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waywardgal — how I stay out of trouble with referencing.
Published: 2014-07-09 04:46:06 +0000 UTC; Views: 12438; Favourites: 533; Downloads: 37
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So I've been seeing a lot of people getting flamed for "tracing" or not changing the reference material enough when they use other works to draw art.I personally believe that if you upload anything online, it is fair game for someone else to be inspired by it and use it to create their own works. At the same time, we should all be respectful enough that if we do use another artist's "artistic" photography or drawing/painting, we should either let them know or reference back to them.
We do not all have amazing imaginations. I NEED references to make even mediocre drawings. Referencing is something we all do. All in all, be nice, guys
*Edit: I didn't specify why I added tracing to this conversation. I'll do so now. A number of people have been blindly accused on other art websites (I actually haven't seen it much on DA) for tracing. However, when I saw the source material, I realized most of these people were mainly just referencing. I even used photoshop to check out the dimensions and it was an obvious "reference." However, people don't seem to understand that referencing is encouraged in the REAL art world. In cartooning, maybe not so much. However, that is only so you will be able to build your own style. To become a good artists, we all need references. I find it a bit harsh to attack people for doing something that we ALL do.
*Edit2: found another referenced drawing.
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Comments: 145
Referencing is what I do too!
It's so much better than tracing, and indeed it helps you improve as an artist.
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yes.. you're totally stealing... 
ahaha sorry xD beside stupid joke, i agree with your point of view. ^^
and i know it very well because i totally can't draw without references. and i've "stole" a lot of ideas! but when i do it i first like to ask to the owner, then if he/she agree then i start the work xDDD i have a loot of stuff in my gallery that came from oter people's mind, but i've always asked xD it's not very difficult. ^^
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Yeah I just wish everyone would reply in a timely manner lol
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Yes. thank you for this, love. I just reblogged it
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I'm the same way! my freshman art teacher told us always to have a reference so now I depend on them heavily. I take pictures before I do all of my art or find a reference, she said if you change 70% of the picture its fine. I used to just copy a lot not realizing it was bad, as long as I didnt trace and drew it myself it was fine right? But silly me knows better now and I always change the pic
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I know how you feel, a lot of artists have to start somewhere, especially from scratch, like I sometimes say
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I often hear from so many people that using references is bad, while I always hear from the professionals that using references is a good things so that you won't make silly mistakes. Not every drawing will be the same and most of the time a drawing will have a new pose, light or elements that is unknown to you, so using a reference will help with that!
Besides, haven't we all, when we were kids, tried to redraw an image the exact same way? Unknowingly that is how most people have grown into art and gotten better, since you will really focus on those details of reference
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There are SOME materials that cannot be used though, and I personally go onto the website called search.creativecommons.org. You can look for reference pictures using this, AND not get in trouble, because these are specifically uploaded for you to use and not get in trouble for.
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Yeah, but I doubt any of the google images I use are breaking any laws. lol
Those websites tend to have very stiff reference photographs
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You, my friend, are a genius xD Seriously though, this is probably the best use of references
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I am SO GLAD I'm not the only one who thinks this way! Every time I see people get flamed for "tracing" something, it always ends up just being a reference picture they looked off of. There's no harm in using a reference picture because everyone does it! And if they don't use the picture as a reference they'll be inspired by it.
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Agreed. Pretty much any and every art class or seminar will bring in people for the participants to draw--also known as a reference.
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Yeah I agree about that.
I like people using my drawings and all.
But it does feel a lot better if they link back to us right?
One thing that makes me laugh.
An art student TOLD me to trace instead of just making a reference.
I stand by my opinion.
I'll never trace. I just refer. When I needed to.
Thanks for these lovely explanation. Good day to you.
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I don't know if people used my drawing. Honestly, it depends. If they reference it soooo hard that it's pretty much the same drawing but with a different style, then YES, link back. If they just use a pose... then I probably wouldn't care lol
Yeah, I feel tracing can make you a lazy artist.
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In my country there's this disease of copying and tracing other artist's drawings that simply shows that they're copy cats and yet claim that they drawn it all by themselves.
But of course, they draw by themselves. With their own hands. But the idea, whose it was originally from was the question that spins on my head.
And the main problem I faced when I had to tell them...
Most of replies will be, "It's just a drawing"
I mean. If we don't consider what we love doing as something that we simply cherish. What's the use of doing the things that we thought we love doing it right?
Or so I thought.
Sometimes, you and other artists from other countries just make me feel at home at heart. Really.
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mikuuchaan.deviantart.com/art/…
things like that, obviously really upset me. This person obviously stole someone's artwork. It makes me sick honestly.
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oh. but it said in the comment about who the real owner is. I guess it's pretty messed up.
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As far as I'm concerned, that is unacceptable. This site is not for you to show other's work. It is to upload your own work.
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True I guess, this is not some kind of 'hey-I-can-manipulate-other's-art' forum.
But we can't really change a mind who doesn't know their own errors.
Harsh. But yeah.
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The problem is.
When you do referencing,
You put the reference link
or else, its called stealing or hence, tracing, since it looks like you are hidding something.
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I agree and disagree. If the person is on a website like DA or tumblr, and they upload the reference material as a submission or a work of art in its self, they will usually ask that you link back. If you use their material, you must link back.
However, if you just find some random photo online, you are not required to link back unless you choose to.
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Thats the problem, the last one paragraph
even if you find a random photo, its not yours, thats why people think they trace, because they dont post the ref pic (even if they find it in a cheap webstie, it has his owner, or in a 3 party)
they will find out, and they will say you trace because, you didnt post the ref .
thats how they are.
always.
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However, if the image isn't a "reference" image, then that is not required. If I google, "food," and just draw some random handburger, I am not required to reference back. That's ridiculous.
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Yeah, another problem is that there are so many poses and angles a person can do. Stand this way, see it from this view. Etc
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Yeah, I wish they was a website for perspectives. I love really interesting perspectives so I find it hard to find things I want to draw based on those.
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Thankyou for sharing this. There is a distinct difference between tracing and heavy referencing, and no one should be flamed for heavy referencing, because as you've said, in the real art world it is actually encouraged. I had a teacher who's been an illustration artist for 20yrs tell me exactly the same thing "don't feel ashamed for not knowing how to draw something, don't feel ashamed for heavily referencing, I've used them for years and no one in the industry looks down on referencing."
So referencing a pose from stock (mind you make sure that the person has given permission to use said photo as reference/stock material) is fine, acceptable, and an amazing learning tool. It's not just used for getting human proportions right, sometimes even referencing real life animal photos for mythical creatures (obviously you then exaggerate the key features to make it look like said mythical creature) is also considered normal and good practice.
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Yeah, it seems to be non professionals that look down on it. Not that I'm a pro... lol
Yeah, I use birds to draw dragons and so on and so forth. It's a great practice
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It does seem that way, makes me upset that its looked down on so much, which is really unnecessary, I mean, Disney for example, used real life models back when they were animating Sleeping Beauty, so of course heavy referencing would of occurred then, but no one slams Disney for that, and no one else whether they be pro or a beginner should get slammed for using heavy referencing, people need to also learn to educate themselves on spotting the difference between referencing and tracing.
I use horses heads for dragons faces~ And usually for the body I use either birds or a makeshift between a lion and a bird. I agree it is fantastic practice.
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This. This is how I draw. I'm bad with posing so I need references to be able to draw what I can now, and to improve as I move forward. Thank you for doing this, hopefully it will have an impact.
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Thank you
I don't like seeing less "popular" people being attacked. So I thought I needed to speak up even though I'm not popular
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Yup. I know how that feels. Being attacked for a simple reference picture : / I think it is very helpful. I have manage to do better drawings this days. So yeah....Glad to find someone in here who thinks the same way I do, about this topic. PS. nice gallery! < 3
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Dude, this girl was like flamed like no other. The flame post had over 1000 notes. I was so disgusted.
And thank you!
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Geez I agree so much with you !
In my case I usually try to take my body as reference, which very hard
But yeah.. we are plenty of artists who need references
Especially if we aren't that good with proportions yet.
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I used to do that as well. You realize quickly that you can use your body for men lol
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I agree, referencing has definitely improved my work!
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I agree with you. There is a difference between tracing and reference. Referencing helps to understand better about the subject even the tiny details.
This reminds me a video of an artist I subscribe on YouTube talks about this.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=pOK2sD…
I mostly keep my copy images in my sketchbook that nobody sees. It's mostly proportioning and anatomy.
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Thanks for the awesome video link! I really enjoyed it.
Yeah, I have a many a sketchbooks like that as well.
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