What is the best reference picture search engine?

[wilkerson]

I've been using google image search by default but it's just not cutting it.
What sites do you use?

[Sushy]

Good question. I use Google a lot as well, and I am not so happy with it either. I am curious to see what others use.
I have sometimes used http://www.pbase.com/ but not so much.

[QueenGwenevere]

Actually, I often get better results with plain Google rather than Google images; or a combination of Google and Google images... Images aren't always identified very well, so sites with the most relevant images may not even show up in Google images, but they'll show up in Google. Sometimes it takes a lot of clever combinations of search terms to even start getting close to what I want, and then I follow links in the best results to find more related material, or I look at the best results for clues to better search terms.

Afraid I don't know any good alternative. There are sites I go to for specific subjects (costume, animals, etc.), but no better general image searching sites that I know of.

[bara]

I tend to use flickr alot actually.

[Kiera]

References for what?

Shutterstock with subscription nails it most of the time. The thumbnails are oftentimes just good enough.
Flickr with photographers for certain genres or themes bookmarked, like arctic tundra: http://www.flickr.com/photos/bolotbootur/page8/ or tibet: http://www.flickr.com/photos/reurinkjan/
Deviantart has a lot of people who do stock photos as hobby, esp. fantasy and poses
Tumblr delivers when it comes to sexy people, weird fashion, washed out pictures of iceland or cats in space.

My favorite reference site is this Flickr page: http://www.flickr.com/photos/nightmaresfearfactory/

[Elwell]

I've been using google image search by default but it's just not cutting it.

You're doing it wrong: http://muddycolors.blogspot.com/2013...rt-2-of-3.html

[Arshes Nei]

I know they're becoming more of an endangered species to people...but

Magazines, libraries, bookstores.

[Vandall]

I know they're becoming more of an endangered species to people...but

Magazines, libraries, bookstores.

Agreed, I use silly glossy mags alot for reference

[Arshes Nei]

Agreed, I use silly glossy mags alot for reference

It's not that I don't use image search engines, and as Elwell pointed out in that article, sometimes people default to certain keywords because they really don't know how to research.

For example.

I'd get a lot of bargain bin books from the store. Like I found one with a ton of reptiles. So having that book gave me better keywords to look for. Instead of being totally clueless and googling "lizard" I'd look at the book and find the species name or other nicknames it went by.

So instead of snubbing your nose at a book, it might not be a bad idea to pick up old books from the stores to help further your research with more specific keywords.

[QueenGwenevere]

And for some subjects it's still easier to find good books than good websites... (Costume. Seriously. The books I've found on historical costume are 1000 times better than any websites I've found.)

[Elwell]

Seriously people, research skills are as important as artistic skills for the working illustrator. You can never know enough.

[OmenSpirits]

Seriously people, research skills are as important as artistic skills for the working illustrator. You can never know enough.

This^ +infinity

[ArtsySiridean]

Seriously people, research skills are as important as artistic skills for the working illustrator. You can never know enough.

Welp, I ain't gotta say shit.

For the record, reddit, flickr, whatever I can get my hands on. If it's useful to you, why not use it?

[keremcantarhan]

I use Deviantart a lot. I'm subscribed to 4 stock accounts and they provide me with a lot of materiaö to work with.

Also I use Wikipedia a lot. This may sound strange but actually reading about what you want to draw sometimes gives the best inspirations. Also, you can find good photos there occasionally.

This site is good to: http://www.cinemasquid.com/blu-ray/movies/screenshots

[Marc Anderson]

Have you tried shooting your own reference? You can get a 3D view of the subject that way so better understanding of it.