Literature
Finding and sorting reference photos
I have mentioned how useful reference photos can be often enough - to the point where I've even written several tutorials about how to use them, found here, here and here. The very short version, for those who aren't already familiar, is that references can help you with proportions, lighting/shading, colors, as well as details and textures. Oh, and they aren't "cheating" - they are just a useful tool. Now, this is all well and good. But this leaves the issue of finding the photos you want - and the photos you can use. Where to find photos you can use First of all, we'll touch briefly upon the subject of copyright. (Disclaimer - copyright law is different in different countries, and I'm no lawyer.) Said simply, you can't use others' images/photos without permission - and others can't use yours. Chances are very low someone will catch you if you use some photos found on Google Images for private purposes, but you shouldn't earn money on them in any way. Then... where can you find