Frostbite Studios

Her Touch - Process + Notes on reference

Added 2025-04-16 17:57:44 +0000 UTC

Good tidings Cerulean Patrons!

Another Behind the Scenes + Process on my recent illustration. This time, a bit more of a peek into my reference!

Notes on Reference: A lot of you have inquired about my references, or confessed you feel like you may rely too heavily on reference. I hope this assuages your fears— I use a TON of reference when creating my finished illustrations!

Younger me used to think using reference was “cheating” or taking a short cut somehow. But do you know where years of using no reference got me? Zero improvement, and lots of frustration. After all, you can’t expect yourself to be born knowing how to draw things without actually studying them first!

Once I started gathering reference and creating these “reference boards” before starting piece, I noticed a vast improvement in my work. Not only that, but having drawn with reference in turn improved my ability to draw without it because I had created a better visual library of what I knew how to draw.

In short, don’t be scared of reference. As long as you’re creating something new and not just copying/tracing someone else’s work. (I think as artists, we all know there is a line) Thats why I recommend the Reference Board technique! A charcuterie board of information to take bits of so you dont end up relying too much on any one reference. Hope this helps! :)