Free Reference Images for Artists: Top Resources You Can't Miss
The Struggle is Real: Finding Good Reference Images
Back when I first began doing graphic and web design for small businesses, the hardest pain point I had to face was finding images that I could legally use. I have found that most small businesses don’t think about their legal liability of using imagery across the web. It’s easier to just grab what you find and the vast accessibility of the world wide web makes it even simpler. When that liability is all on yourself, it’s maybe not as big of a deal. It’s only you to take it down when someone complains or on you to face your own legal repercussions. For a small business representing another small business, it’s more important to CYA.
I had learned to rely a lot on making my own graphics, but that was a massive learning curve in the beginning. I had also found places that offered huge resource libraries you could download for a fee. When you’re first starting out, this is a hefty expense and then you are limited to just the images you own. But why does it matter?
A Quick Note About Copyright & Image Use
Let’s quickly cover what copyright is, just in case you’ve never looked into it before. According to copyright.gov, the definition is this:
Because so many works are covered by copyright, this means the owner has rights to their work. It is up to them how and when they can be distributed. There are different ways to cover your work, but in the United States any of the above creations are immediately covered by copyright law without having to file anything.
What does this mean for business owners trying to use imagery across the web?
For starters, it means that you can’t just take someone else’s image and use it as your own. You either need permission or you need to find images that you can use legally. These tend to be called Royalty-Free or Copyright-Free, Public Domain or Creative Commons Zero. These are the search terms you want to use if you are trying to find images you can use legally, with or without attribution. We will discuss these in more depth in another blog, but for now let’s get back to the topic at hand: How to Find Free Resources.
If you are a graphic designer or artist, you often need imagery as reference. If you are a web designer, you need imagery to fill in the blanks and draw the eye across your web page. You might also need editable icons. In many instances these are things you can create yourself, but when time and resources are tight it’s easier to find what you need from someone who has already done the work.
It took a long time for me to figure out where I could get free images. I had scoured the internet and often found most things were stuck behind a paywall that I couldn’t afford unless I charged the client for what I needed. For many starting out, this is the most viable option. After awhile I was finally able to find what I needed - free, reliable and easy to search websites that provided high quality resources to help me with a variety of different projects. I don’t like to gate keep, so let’s dive in!
#1 Unsplash
This is one of my favorite resources to use for the following reasons:
The absolute best search engine. I can always find what I need.
The photography is unique. I’m often so inspired by pieces I didn’t expect to find.
Everything is high quality and every photo offers a variety of download options to meet your needs.
It’s free! There is now a paywall for higher quality options, but the site still remains mostly free. And the free options are still top notch.
Attribution isn’t required and these can be used for commercial or personal use. In fact, Unsplash does a great job laying out their use policy which you can find here.
Whenever anybody is looking for a free resource for anything - food, animals, people, landscapes, etc - this is my first recommendation. They have it all, along with some of the best contributors on the internet. I highly recommend you check this out even if you are just looking for inspiration.
#2 Pixabay
Pixabay is my next choice - great for vectors and corporate photography. It is a particularly strong choice for web designers. Here are a few of the things I like about this:
Every search is going to provide you a good amount of vector graphics (which are scalable and usually don’t have a background) and photography.
Many of the images are already edited to convey the message you might be trying to put across.
They offer a variety of download sizes, you may just need to sign up for a free account to download bigger images.
They also very clearly lay out their license use, for both personal and commercial. You can find those here.
I do find that Pixabay has a couple of downsides. In the beginning, their search really wasn’t very good. It has gotten better, but sometimes I still have to get creative with the words I search with to find what I’m looking for. I also have noticed that they are allowing more AI art into their platform. This is likely to happen across many resources, so just be aware and honor your stance on the use of AI.
Another bonus to this platform is for anyone who does video editing or creation. They have a ton of free video and sound resources that fall under personal and commercial use.
#3 Pexels
My final fav is Pexels. This is similar to the first two, but they focus a lot of Photography and Video. They offer a wide range of whimsical to corporate photography that is great for any kind of site. Here are some of my favorite parts:
The search results will bring you a variety of options, allowing you to find what your looking for or be inspired by a whole new concept.
The downloads are free and offer a variety of file sizes based on your needs.
Their terms of use are very clear and they even offer a quick guide on how to use the photography you download. You can find more info on that here.
They offer challenges to keep their contributors involved.
Honorable Mention: Gratisography
Gratisography is one of my absolute favorite sites to visit when I want the coolest photo you’ll ever find. I will note - you don’t tend to go here searching for something in particular because you aren’t likely to find it. The artist who runs this site has been taking pictures and editing themselves. They are cool and unique, but only simple search terms work. Fortunately, they have been nice enough to divide them up into sections like animals, people, etc. Despite all the work they put into these, they actually offer a super simple license for both personal and commercial, which you can find here. This is really just a gem hidden among the interwebs.
My final word of caution is this - always do your research before you start using other people’s images. In most cases, you can use them in blogs, websites or in other forms across the web. But! You cannot resell what other people are giving away for free, because they still are covered by copyright. If they aren’t making money on it, neither are you.
With that said, the above resources are fantastic places to find the imagery you need for your project. If you have any comments or questions or need more help, feel free to email me molly@thedesignscribe.com. Afterall, this is just a small taste of the resources I’ve found over the years. I hope this helps!