Hand Drawing Reference - 100 Free Photos in Various Poses - (2025)

Are you an artist in need of some hand drawing reference photos? Well, you have come to the right place. Below is a free PDF of 100 photos of hands. The photo references include many different angles of hands in a variety of poses. As well, the photos are of a few different models, ranging from young to old.

Sometimes artists can get stuck in a rut drawing the same hand positions over and over. These photo references provide some great ideas of interesting hand poses to draw. Artists can use them to help improve their art. Another idea for artists is to save these references for later and come back to them when looking for reference of a specific pose.

Furthermore, artists can use these references to avoid poorly drawn hands and getting accused of being an AI artist. We have all drawn a wonky hand (or two hundred), but anyone can improve with a little practice. So, if you struggle with drawing hands use these photos to bust out a few studies right away, and level up your art.

Get the Photos

Why Would Anyone Want a Bunch of Hand Drawing References?

Well, hands can sometimes be hard to draw without reference. After all, they are a complex form to depict. Having reference photos makes it easier for artists who have not drawn many hands yet. Likewise, it makes it easier for artists struggling to envision the right forms of the hand or to come up with interesting poses.

Using reference photos helps artists of all levels to practice and get better at drawing hands.

Additionally, having a PDF of 100 hand drawing references is a great resource for artists to keep on hand. It can be time consuming to search online for a bunch of high resolution, free photos of hands. Many hand photos online are too dark, too blurry, too small, not for public use, behind a paywall, or require attribution.

But the PDF of hand photos offered here includes a plentiful amount of quality images. As well, it is free for artists to use without fear of copyright.

Related content: How to Draw Hands – Learn the Secrets of the 3 P’s

Types of Hand Drawing References Included

Wondering what types of photos are included? The hand drawing reference photos are diverse in their poses. For example, there are poses including foreshortening of the fingers and palm. Additionally, there are photos of hands holding objects, such as a pencil, a mug, and a ball. Other poses included are hands pointing, holding, reaching, counting, and making a fist.

As well, the variety of photos included provides artists many different things to study. For example, artists can do studies that focus on how the light and shadows vary in each photo. Additionally, the references are all in full color, so artists can practice how to color or paint hands. As well, the various poses included are great for artists trying to study the volumes of the fingers and palm.

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Terms of Use

This PDF of hand drawing references is free so that artists can have a good resource for making art or practicing to get better at art. However, there are a few terms of use.

Artists may use these hand photos as reference for artistic purposes. They may reference, trace, or distort the images however they like. Additionally, artists may use the references for art and monetize it.

Giving credit or attribution for these photos is completely optional. Nonetheless, it helps other artists discover this free resource and improve their art as well. So giving credit is very much appreciated. To give credit, please share the link to this article (gabriellabalagna.com/hand-drawing-reference) or tag me on Twitter or Instagram.

Furthermore, please do not redistribute or publish these photos on another site. Similarly, do not sell the hand drawing references PDF as a printed or digital book. However, as mentioned previously, sharing about this PDF is welcomed.

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Ideas for How to Use the References

There are many different uses for these free drawing references. Here are a few ideas of how artists can use the references:

  • Use the references to improve the hands you draw for illustrations or comics.
  • Study the volumes of the hands. Try and block out the shapes of the hand. If you find your lines are too sketchy, try using a pen or marker so you stop second guessing yourself. This exercise is not about making things pretty. Just focus on understanding and memorizing the forms of the hand.
  • Study the contours of the hands. Use one single line to establish the positive and negative space of the hands. With this exercise, do not worry about the details in the middle of the hands.
  • Practice using stylization when drawing hands. For example, trying emphasizing the straights and curves of the hand. Or try to exaggerate a pose.
  • Practice your line work. Try to improve your confidence in your brushstrokes as you draw the hands.
  • Study the colors of the hands. Do some digital or traditional painting to focus on the hues, saturation, brightness, and contrast of hands.
  • Try to improve your imaginative drawing of hands. To do so, first draw with the references. Then, test your memory, and draw again without the references. Also, try to take mental notes to help you improve drawing hands without reference.
  • Do a drawing challenge and try to draw all 100 hands. You could draw ten each day or try to draw them all by a certain deadline.
  • Draw the hands to help fill up space in your sketchbook or finish it up.
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A Big Thank You

Finally, I just want to leave a thank you for my hand models. They did a great job posing in random positions, even if it seemed silly. And it was very kind of them to offer their time free of charge. Because of them, artists can have access to a good free resource for drawing hands. So let’s not let their efforts go to waste. Be sure to draw a few of these poses or let other artists know about this handy resource.

Get the Photos

How Will You Use These Hand Drawing Reference Photos?

Are you going to make art using these photos as reference? Are you thinking about sketching all 100 of the hand drawing reference photos for practice? Either way, tag me on Twitter or Instagram so I can see what you create.

Also, be sure to subscribe for more content like this. For example, my how to draw hands tutorial.

Interested in my art? Start reading my comic, Kindred Not.

Hand Drawing Reference - 100 Free Photos in Various Poses - (2025)

FAQs

Where can I find legally free reference photos for my art? ›

Here is a list of sources for my fellow creatives to begin compiling and creating artwork that expresses their dreams.
  • Unsplash. ...
  • Pixabay. ...
  • Paint My Photo. ...
  • Picjumbo. ...
  • Startup Stock Photos. ...
  • Libreshot. ...
  • Pexels. ...
  • Splitshire.

How do you draw a easy hand drawing for free? ›

A Guide to Free-Hand Drawing for Total Beginners
  1. Tip 1: Loosen up your mind and imagination. ...
  2. Tip 2: Make your observations your biggest inspirations. ...
  3. Tip 3: Always have your sketchbook and pencil with you. ...
  4. Tip 4: Concentrate and always improve on your proportions. ...
  5. Tip 5: Make your drawings more realistic with depth.

Where to find reference poses for drawing? ›

The best free pose references for artists
  • Sketch Daily. Sketch Daily is one of the first websites that come mind for practicing or getting some pose inspiration. ...
  • Jen (Jookpub Stock) ...
  • Pose My Art. ...
  • The Pose Archives. ...
  • Pose Maniacs. ...
  • Pinterest.
Mar 11, 2024

Where do artists get their reference photos? ›

And here are some free reference photo websites:
  • Colin Bradley Art Reference Photos for Artists.
  • Pixabay.com.
  • Unsplash.com.
  • Vecteezy.com Free Photos.
May 19, 2023

How can you find copyright free images that you can legally use? ›

Searching Google for Creative Commons images
  1. Enter your search term into the Google Images search bar.
  2. Click on Tools.
  3. Click on the drop-down menu under Usage Rights.
  4. Select the type of licence you wish to search for. ...
  5. Click on an image to see more detail and then click on Visit.

Do professional artists use reference photos? ›

Professional artists all over the world in various companies and top studios use references for their work. It may be a surprise to many of you who are beginner artists but, yes, using a reference is a common thing we do far often than you realize.

What source of photo references should you use for your artwork? ›

Free stock photo websites like Pexels and Unsplash are great resources for finding reference of a variety of subjects. From food to landscapes, from portraits to abstract textures. These websites are great to find study material or specific reference photos you might need to bring your artwork to life.

How can artists use photos for inspiration without violating copyright? ›

Request permission from the copyright holder

If you find a photo that you'd like to use as inspiration but it's not in the public domain or covered by a suitable Creative Commons license, you can contact the copyright owner to request permission.

What is the free hand method of drawing? ›

Freehand drawing is the ability to draw something without depending on instruments or something else to draw. We guide the drawing process with only our hand, and it depends on our observational skills. Instead of tracing the likeness of a cat, or using instruments to do it for us, we draw it by hand.

Which is a free hand drawing tool? ›

The most commonly used freehand drawing tool is the pencil tool.

Is free hand drawing good? ›

Freehand drawing helps develop an appreciation for observation. Also, it encourages to learn about the designed environment. Drawing is a way of digesting the environment in its natural sense for a greater outcome. In other words, it is about bringing out the best of the existing environment.

Can I use a photo as reference for a drawing? ›

The safest choice you can make when it comes to photo references and working from them, is to only work from photographs that you have permission to use. This could be from photographs that you've taken, photographs that you have written permission to use, or photographs that you find on royalty free websites.

How do I choose a reference picture? ›

Reference photos are best when parts of the subject aren't cropped. Consider the lighting in the reference photo. Reference photos that have not been digitally altered as best. Shooting your own reference photos allows you to customize the images to precisely what you're looking for.

Is it OK to reference poses? ›

Using reference is not copying or stealing.

That can cause some legal problems. But using reference is not just copying a photo—that really would be cheating (and the bad kind). Using reference is either using that image that you don't have the rights to indirectly to inform the work you're creating.

Are reference photos copyrighted? ›

When an artist uses a photograph for reference, the painting or artwork is called a derivative work. While the artist can maintain some ownership over their own work, they first need permission from the original photographer to use the photo for reference.

Is tracing photos for art legal? ›

First the creator of the source imagery must show that you copied protectable elements of the work. As we've talked about before copyright doesn't protect things in the public domain, facts, and ideas. The creator of the source imagery must show that you copied protectable elements of the work.

How do I make sure my photos are copyright free? ›

Look for a watermark

A watermark on an image is a clear sign that the image is copyrighted. Often, the watermark will contain text that indicates the name or company to whom the image belongs: do some googling and find out.

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