Every artist needs references, and while you can create your own or Google images, finding professional references that fit a project can take time. If, like me, you’re still wrestling with hands and lighting and whether that background looks weird, then finding exact references for those issues can be a trudge. That’s why I keep drifting back to art sites that act as tools, and it's why I love working on Creative Bloq: we tick some of the boxes that inspiration needs, from our list of Procreate tutorials to a roundup of digital art to unspire.
I have a mix of sites I like to dip into for reference and inspiration. One such site is ShotDeck, a giant searchable archive of film stills, and it’s incredible for getting unstuck. Need references for green lighting in fog? Brutalist interiors? Lonely silhouettes? Neon reflections on wet streets because apparently every artist alive wants to make Blade Runner fan art eventually? It has it all, but the real joy is accidentally learning why images work as you start noticing framing, colour balance, and weird little lighting tricks that cinematographers love to use.
