Here you'll find the key scientific studies underpinning the perceptual and drawing insights on GetRealism.com, alongside recommended books that explore realism techniques, observational skills, the psychology of seeing and drawing, and more. These resources support techniques like the envelope method by emphasizing accurate global perception over symbolic or piecemeal approaches.
Robles, K. E., Bies, A. J., Lazarides, S., & Sereno, M. E. (2022). The relationship between shape perception accuracy and drawing ability. Scientific Reports, 12, Article 14900. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-18858-6
Free full-text PDF: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-022-18858-6.pdf
Cohen, D. J., & Bennett, S. (1997). Why can't most people draw what they see? Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Perception and Performance, 23(3), 609–621. https://doi.org/10.1037/0096-1523.23.3.609
Free full-text PDF (author-archived): https://people.uncw.edu/cohend/research/papers/cohen%20and%20bennett%2097.pdf
Getty Conservation Institute. Essential for understanding color perception, accuracy, and reproduction in realistic painting and art conservation.
Black Irish Entertainment. Explores the transition to a professional artist mindset.
Rugged Land. A classic on defeating internal resistance that blocks consistent creative output.