How do I paint realistically if I don't have models and props like the old illustrators had?
Most of the artists known to have worked from models had to get to a point in their art where it was good enough to be sold for large enough amounts of money that they could afford to hire models to pose for them. Don't believe the meme that artists only ever worked from models exclusively. Even looking at the picture you've posted you can see many artistic liberties taken with the photographs; a head turn here, placement of the feet or arms, and last but not least of which being that they're all in color.
tl;dr git gud fgt
>>2442550
That is beyond the question
>>2442759
>how do I paint realistically without grainy turn of the century photography to help
>git gud
seems pretty cut and dry to me family man.
Improvise, be resourceful, take your own photos
Extrapolate.
There are also so many resources for images out there.
google images and photobashing
Do lots and lots of life drawing.
Using photo reference is good, but only if you have a solid foundation in life drawing skills.
What if I don't have the photos for the pose or object I want to draw?
>>2443137
That's kind of genius for drawing an elf
Take photos of yourself in a mirror or a friend. Use daz3d as a 3d equivalent to Gurney's maquettes
>>2443371
Did you not even bother to look at the thread?
>>2443137
does anyone have the one with a neckbeard used for reference for a woman?
>>2442541
Take photos of yourself/friends, make maquettes or 3D, find photos online and stitch them together and learn how to paint as many things as possible from imagination.
>>2443371
>posting without even skimming the thread
>>2443397
she is actually grandmother of miles johnson, lol...
bamp