Handy Art Reference Tool Reviews

I thought HandyArtReferenceTool was ok until I decided to take a look at the developers privacy policy at HandyArtReferenceTool Store. Look at the data this developer collects that is “linked to your identity”. This is completely uneccessary and to be honest, very unsettling.

Response to Developer: Than why does your privacy policy show that the data your collecting is linked to my identity? Why not categorize this data collected as not linked to my identity? And why do you need location data?

It’d be nice if you could adjust the skin tone as well. Lots of artists forget that people with darker skin have lighter palms. Also, artists would be able to see how different lighting situations affect different skin tones. Other than that, if they’re going to charge $6 to unlock the entire app, it should have more, like a full body model. Right now for the baseline payment it’s pretty much just heads and hands in only one skintone.

I would give HandyArtReferenceTool FIVE STARs if only all the head models can rotate and tilt around the neck. I was mildly disappointed when I saw the heads have no option for rigging. Because of that, their static pose lack personality compared to the hands and feet models. Give us artists some dynamic head angles to work with! Please consider it. If it’s to be a pay feature, I’ll buy it, because HandyArtReferenceTool is so worth it!

It is a great app, if a bit clunky at times to go from one page to another. But the only real problem that I see with it, is the lack a diversity other than age, gender, and race. Now many apps allow you to make subtle adjustment to all the parts of the face, and that is a very useful feature. The hand portion of Handy has achieved that level of sophistication. Now what about the faces? Hair would also be nice. Most women I know have hair or a wig.

HandyArtReferenceTool is an absolute dream for referencing, especially for artist like me who like to do dynamic hand gestures and interesting lighting. The only minor negative i’ve had is that sometimes the controls for moving around the objects can be finicky, especially if i’m trying to place multiple objects in one scene. However I do still think that this is definitely one of the best free tools for artists on HandyArtReferenceTool store!!

Art is something that truly helps me out in life, but recently, I had been struggling to find the drive to finish anything I started. This singlehandedly fixed that. If you have any interest in drawing humans, I suggest you get HandyArtReferenceTool immediately. The only issue I can think of is that it’s pretty intensive on your battery, but as long as you can charge your device while using it, that won’t even be an problem. Beyond that, everything is near flawless. All of the features are virtual lifesavers when it comes to specific references and even just general understanding of your subject. The interface is intuitive and responsive, all of the menus are easy to navigate, and the developer support is great, too. Easiest five star rating I’ve ever had the pleasure of giving.

So pleased with HandyArtReferenceTool. Every artist looks for the right hand position in in their reference material, or try’s to creat a position using their own hands. Yet they never quite get the exact position needed. With “Handy” you can create any hand position imaginable, and the perfect lightning position. This is a must have app for any artist!

I got HandyArtReferenceTool way back when it was just funky hand poses, and I’ve enjoyed all the updates with various heads and the amazing new anatomy models. The lighting and positioning are as versatile as they are easy to use, and i cannot recommend HandyArtReferenceTool highly enough for artists looking for specific quick reference in a pinch. Get it. Now.

Ah yes I am so grateful that because of my illustrious Kroger career I am now able to afford luxuries like this. This is what I call two dollars well spent. The feet cost extra but fear not my children the mutilated hands are completely free so if you ever want to add something more interesting to your drawings you can. I am disappointed that there are not many face models but that’s okay. I think “Caucasian male” and “Erin” are good enough for me.

I’ve been using this for years, and it’s invaluable to me. You can read the lengthier reviews for detailed raving comments. Nobody is exaggerating.
One fix that I really love is that I can now smoothly move a model in arbitrarily small increments without the model “sticking” and then jumping too far.
I find it distressing that the few bundled props are mainly weapons, but I’m sure I’m in the minority on that one.

The developers keep working on HandyArtReferenceTool adding new content and improving HandyArtReferenceTool overall. I started with the first release and have grown more impressed every year since.

Worth every penny if you are an artist or just enjoy looking at hands and feet, disembodied heads or various skulls...

I have found it invaluable over the years for reference and for practice.

I’m a professional illustrator and believe you can never have too much reference. A lot of reference you can get via Google, but often you need *just* the right angle. I have a full body reference poser that is also invaluable (artPose Pro) but when I need hands HandyArtReferenceTool hits it out of the park. Truly a must have app!

HandyArtReferenceTool has been so helpful. Not only does it help with anatomy but it also helps with lighting. It’s great for reference and it’s come to a point where I cannot live without HandyArtReferenceTool.

Although HandyArtReferenceTool is perfect in my opinion, I do believe there should be new things added. I think it would be great to add even more light sources and to be able to position them on a xyz plane. And most importantly, it would be amazing to if there would be full body models that we can position. I would happily pay for these features.

Other than that, HandyArtReferenceTool is amazing. It’s definitely worth the money.

As a sequential artist at SCAD I have to draw hands a ton! It was so hard finding specific hand references. Also feet! Boy do I have to draw lots of those. Man it was a pain, but not anymore! I tell all my friends about HandyArtReferenceTool (plz sponsor me lol) anyways, I’m a huge fan. This has been so helpful with anatomy. The lighting features are also super cool and let you adjust both day, night, and artificial light around the body piece.

Don't like hands? Find drawing heads from different perspectives difficult? Have issues figuring out how fingers would logically be positioned? Find lighting difficult to predict and figure out?

Then HandyArtReferenceTool may just be for you.

Seriously, HandyArtReferenceTool lives up to it's namea very well. I honestly would have so many more issues with hands without it and it helps a lot with heads and lighting as well.

You have come up with more perfection!! You have always been amazing from day one and it just keeps getting better! I am very proud of your hard work and incredible imaginations. I think most of us artists have troubles with hands and feet, until you I’ve had 45 years of monster hands and feet, haha! I was hiding them in pockets, coats, folded arms, plants, etc. of my caricatures. Now I look like I might know what I’m doing, 😄

Like was said, if you are a serious artists - get it! I have (with MUCH practice) become quite proficient drawing/painting hands and feet. It is an acquired skill granted, and most powerful, since hands (and feet) can be very expressive, second only to faces. Handy makes it so much easier to get the pose you want, AND the lighting you want. Also, being African-American, I do so appreciate providing Black models as well with the ability to adjust skintones! Thanks Scott!

Look, I’m a professional artist, been published in comics for over 20 years. HandyArtReferenceTool is what it’s all about. My greatest weakness is hands and feet. I get by, but HandyArtReferenceTool helps me do more than just that. If you’re an artist and want to spend a couple of bucks on an app, make it this one. The updates coming up are even better, too (adding weapons, etc.) I wish I had something like this when I was first starting out in comics. - Jimmie Robinson

I was introduced HandyArtReferenceTool by my partner and have used it for just about every drawing since then. I haven’t seen anything even come close to the level of customization HandyArtReferenceTool has, definitely my all time favorite reference tool!
My only complaint would be with posing, I had an issue today manipulating a skull on top of the mannequin head where I couldn’t anchor the skull down to be center aligned. This is really a small issue in the grand scheme of things and it definitely wont revoke any points from my rating though!

I use this for pretty much every single one of my drawings, specifically for hands and lighting studies. I’m pretty awful at drawing hands, and HandyArtReferenceTool is a Godsend for that. You can adjust the hands and fingers as you need, and you can also adjust lighting and stuff. Super helpful!!