Best Artists Reference Apps

Handy Art Reference Tool

3D Lit Reference for Artists!

$1.99

This app provides artists with rotatable 3D models of hands, heads, and feet for drawing reference. Customize poses and lighting to achieve realistic results for your artwork. Additional packs for animal skulls and foot rigs are available for purchase.

Artist Tools

Reference tools for artists

Free

This app provides objective tools to analyze reference images for drawing. It helps artists improve tonal accuracy, check proportions, and understand value structures using traditional art school techniques. Features include value studies, color simplification, and various drawing guides.

Draw Gestures: Pose Reference

Figure Drawing & Quick Sketch

Free

Master figure and gesture drawing with timed pose practice. This app offers a smooth drawing experience with pressure sensitivity and tracks your progress. Ideal for artists of all levels looking to improve speed, accuracy, and confidence.

Art Reference: Easel Assistant

Grid, Value Study, & Palettes

Free

This app provides traditional artists with digital tools to aid in physical art creation. Features include value studies, gridlines, side-by-side reference viewing, and curated project collections. It offers a clean, ad-free experience designed for painters and illustrators.

The Artist Magazine

For artists by artists

Free

This mobile edition offers inspiration, advice, and insights from established artists to help you improve your craft. Access a vast library of practical content, with options to purchase individual issues or subscribe for ongoing access.

Artists & Illustrators

by Chelsea Magazine Company

Free

This app offers practical advice, inspiration, and expert technical guidance for painting and art creation. Explore various mediums and styles with content updated regularly. Purchase individual issues or subscribe for continuous access to art content.

Color Study: Simplify Painting

Simplify color, value & shape

Free

This tool helps artists analyze images by simplifying colors, values, and shapes. It provides guidance for mixing paints to match observed colors and offers advanced features for deeper artistic study. Organize your work and sync across devices.

Painting Recognition - ArtScan

Identify Iconic Artwork

Free

Instantly identify any painting by pointing your camera at it. Learn about the artist, historical context, and symbolism. Explore art history through bite-sized lessons and test your knowledge with quizzes. Save your art discoveries to a personal collection.

Value Study: art reference

Drawing Grid & Simplify Shapes

Free

This tool helps artists improve their drawing and painting skills by simplifying reference images into distinct value ranges. It allows users to break down tones step-by-step, highlight areas of similar value, and focus on light, shadow, and form.

Skelly - Art Model

Poseable Anatomy for Artists

$6.99

This app provides artists with a fully poseable, anatomically correct skeleton model for reference. Easily create custom poses, adjust lighting, and view from any angle to improve your drawing, sculpting, and illustration skills.

Pofi Create - Ideas, Reference

3D Creation‑Assisting Tool

Free

This app provides a comprehensive 3D creation toolkit for artists. It features a vast library of assets, including characters, animals, and scenes, along with powerful tools for posing, animation, camera control, and lighting. It simplifies complex artistic challenges for illustrators, comic artists, and animators.