PUREREF

PureRef is an application that enables artists to collect, collate and arrange reference images with ease

- Mike Griggs

Sometimes it is the small applications that are the most useful. PureRef is a great example. On first inspection, all it seems PureRef does is allow artists to collate image reference for a project. That, however, would be doing the application a considerable disservice.

PureRef is an easy-to-use image organiser that enables artists to create well-organised image databases. These PureRef files can be shared over computers or with colleagues, whether they be on macOS, Windows or Linux.

PureRef is not just an excellent cataloguing tool. It can be usedm creatively with virtually any application, since PureRef can adjust its opacity. This allows it to be a transparent layer on the desktop with images that can be freely arranged, locked, rotated or brought into focus as desired.

Using a wide array of customisable keyboard and mouse controls, PureRef allows an artist to quickly trace an image in Photoshop, Illustrator and ZBrush for example, without having to change the size and orientation of the master image or get distracted with image importing routines.

Images can be dragged into PureRef from the computer’s file system or directly from a web browser, making PureRef a handy ‘bin’ in the research phase of a project. These images can then be organised in the scalable PureRef UI, given notes that will ‘stick’ with an image.

Selected images can be used in overlay mode ‘above’ an application. Then with Mouse Transparency active in PureRef, the overlay can function as a tracing element no matter the creative application used.