Reference management
Select, organize, and check visual reference so it supports focused painting decisions.
What it is
Reference management covers gathering, sorting, and tracking the images you use for a painting. You identify what the piece needs, find suitable images, and keep them visible while you work.
Define specific needs such as material, pose, lighting, or mood. Build a focused board with images grouped by purpose, such as anatomy, fabric folds, or color mood.
Compare your painting with the references for specific questions about edges, color relationships, and light. Replace references that mislead you, limit unrelated image changes, and name and sort files so you can find boards again.
Why it matters
Organized reference keeps painting decisions consistent, supports problem-solving, and makes useful results easier to repeat. Weak reference control can lead to drifting colors, generic materials, or vague designs when images are too numerous, conflicting, or difficult to find.
You can check it when
- ✓You assemble a focused reference set of 10–30 images with a stated purpose for each piece.
- ✓Your boards group images by purpose, such as pose, clothing, materials, lighting, or mood.
- ✓You check specific questions against reference, such as highlight saturation or edge sharpness.
- ✓You can reopen an older project and locate its reference without searching through unsorted downloads or unnamed folders.