December 12, 2024 • 7 mins
PureRef is a free, user-friendly program designed to help digital artists manage and organize their reference images. The program boasts an intuitive interface that makes it easy to create custom boards for arranging and accessing visual inspiration. PureRef's features include flexible image layout options, support for multiple monitors, customizable hotkeys, image import and locking capabilities, and export options for sharing with collaborators. By streamlining the process of collecting and accessing references, PureRef promotes better organization, increased creativity, and a more efficient workflow for digital artists, ultimately leading to higher quality artwork.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:00):
Hey there, ever feel like your digital art process involves drowning in a sea of reference images?
(00:06):
Oh, tell me about it.
Well today we're diving deep into a tool that might just become your new best friend, PureRef.
Yeah, it's more than just a handy tool I'd say.
It's like having a personal assistant, but you know, for your creative process.
Okay, but for anyone listening who like maybe hasn't encountered this before, what exactly is PureRef?
So basically it's a free application and they designed it specifically to organize and display,
(00:32):
well, all those reference images we all collect.
Okay, so not just another image viewer then?
Right, exactly.
Gotcha. The source material I read mentioned something about boards inside PureRef. What's that all about?
Yeah, so with PureRef you can create these, well they're customizable boards, and what this does is it just
helps you keep your references organized, like really organized.
I like organization.
(00:53):
Yeah, so okay, let's say you're working on a character design, right, for like a fantasy novel or something.
Okay, yeah.
You could make a board specifically for that character's costume ideas, pull in images of
different fabrics, armor styles, you know, anything that like sparks your imagination for the project.
Oh, that's great.
And then you could even have a whole other board, but dedicated to the character's environment.
(01:14):
Maybe images of forests or castles, whatever.
Wow, that makes so much sense. I could already see how much time that would save.
Yeah.
No more endless scrolling through folders trying to find that one specific image.
Exactly. Plus you can just drag and drop images directly onto your boards,
put them in whatever order you want, resize, rotate, it's really flexible.
You can even lock images in place.
(01:36):
Oh, that's cool. So they don't accidentally get moved.
Exactly. It's all about making your workflow, you know, as smooth as possible.
And how does PureRef work with like the whole digital art process?
Can you use it while you're working on a piece easily?
Yeah, and that's where the multi-monitor support is awesome.
Oh.
You can keep PureRef open on one screen with all your reference boards,
you know, all beautifully organized while you're working on your main canvas on the other.
(02:00):
So no more constant tab switching. That alone is amazing.
You got it. And it's like, it helps you think more creatively, you know.
The source material talked about how it can be a powerful tool for visual storytelling.
Hold on. Tell me more about that. Visual storytelling.
How does that work with PureRef?
Okay, so it's not just about finding like the perfect hand pose or fabric texture.
(02:22):
Right.
It's about capturing like a mood, an atmosphere, a whole narrative, but visually.
So imagine you're working on a comic book scene, for example.
Good.
You could have a board dedicated to the character's emotional arc,
pulling in references for facial expressions, body language, even color palettes to like,
you know, reflect their inner state.
(02:44):
Oh, that's interesting.
Yeah.
So you're using it to almost build a visual language for your project.
Exactly. It's like this visual brainstorming session,
but like with all your ideas organized and easy to access whenever you need them.
That is seriously cool. So it sounds like this isn't just for individual artists either.
I think the source material also mentioned using it for like, you know, teams.
How'd that work?
Yeah. Collaboration is huge with PureRef.
(03:06):
It really shines there. Like, especially if you're working remotely.
I bet. So do you just share your screen with the team or is there a way to collaborate
within the app?
So there's a cool feature in PureRef where you can actually export your boards
and then you can share them with your team.
Oh, nice.
Yeah.
So you don't even have to be like on the same like network.
(03:26):
Exactly.
Oh, that's very cool.
So, you know, maybe everyone's working on like a video game environment.
Okay.
And you've got a shared PureRef board going with like concept art, reference photos,
even 3D models to like, get everyone on that same page visually.
That's huge. No more trying to describe what you're picturing in your head through like,
(03:47):
you know, words.
Right.
That's awesome.
Yeah.
And this would be really handy, I'm guessing, for client presentations as well.
Oh, for sure.
Yeah.
Instead of just being like, all right, here's the final product.
Take it or leave it.
Right, right.
You're giving the client a glimpse into like your whole process.
You know, they can see like all the thought and inspiration that went into that final design.
That's huge.
(04:07):
It's like inviting them behind the scenes to see, you know, how the magic happens.
It really adds a whole other level of transparency and collaboration.
Absolutely.
And that builds a lot of trust and understanding, which I mean, let's be honest, it's invaluable
really in any creative field.
Yeah, definitely.
Okay, you've sold me.
So for our listeners out there, especially the ones who might be on the fence, like thinking,
(04:30):
this sounds cool and all, but will it really make a difference in my creative process?
Like, what would you say to them?
What's like the one key takeaway you want them to remember about PureRef or like, you know,
what makes it stand out from other tools?
I would say PureRef, like it empowers you to unlock and really enhance your creativity.
Okay.
And it does that by like streamlining that whole world of references, which can get really chaotic.
(04:53):
Oh, yeah.
It keeps you organized, keeps you inspired, but I think most importantly,
it keeps you laser focused on actually creating the art.
Beautifully said.
I'm curious though, the source material hinted that PureRef like could be a game changer,
not just for us, you know, individual artists or teams, but like for the future of digital
art as a whole.
(05:13):
Yeah.
What are your thoughts on that?
Oh, that's really interesting.
I mean, think about it.
Like PureRef could even change the entire landscape of digital art education.
How so?
Well, imagine like a classroom where students and teachers can instantly share these like
really visually rich boards.
Yeah.
And it's just like instant access to this huge world of inspiration and reference material.
(05:36):
That would be really cool.
Right.
Yeah.
It would just break down all those barriers between inspiration and creation.
Totally.
What about like art criticism?
Could PureRef have an impact there too?
Absolutely.
What if art critics could actually see like the evolution of a piece from the initial
mood board to the final artwork?
Oh, wow.
That would add a whole new dimension to understanding the artists like process and their intent.
(05:59):
Instead of just like seeing the final product, you get to see into the artist's mind.
Exactly.
And I think that deeper understanding can lead to much richer, more insightful critiques.
Wow.
Okay.
You've given us a lot to think about here.
It sounds like PureRef is more than just a tool.
It's like this catalyst for creativity, collaboration, and maybe even a shift in how
(06:22):
we perceive and experience digital art.
Yeah, I think so.
It'll be really interesting to see how artists and educators and critics continue to use it
and explore all its potential.
Yeah, it really makes you think about how technology can like, you know, not just enhance
what we're already doing creatively, but like reshape how we learn about critique and even
(06:44):
think about art.
Yeah, for sure.
Like it makes you think about the relationship between art and technology and how these tools
like PureRef, you know, they can push those boundaries even further.
I'm sold.
I'm adding PureRef to my digital toolbox like as soon as we're done here.
I think you'll love it.
And for our listeners, if you're, you know, if you're looking for a way to make your workflow
smoother or just like, you know, boost your creativity and maybe even spark some cool
(07:08):
conversations about, you know, where art's headed, give PureRef a shot.
Yeah, you might be surprised.
It's free.
It's easy to use.
And who knows, maybe it'll like unlock some creative potential you didn't even know you
had.
Love it.
That's a great place to wrap up, I think.
Thanks for joining us for this deep dive into PureRef.
Thanks for having me.
Until next time, keep those creative sparks flying.
Hey there, ever feel like your digital art process involves drowning in a sea of reference images?
(00:06):
Oh, tell me about it.
Well today we're diving deep into a tool that might just become your new best friend, PureRef.
Yeah, it's more than just a handy tool I'd say.
It's like having a personal assistant, but you know, for your creative process.
Okay, but for anyone listening who like maybe hasn't encountered this before, what exactly is PureRef?
So basically it's a free application and they designed it specifically to organize and display,
(00:32):
well, all those reference images we all collect.
Okay, so not just another image viewer then?
Right, exactly.
Gotcha. The source material I read mentioned something about boards inside PureRef. What's that all about?
Yeah, so with PureRef you can create these, well they're customizable boards, and what this does is it just
helps you keep your references organized, like really organized.
I like organization.
(00:53):
Yeah, so okay, let's say you're working on a character design, right, for like a fantasy novel or something.
Okay, yeah.
You could make a board specifically for that character's costume ideas, pull in images of
different fabrics, armor styles, you know, anything that like sparks your imagination for the project.
Oh, that's great.
And then you could even have a whole other board, but dedicated to the character's environment.
(01:14):
Maybe images of forests or castles, whatever.
Wow, that makes so much sense. I could already see how much time that would save.
Yeah.
No more endless scrolling through folders trying to find that one specific image.
Exactly. Plus you can just drag and drop images directly onto your boards,
put them in whatever order you want, resize, rotate, it's really flexible.
You can even lock images in place.
(01:36):
Oh, that's cool. So they don't accidentally get moved.
Exactly. It's all about making your workflow, you know, as smooth as possible.
And how does PureRef work with like the whole digital art process?
Can you use it while you're working on a piece easily?
Yeah, and that's where the multi-monitor support is awesome.
Oh.
You can keep PureRef open on one screen with all your reference boards,
you know, all beautifully organized while you're working on your main canvas on the other.
(02:00):
So no more constant tab switching. That alone is amazing.
You got it. And it's like, it helps you think more creatively, you know.
The source material talked about how it can be a powerful tool for visual storytelling.
Hold on. Tell me more about that. Visual storytelling.
How does that work with PureRef?
Okay, so it's not just about finding like the perfect hand pose or fabric texture.
(02:22):
Right.
It's about capturing like a mood, an atmosphere, a whole narrative, but visually.
So imagine you're working on a comic book scene, for example.
Good.
You could have a board dedicated to the character's emotional arc,
pulling in references for facial expressions, body language, even color palettes to like,
you know, reflect their inner state.
(02:44):
Oh, that's interesting.
Yeah.
So you're using it to almost build a visual language for your project.
Exactly. It's like this visual brainstorming session,
but like with all your ideas organized and easy to access whenever you need them.
That is seriously cool. So it sounds like this isn't just for individual artists either.
I think the source material also mentioned using it for like, you know, teams.
How'd that work?
Yeah. Collaboration is huge with PureRef.
(03:06):
It really shines there. Like, especially if you're working remotely.
I bet. So do you just share your screen with the team or is there a way to collaborate
within the app?
So there's a cool feature in PureRef where you can actually export your boards
and then you can share them with your team.
Oh, nice.
Yeah.
So you don't even have to be like on the same like network.
(03:26):
Exactly.
Oh, that's very cool.
So, you know, maybe everyone's working on like a video game environment.
Okay.
And you've got a shared PureRef board going with like concept art, reference photos,
even 3D models to like, get everyone on that same page visually.
That's huge. No more trying to describe what you're picturing in your head through like,
(03:47):
you know, words.
Right.
That's awesome.
Yeah.
And this would be really handy, I'm guessing, for client presentations as well.
Oh, for sure.
Yeah.
Instead of just being like, all right, here's the final product.
Take it or leave it.
Right, right.
You're giving the client a glimpse into like your whole process.
You know, they can see like all the thought and inspiration that went into that final design.
That's huge.
(04:07):
It's like inviting them behind the scenes to see, you know, how the magic happens.
It really adds a whole other level of transparency and collaboration.
Absolutely.
And that builds a lot of trust and understanding, which I mean, let's be honest, it's invaluable
really in any creative field.
Yeah, definitely.
Okay, you've sold me.
So for our listeners out there, especially the ones who might be on the fence, like thinking,
(04:30):
this sounds cool and all, but will it really make a difference in my creative process?
Like, what would you say to them?
What's like the one key takeaway you want them to remember about PureRef or like, you know,
what makes it stand out from other tools?
I would say PureRef, like it empowers you to unlock and really enhance your creativity.
Okay.
And it does that by like streamlining that whole world of references, which can get really chaotic.
(04:53):
Oh, yeah.
It keeps you organized, keeps you inspired, but I think most importantly,
it keeps you laser focused on actually creating the art.
Beautifully said.
I'm curious though, the source material hinted that PureRef like could be a game changer,
not just for us, you know, individual artists or teams, but like for the future of digital
art as a whole.
(05:13):
Yeah.
What are your thoughts on that?
Oh, that's really interesting.
I mean, think about it.
Like PureRef could even change the entire landscape of digital art education.
How so?
Well, imagine like a classroom where students and teachers can instantly share these like
really visually rich boards.
Yeah.
And it's just like instant access to this huge world of inspiration and reference material.
(05:36):
That would be really cool.
Right.
Yeah.
It would just break down all those barriers between inspiration and creation.
Totally.
What about like art criticism?
Could PureRef have an impact there too?
Absolutely.
What if art critics could actually see like the evolution of a piece from the initial
mood board to the final artwork?
Oh, wow.
That would add a whole new dimension to understanding the artists like process and their intent.
(05:59):
Instead of just like seeing the final product, you get to see into the artist's mind.
Exactly.
And I think that deeper understanding can lead to much richer, more insightful critiques.
Wow.
Okay.
You've given us a lot to think about here.
It sounds like PureRef is more than just a tool.
It's like this catalyst for creativity, collaboration, and maybe even a shift in how
(06:22):
we perceive and experience digital art.
Yeah, I think so.
It'll be really interesting to see how artists and educators and critics continue to use it
and explore all its potential.
Yeah, it really makes you think about how technology can like, you know, not just enhance
what we're already doing creatively, but like reshape how we learn about critique and even
(06:44):
think about art.
Yeah, for sure.
Like it makes you think about the relationship between art and technology and how these tools
like PureRef, you know, they can push those boundaries even further.
I'm sold.
I'm adding PureRef to my digital toolbox like as soon as we're done here.
I think you'll love it.
And for our listeners, if you're, you know, if you're looking for a way to make your workflow
smoother or just like, you know, boost your creativity and maybe even spark some cool
(07:08):
conversations about, you know, where art's headed, give PureRef a shot.
Yeah, you might be surprised.
It's free.
It's easy to use.
And who knows, maybe it'll like unlock some creative potential you didn't even know you
had.
Love it.
That's a great place to wrap up, I think.
Thanks for joining us for this deep dive into PureRef.
Thanks for having me.
Until next time, keep those creative sparks flying.
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
My Favorite Murder with Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark
My Favorite Murder is a true crime comedy podcast hosted by Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark. Each week, Karen and Georgia share compelling true crimes and hometown stories from friends and listeners. Since MFM launched in January of 2016, Karen and Georgia have shared their lifelong interest in true crime and have covered stories of infamous serial killers like the Night Stalker, mysterious cold cases, captivating cults, incredible survivor stories and important events from history like the Tulsa race massacre of 1921. My Favorite Murder is part of the Exactly Right podcast network that provides a platform for bold, creative voices to bring to life provocative, entertaining and relatable stories for audiences everywhere. The Exactly Right roster of podcasts covers a variety of topics including historic true crime, comedic interviews and news, science, pop culture and more. Podcasts on the network include Buried Bones with Kate Winkler Dawson and Paul Holes, That's Messed Up: An SVU Podcast, This Podcast Will Kill You, Bananas and more.
The Joe Rogan Experience
The official podcast of comedian Joe Rogan.