it again on the next two horizontal and vertical lines, lining up with the ends of the previous drawn lines. You end up with nice square corners and even lines!

I have an L-square from Blick that is 24” on one edge and 14” on the other edge. This is usually sufficient for my illustrations. But, squares come in many sizes, so consider what works best for your own work. Many places carry L-squares, including local hardware stores.

Benefits of the L-square:

90° square corners
Precise line measurements
Easier and faster to make accurate outlines for a new piece
BONUS: Metal squares are also helpful for creating a straight edge for cutting paper with an X-acto blade

Clear Grid Ruler

The clear grid ruler has been one of my go-to rulers for many years. I find this variety of ruler more helpful than a standard solid-colored ruler. The see-through grid allows you to see your work beneath the ruler so you can more accurate place your lines and line up with previously drawn lines. I find it especially helpful for illustrations that involve a lot of linear shapes, such as houses, windows, and tables. They’re also helpful for creating the horizon lines when dealing with tricky perspective pieces.

I have an 18” long and 2” wide clear grid ruler made by Westcott. Check with your local art stores or order one online. I bought my very first one from the school co-op at my alma mater, the University of Connecticut and got many great years of use out of it before needing to purchase a new one.

Benefits of the Clear Grid Ruler:

See-through grid makes it easier to see your existing piece below the ruler
The grid allows you to line up with previously drawn lines
Helpful and faster for drawing linear objects such as houses, windows, doors, and furniture
Helpful and faster for drawing horizon lines for tricky perspective pieces

Circle Maker Tool

The circle maker tool is something I more recently discovered as a handy all-in-one circle templating device. It serves as a protractor, compass, and circle template so you can make accurate circles of many sizes, up to about 5.75” in diameter. I’ve found it helpful for drawing things like moons, balls, circles for containing a smaller drawing on the page, and other round objects. It’s especially nice when you need to make multiple circles that are all the same size.

I have the Angle and Circle Maker by Helix. Ask your local art store if they carry this sort of tool or you can order it from an online art store.

Benefits of the Circle Maker Tool:

Make many sizes of circles with one tool
Works as a protractor, compass, and template
Easy to make many circles that are the same size
Makes circle-drawing faster and more accurate

Flexible Curve

The flexible curve is like the handy snake friend of illustration that you never knew you needed. This bendy ruler allows you to make your own custom curvy shapes and trace that shape onto your page. This allows you to create more organic shapes, but also draw it more smoothly. You can also more easily draw that shape multiple times once you’ve formed it—the flexible curve keeps its shape until you change it! One other benefit of the flexible curve is that because it has a ruler on each side, you can also measure shapes that aren’t straight.

I have a 32” long flexible curve made by Alvin, but they come in several sizes ranging from 12” to 40”. You can ask your local art store if they carry them, or if they can order one for you, or you can order one online.

Benefits of the flexible curve:

Make custom organic shapes
Create a smoother curved line than free-hand drawing
Use the shape as a template for creating repeated shapes—the curve keeps its shape until you change it!
Measure lines that aren’t straight.

Homemade Templates with Card Stock

Using a homemade template made from cut card stock. — *Homemade template made from cut card stock paper.*

Sometimes I find there’s a shape I need to make that isn’t available with any of my other template tools. I love keeping card stock on hand to make my own custom templates, similar to the templates elementary school teachers make for class art projects. You can free-hand draw your shape and then cut it out so you can repeat that shape by tracing it. Or you can use the computer.

If you want a more precise shape, you can draw your shape on the computer using a program such as Adobe Illustrator or even Microsoft Paint. There are a lot of programs that allow you to make basic shapes. From there, you can print your shape out and then carefully cut it out by hand. Then, you have a handy template you can trace.

Benefits of homemade templates with card stock:

You can make nearly any shape you want
Makes it easy to draw repeated and consistent shapes

Container Lids

Using a container lid as a template to trace a circle. — *A container lid from the kitchen as a template.*

Yes, you read that right. Container lids are one of my templating tools. When I need a shape that I don’t have another tool for, I go to my kitchen and see what I have. I have a lovely set of Pyrex glass dishes in various sizes with lids. Those lids are the perfect circle templating tools when I need a circle larger than my circle maker tool. It’s also something you don’t need to buy and probably already have in your house!

Benefits of container lids:

Cheap and already in your house
Different shapes and sizes that other tools might not provide

Measuring and templating tools are helpful pieces of equipment that can make our lives easier as artists and illustrators. The six tools mentioned above are just some of the many measuring and templating tools available to artists. These are the ones I find myself using the most and I hope you find some of them helpful too. Do you have some other measuring and templating tools you love? I’d love to hear about it! Leave a comment below to share your favorite tools.