Reference = Cheating? Thoughts please

[Phait]

I've been wondering if using reference for your work is considered cheating? I realize it is another aid to get something complete, but I tend to avoid using reference. I have used ref. when I was much more into drawing years ago, but now that I'm starting again I shy away from it.

Any thoughts? Would love some in depth philosophy on this . o O ( LOL )

[mtw]

Using references is not cheating. The Mona Lisa was made using a reference and it's one of the most famous paintings today. Jon Foster uses references for figures and everyone here loves his work. I think that's enough from me on this subject.

[Fozzybar]

Originally posted by mtw
Using references is not cheating. The Mona Lisa was made using a reference and it's one of the most famous paintings today.

HAHAHA! :p

[tyboogie]

youd be cheating your progression as an artist if you DONT use ref

[GhostofMacbeth]

I agree that you should use reference. The key is not to be a slave to it.

[Goo]

if using references is cheating, that makes almost all of us cheaters.:D

[ChadTHX1138]

Norman Rockwell used photo reference...

Frank Frazetta doesnt...

[Landmate]

you should learn something about art culture and history and not let yourself be swayed by a bunch of teenagers online proclaiming what is "cheating" and what is not.

[davi]

culture and history have lesser significance with eat passing year. Jason and myself had a conversation about this while back, because of 'the wars' the respect art was decreased greatly and alot of the passed down art techniques were completely lost.

I think we have to look at art as it is in this age, because that is what matters.

There are thousands of artists who use reference for their work. Personally my thoughts on it are.
1) Use reference to Learn
2) Use reference to HELP your piece, not BE the piece.
3) If you do not add any style or new subject to your piece, are you creating art? or a copy?

Many artists use references to enhance their pieces. You can see this done in jon fosters work by looking at some of his work in progress posts, but using references of his own body in poses it helps him understand the form of the figure and how it should react in the envoriments.

Artists who take their own references and paint from them is a different story, although it's still dumbing down the 'impressiveness' of the process, it's still completely their art.

This is a topic that could have very bias views or very open ones. Hopefully someone that disagrees with what i have said will reply respectifully and with a certain control.

[I.was.ink]

Very well put d! :)

[Tanika]

Bravo D! That helps me out too. ^^' :chug:

[Chromo48]

All you need to know is this...As long as your creating art with some sort of process and creativity behind it, it doesn't matter what you use, just as long as you've gotten as close as possible in your work to the vision you've had. There's no such thing as cheating in art if you're intentions are original.

[Lono]

i think you first identify what personally modivates you to create and then you act accordingly and honestly to those terms.. beyond that,, why should you give a flying shit about what others consider "art"? unless ofcourse your doing it for money,, and then you may have to create under someonelses
terms or maby the majoritys terms, which i think is represented pretty well here in this forum.
art is about as abstract a concept as they come, and this conversation could carry on indeffinately without producing any answers.

-Lono

[N D Hill]

"Use reference to learn" Not only that, but it's the only way to learn to draw or paint realistically. When you think about it, you can't help but to take in everything that's around you for reference whether it's the shape of a human form or just watching the way light and shadow act on a surface. Reference is also a good method for learning proper color use especially in terms of lighting. An example of this would be how a sunset can saturate everything with the same warm colors.

I also agree with what other people are saying though. There's a fine line between art and simple observation. Really though, if you already know what you want from a piece, using a reference is just as much a valid way to get it as a pencil or paint brush.