Every conceptual artist is inspired by someone or something. It’s important to embrace these influences—to actively learn from them and be transparent as to where we got our ideas. At the same time, it’s important to make sure that we’re not forging the works of other artists or failing to develop our own style.
References are one way of seeking out direct inspiration. This guide provides a few tips on how to seek out concept art inspiration and how references can help.
Why references matter in concept art
A reference can be handy when trying to draw something new for the first time. From nailing a character’s facial expression to visualising an intricate cathedral backdrop, the use of references can play an important part in helping us to include certain details so that our art looks identifiable and accurately proportioned. When helping to sell out ideas, using references can also help to show people the source of our inspiration. We can also use references to show the adaptations we have made to the source material in order to prove that our concept art is still unique.
Top sources of inspiration for concept artists
Art inspiration sources can come in many forms. A few examples of concept art references that we can directly draw upon include:
Observing physical surroundings: You can go outside and sketch sights such as people or trees. Observing surfaces and fabrics could even help you to imitate certain textures.
Photographs: Search photo libraries such as Pexels and Unsplash to take inspiration from public domain photos.
Learn from the drawings of fellow concept artists or take artistic inspiration from stock cartoons or comics. Paintings and sculptures: You could even observe paintings and sculptures and learn techniques from famous artists.
Videos: Videos can be a great source of inspiration for animated concept drawing or simply understanding how things move. You can even use video stills for a backdrop or framing inspiration.
Books and magazines: Many books and magazines contain images that you can use as inspiration. These images could include photos, illustrations or graphics.
Flyers/posters: Print marketing mediums such as flyers, posters, leaflets and menus may even provide inspiration.
Websites: Websites can also be creative references for artists when looking for images or graphics to take inspiration from.
