Any artists out there?

[StinkyAcres]

I have a question for the whole artist community: whay are your views on tracing?

My opinion is if you are a beginner, meaning you don't yet have the skills to draw accurately, then tracing is a good way to learn, BUT should not be used excessively as to keep you from improving your freehand drawing. Once you are able to draw accurately without tracing then I don't have a problem with using tracing to save time creating an outline.

 

[RDchicken99]

I have a question for the whole artist community: whay are your views on tracing?

I’m fine with it as long as you aren’t posting the art as yours, or really posting it in general. Unless, of course, you’ve had permission from the artist/photographer to trace it. In some cases you can get into big legal trouble by posting your traced drawings.

If I’m having trouble with a pose, I’ll trace the base structure of my ref photo THEN reference what I’ve traced. It helps to break down the pose into more approachable guidelines.

 

[Sapphire Sebright]

I have a question for the whole artist community: whay are your views on tracing?

If it is done with transparency and for the purpose of improvement -- such as getting used to drawing parts of the body or poses -- then I do not see an issue with it.
Most of the anger I see being elicited at tracing is because the tracer does not credit the original artist or state that it is traced, thereby essentially stealing the original artist's work for their own gain.
There's a certain amount of nuance to the issue, I think, but if done without transparency and credit to the original artist -- and even with those things, I think I would ask for permission prior to posting anything -- I see it as art theft with extra steps.

 

[Sapphire Sebright]

I’m fine with it as long as you aren’t posting the art as yours, or really posting it in general. Unless, of course, you’ve had permission from the artist/photographer to trace it. In some cases you can get into big legal trouble by posting your traced drawings.

If I’m having trouble with a pose, I’ll trace the base structure of my ref photo THEN reference what I’ve traced. It helps to break down the pose into more approachable guidelines.

^^^ This.

 

[StinkyAcres]

Yeah, forgot to mention the copyright infringement part. The majority of reference photos I use and trace are taken by myself. Not only do I not have to worry about art theft, I also get the satisfaction of knowing I created the entire piece of art from start to finish.

 

[Somewhere_In_The_Clouds]

I don't think I've ever traced someone's art, but when I was learning I would trace reference photos. Sometimes if I try and try and still can't get my proportions or something I will still trace now (often with hands...).

 

[Meri Maura]

The sketch

 

[Meri Maura]

Added a few details

 

[azurbanclucker]

Done. I'll put a little vid clip in my art thread.

 

[Aquira]

An attack from some days ago and a WIP for my probably last attack