Debate: Is drawing from reference cheating or just learning? I keep going back and forth.

I used to think tracing or copying from photos was totally fake art, like you had to pull everything out of your head. But then I tried doing a portrait of my buddy Mike from a bar photo I took at The Rusty Nail, and it turned out way better than anything I freehand. Now I see it as a tool to understand proportions, but part of me still feels like a fraud when I rely on it too heavy. Where do you guys draw the line between reference and straight-up tracing?

2 comments

2 Comments

caseyc3016d ago

Tracing's fine for learning but lame for showing off.

reese55016d ago

I learned to draw by tracing comic books as a kid, just laying paper over the pages and going over the lines. Did that for months before I ever tried drawing anything on my own. Now I look at it like using training wheels on a bike, you use them to get the feel for it, but eventually you gotta take them off if you want to really ride. Your mileage may vary, but for me, direct tracing is for learning, not for finished pieces. Reference photos though, I use those all the time and don't feel bad about it one bit.