Is it Wise?

[Riiroi]

Hi, just wondering if its a good habit

1) To copy another artist's work for the fun of it

and

2) Use another artist's work for reference (e.g Poses, Composition and etc)

As i am afraid that this may impede my growth as an artist

Thank You.

[enrigo]

IMO ,it seems like a good idea and you can learn a lot by copying other artist's work. It certainly would note impede your growth unless you go ape with copying and didn't learn from it.

[Elwell]

Question one:
Reubens, after Leonardo
291519

Van Gough, after Delacroix
291522

Question 2:
Raphael
291528

Manet
291529

[_Mario]

Hi, just wondering if its a good habit

1) To copy another artist's work for the fun of it

and

2) Use another artist's work for reference (e.g Poses, Composition and etc)

As i am afraid that this may impede my growth as an artist

Thank You.
Not doing something because you think it may impede your growth is probably worse. Copy and reference all you want but try to learn from it. How and why does it work? Try changing smaller or bigger bits and pieces and see how this changes the effect. Create your own mini-art-theories and try to verify them.

It is good especially from a technical point of view. Everything you learn can somehow (in some modified way) be adapted to some work. No need to forbid yourself to learn from others' work.

But being inspired by someone's work too much can get you in legal trouble. If you use someone's work (or parts of it) in a collage/illustration for work (and not fun) you can get into real trouble if you have no license to use the work in that way.

If you use someone's work as heavy inspiration and post your stuff here (for example) then there is normally no problem if you mention that fact.

But if you forget to mention this then there is a good chance that someone will find out and then one of these funny witch-hunts synthesizes spontaneously (and fast :P). Nobody can confirm/deny your real position (did you really forget to mention it or were you hoping that nobody will find out) in a case like this, and you lose.