2 Ways Top Illustrators Use Reference Images

Prompt: Flying Soccer Kick!

If you want to create more regularly, maybe if that’s only ten minutes a day, yesterday’s post has a prompt that will help you create some drive towards your goal.

If you were in the last session of Art Gym, you might recognise the poses we’re going to be drawing this week. For now until the next Creative Sprint we’ll be drawing sports poses using references.

TEN MINUTE ARTIST PROMPT

Draw the pose in the reference image provided.

You can pose a character you’ve created, it could be a dinosaur playing soccer or a kid, it could be a portfolio piece, make it sweet and light or bold and energetic, use the reference to create your image.

Here are 2 ways top illustrators use reference

1. Draw the image from imagination (without looking at the reference) then draw it again using the reference

2. Draw the reference image, then put away the image and draw it from imagination

Both methods produce really interesting results and help you create unique image without being derivative. As my fellow Art Gym instructor,

Katie Stack

would say, “No one is going to see the reference image”. Be creative.

Share you sports drawing here:

Now if you did attend the last Art Gym workshop, this would be a great opportunity to practice the 3 Rules of dynamic poses!