REFERENCE PHOTOS
I’ve learned over time that not every artist needs only the highest resolution, sharpest reference photos with perfect lighting, so in addition to my best, I decided to also offer some photos that may not be the best quality, but have interesting, appealing subjects, great poses, etc.
- FREE: Reference Photo Packs (provided by via this website)
- art reference only
- personal and commercial use
- FREE: PaintMyPhoto PMP/pmp-art (WickedIllusion)
- traditional art reference only
- personal and commercial use, follow the site’s Terms of Use
- need an account to browse the site
- AFFORDABLE LICENSE: Wildlife Reference Photos (I.P.)
- art reference only
- personal and commercial use, follow the site’s Terms of Use
- FREE: DeviantArt (Esmeralda-stock)
- stock photos, stock packs, Ps brushes, textures
- personal and commercial use, follow my Stock Terms of Use
- need an account to download
- FREE: Pixabay (PurpleOwl)
- any personal or commercial use allowed by Pixabay’s license
- 500+ free photos, no notification or credit required
Examples of beautiful artwork based on my photos:
by Breanna Podlasly
by Caroline Arnott
by Christina Papaspiliopoulou
by Emily Bickell
by Janet Webb
by Marilyn De la Cruz
by "justlovetopaint"
by Kathleen Keegan McParland
by Sue Hewson
by Tatjana Bril
by "SteveN"
by "nitamp"
by Sarah Dowson
by Sue Hewson
ART SUPPLIES
Artists get asked about their art supplies all the time, so here’s a quick list of mine.
>>> HERE <<< you can find a longer list of art supplies I own/use/used to use along with detailed info, short reviews, tips and tricks + misc. commentary.
PAPERS
- Strathmore 300/400/500 Series Bristol
- Strathmore 400 Series Artagain
- Lana Bristol Drawing Board
- Claire Fontaine Pastelmat
- R.K. Burt Glassine
- Fabriano Black Black
- Arches Aquarelle
- Canson 1557
GRAPHITE
- Staedtler Mars Lumograph + black graphite pencils
- Conté à Paris graphite pencils
- Faber-Castell 9000 graphite pencils
- Faber-Castell Pitt Graphite Mat pencils
- KOOH-I-NOOR 1500 graphite pencils
- KOOH-I-NOOR graphite powder
- 0.5 mm Pilot Super Grip mechanical pencils
- 0.3 mm Staedtler Mars micro mechanical pencils
- 0.5 mm HB | 2B | 4B graphite leads
- 0.3 mm HB | 2B graphite leads
- blending stumps & brushes
- pencil extenders
- indenting tool
COLORED PENCIL
- Prismacolor Premier colored pencils
- Prismacolor Colorless Blender
- Caran d’Ache Luminance colored pencils
- Caran d’Ache Luminance full blender
- Faber-Castell Polychromos colored pencils
- Brush and Pencil Coloured Pencil Touch-Up Texture
- Zest-It Pencil Blend
PASTELS
- KOOH-I-NOOR Gioconda pastel pencils
- Stabilo Carbothello pastel pencils
- Faber-Castell Pitt pastel pencils
- Panpastels
SCRATCHBOARD
- Ampersand Scratchbord panel
- various brands of craft knives
- fiberglass brush
ERASERS
- Faber-Castell PERFECTION 7057 double ended eraser pencil
- Staedtler & Faber-Castell (dust-free) black erasers
- Tombow MONO Zero pen-style erasers
- Jakar mini electric eraser pen
- Tihoo electric eraser (2 eraser sizes)
- Factis BM2 mechanical pencil eraser
- KOOH-I-NOOR soft eraser pencil
- Kneaded erasers (various brands)
SHARPENERS
- KUM Automatic Long Point sharpener
- Helix Desktop Sharpener
- KUM Magnesium, M+R, Staedtler graphite 2-hole sharpeners
GEL/INK PENS & MARKERS
- Sakura Pigma Micron archival black ink pens
- Uni-ball UNI pin archival black ink pens
- 08 Sakura Gelly-Roll white gel ink pen
- Sakura Pen-Touch metallic paint marker (gold)
FIXATIVES/VARNISH
- Lefranc & Bourgeois pastel and charcoal fixative
- Winsor & Newton Professional satin varnish
- Winsor & Newton Professional fixative