euclase:turtleyvictoria:everkings:mooglets:everkings:euclase:I’ve never understood w
euclase:turtleyvictoria: everkings: mooglets: everkings: euclase: I’ve never understood what the big to-do is about references. Like no shit, you know? Saying “you wouldn’t be able to draw that without looking at a photo” is like saying “you wouldn’t be able to ice skate without ice skates.” Obviously I look at photos to draw the way I draw. And obviously there’s a lot of decision making involved. It is a creative process. But if you take that away—if you strip it down to the act of simply drawing what’s there, which is the part that always seems to bother people the most, then you still have to draw it. You know? I don’t understand why this makes it less somehow. It didn’t come from your imagination, but that doesn’t mean you aren’t using a great big chunk of skill. Any time you feel like “just copying a photo,” by all means give it your best shot. Any artist/illustrator with any success/professionalism understands that NOT using references is the stupid bit. If anyone wanks at me about “you’re cheating by using reference” I immediately understand that they have no idea what they’re talking about since they don’t do art on a realism/anatomical/lighting/difficult things level, and I dismiss them with a nod and go about my day. Exactly. I have friends who are SCARED to start using references, because they’ve been taught by the art-illiterate that references = bad, and I just, I CAN’T with that. What exactly do these art-illiterates think the great artists did? They studied what was in front of them, They used references, omg. Comic artists now typically keep books and books and folders and folders worth of references for every fucking occasion, and failing those, they look things up in libraries and the internet. REFERENCES ARE BASICALLY THE FUCKING LIFEBLOOD OF ANY ARTIST THAT WANTS TO CONVEY REALITY. STOP BEING SCARED OF THEM. PREACH! I started drawing in the third grade. I always thought “references are bad” and when I tried to show my art, I was always ashamed to admit that I’d used references, or that my art was not “original” Now that I’m older, and more experienced, I use references unashamedly. They are so useful, and I feel so bad about being ashamed of something that was so useful and helpful. I try to encourage younger artist to be proud no matter what. Especially my niece, who is often discouraged because she can’t get it right away (because she’s very intelligent and used to getting things immediately) If any of my followers or any artists are seeing this, be proud to admit you use references. References allow you to grow and refine your skill beautifully. Once you understand your references, and know how to use your references for your unique style, you’ll be able to create your own original work that some other young artist will use to improve their art, and trust me, that makes you feel proud that someone thinks so highly of your work that they use your work as reference. Reading this last comment… It’s so boggling to me that this is such a big hurdle for people. People really seem to have a hard time with this stuff, things like references or tracing. It’s like they can’t handle that art isn’t magical, that it isn’t a talent that falls out of the sky. It’s almost like we’re revealing a magician’s secrets. I’ve been in so many situations where people were appalled by the idea of art being so deliberate and mundane and not exclusive. And I think how many young artists give up because no one ever tells them this really simple idea—that art is something you can do right now. You can actually do this, you know? You are allowed to do this. -- source link