Every well known artist says you should be using reference. But as a beginner, it might not be clear exactly how to utilize it. Here’s a simple method that will train your visual memory, boost your confidence in creative decision making, and help you develop your own voice all at once.

I call this the Imaginative Development Method, which my students refer to as IDM for short. This study method can be completed in four easy steps and only requires 30 minutes to practice, but you may extend the sessions for more complex imagery.

You can download a free worksheet below. 

What You'll Learn 

• How to use a 4-step method to improve your art with references.
  
• How to train your visual memory and draw from imagination.
• How to turn studies into original art that shows off your style.

Follow Along 

• Download Reference (4.62 MB)
• Download Worksheet (5.7 MB)
• View Video Process

1. Study the Reference 

(5 minutes)

Start by analyzing the image. Do whatever helps you really see it. This step is not to be skipped! You’re going to exercise your ability to recall what you analyzed in the next exercise. 

• Take notes

• Draw over it

• Break it into simple shapes

• Measure proportions and landmarks

2. Memory Drawing

(5-7 minutes)

Step 1

Begin this step by hiding your reference image and the notes from the first step.

Step 2

Set a timer and draw what you remember until the timer ends. Seriously–no peeking!

Step 3

At the end of the drawing exercise, take 1-3 minutes to write about how the session went. 

• What did you remember? 
• What did you forget? 

Memory drawing is hard. So if you struggle with this part, don’t beat yourself up. You’re supposed to forget things. That’s part of the process.

Make quick, honest notes. No self roasting.

The more you practice recalling from memory, the easier it gets. The easier it gets, the more often you’ll be able to pull from what we artists call a “visual library” to draw things from imagination. But it’s hard to build that library without developing your memory by drawing from reference material like we’re doing today.

3. Redraw using the reference

(5-7 minutes)

Step 1

You’re going to draw the image again, but this time you’ll keep the reference in full view. You may keep your first drawing and notes nearby to guide your focus.

As you draw, think critically: 

• What do I understand better now? 
• What details really matter to the likeness? 
• What is important to include that I forgot in my memory drawing?

Step 2

Once again, take 1-3 minutes to write about how the session went.

4. Frankenstein

(5-7 minutes)

It’s time to do what we artists do best. We’re going to frankenstein our drawings to create a version that’s all our own. My students helped me come up with the term Frankenstein to describe this part of the method because we’re taking all the different pieces of our approaches and making them into one final image. It’s alive!

Step 1

On this last round, hide the reference and the original notes.

Step 2

Keep both your earlier drawings and written reflections in view.

Step 3

Now, draw the image one final time–but with intention.

• Keep what you liked from previous versions
• Let go of what felt off or didn’t work
• Embrace what feels meaningful to your expression, not just what is “correct”

You’re no longer just copying, you’re interpreting. The image may evolve. It may end up looking nothing like the reference. It might even look closer to the reference. In this step, you’re honoring the reference while letting your own taste and instincts shape the outcome. 

There is a time and place for technique. But we must not forget our own creative instincts.

This final step is so important to us as artists. It gives us permission to ask ourselves what we see in the image, what we like, and what draws us in. These are the things that will inspire attention to your work but we are so often told to ignore these instincts in favor of developing “correct” fundamentals.

Why use reference in art?

Drawing from imagination isn’t about making things up from thin air. It’s about recalling and remixing what you’ve studied from real life and images. And that’s where reference comes in. But not all references are created equal.

Great artists use reference constantly, not just to get something “right,” but to push their understanding and train their eye.

You want references that feel alive, intentional, expressive. You want models that don’t just pose, but inhibit the scene. You want lighting, movement, and storytelling. That’s where TrueRef comes in.

They hire diverse models. Not just in looks but in personality. This makes for more natural storytelling, leaning into the model’s natural vibes to build a theme or character. This makes them come alive in each shot and this is something we artists love to capture in our work.

There’s no AI imagery. They know the damage done to search engines and sites like Pinterest. While the internet used to be a well of resources for artists looking for references, it has turned into a sea of doubt. What’s real? What’s not? TrueRef won’t make you second-guess your material.

The material is made with the artist in mind. Requests from the art community influence TrueRefs decision making for poses to come next, while also being curated by folks with a passion for art. 

Why does this work?

This isn’t just memory training. It’s decision-making practice. You’re actively choosing what to see, what to remember, what to simplify, what to exaggerate. 

Over time you’ll start pulling those choices into your original work, making art that’s both informed and unmistakably yours.

You’re training your brain to design, not just record.

While these exercises can be used as individual studies, the results can also be turned into final illustrations. I used my Frankenstein method, combined with further analysis of the reference, to paint a portrait of our stunning model!

If you’re ready to level up, grab some high-quality reference from TrueRef and give this method a try. Your sketchbook–and future self–will thank you.

View Video Process