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February 28
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Does an artist worth less or more when they are using reference photos for their drawings?
I guess it is always more amazing when someone can draw poses so realistic without references.... And I always wonder which artists use them, because I can't always tell.

Now I'm using some reference for my mermaid book... and I feel like I'm cheating... okay, I don't copy the exact same thing, sometimes only a leg, or a face inspire me, and I use them for a certain piece of illustration. I really feel like It's cheating, and I feel shit. I feel like it's not completely my work. But I'm sooo lack of time, and I need to hurry with it...
  • Mood: Nervous
  • Listening to: Panic! At The Disco
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:iconnocol:
~nocol Mar 15, 2013  Professional Traditional Artist
I don't think there is anything that is completely unique to one person. In other words, even if you draw something completely without sources, you can always trace it back to a memory or mental image that was inspired by something else. So whether you use a few source photos for ideas, or if you sit outside observing nature, you are still building off of the work of someone else. There is no completely original inspiration...everything can be traced back to God. So don't feel bad copying the Master of composition and color Himself:)
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:iconlainka:
I don't thing that you're cheating for using some photos, I mean... the greatest artist from the history use models to make the most beautiful pieces of art, don't you think?

These days we have photography, it is useful and despicte the fact that they're art of their own you can use them without regret. Is a part of the training too, a lot of people goes to museums every day to "copy" paintings...

It is fun, it is useful, and you learn a lot. Enjoy it :)

(oh, sorry for my bad inglish... I hope you can understand what I tried to say :P)
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:iconekitzig:
~ekitzig Feb 28, 2013  Hobbyist Digital Artist
I think all artist use some sort of reference to get inspiration from. Shouldn't make a difference if you have a reference photo to look at while you draw or if you can draw from memory.
All art is derivative. There is no form of art that is totally original... 'originality' is a modern art construct... a silly concession to marketing concerns. (Paul deMarrais)
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:iconmajorasmasks:
=MajorasMasks Feb 28, 2013  Professional Artisan Crafter
More, generally speaking, since you improve faster using real life pictures as reference, at least once in a while. :)
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:iconkeyshe54:
~Keyshe54 Feb 28, 2013   Traditional Artist
It's next to impossible for an artist to do realistic art with out references-- it would take a lot of time and learning to be so good that you know just how bodies look and work just from memory. It would be the best goal to reach that point, but to expect it is unrealistic. Frank Frazetta was so good at art but the trick was he saw himself as an athlete first-- being so he had extra knowledge on how the body worked and moved. I am sure he had plenty of references too.

I can almost guarantee most artists have references on hand to help and the most realistic always have models to work from.

I don't think in anyway an artist is less for needing/using reference photos. Even if no references are used, everything an artist makes comes from learned images and data. Just one is more learned/memorized. Just respect copyrights and make what ever you use come out mostly original or only use direct reference photos in 'fair use', with permission/credit. Then it isn't cheating :)
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:iconaw08:
=AW08 Feb 28, 2013  Student Digital Artist
I always come to think of it. While it feels really great when I happen to get a great pose without any reference (I usually end up giving up on using references, because I can't find what I'm looking for and after some time I manage to get the pose done by myself) it also takes a good deal of experience to manipulate the pose you're using reference for, adjusting it to your style, changing proportions, moving some limbs to further fit your idea etc.. Unless it's tracing, using references is not bad at all. After some time you'll have used so many refs, that you find drawing certain poses a no brainer, because you got used with the strategies you are implying on yourself each time you use a reference. =]
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