Reference Photos

I primarily used to use Free Reference Photos for Artists on Facebook, but that has changed. While I still access that group, I now use Unsplash.

There was no way I couldn’t purchase a membership to Unsplash because the images are so beautiful. It also has an app that I can use on my phone. 

Not only is it a good way to get inspired, but it makes it easy to pull details from multiple images to create a composition that I’m going to love.

Giving Credit Where It’s Due

When my paintings closely match the reference photo I’m using, I give credit to that photographer. For example, with my piece Reach, I sent the photographer some money to compensate them for using their incredible photo.

It’s important to me that if I’m regularly using one photographer’s images, I give them proper credit.

And I expect the same in return.

I don’t believe in gatekeeping, and I want people to be able to access the same images I use. I fully expect that when I'm using reference photos, other artists are also making art from those images. That's okay! 

If you give the same photo to a hundred artists, you will see similarities, but none will be identical unless they're copying from each other. I'm okay with people copying my work so they can learn. And I also respect myself and my hard work. 

If you sell work that you copied from me, it's nice if you acknowledge who inspired you. I still regularly talk about who is inspiring me, and give credit to others for lessons I've learned by watching and then emulating.

Loving the Process

I’ve found a lot of happiness creating pieces for Oceans Month, and having access to reference photos has been a huge part of that.

I’ve felt joy, inspiration, excitement, nostalgia, perspective, and groundedness as I work on these paintings. 

This is important to me - to love my art. And I want my collectors to feel every emotion that has been poured into each piece. If I don’t love the process, what’s the point?