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FRivArts — How to Reference Art
Published: 2013-06-18 22:55:35 +0000 UTC; Views: 1253; Favourites: 23; Downloads: 9
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I'm hoping I'm not insulting the two/three people I've had this discussion with, but I really do need to get this said.People have been fired from Marvel (or was it DC?) for imitating a pose from a previous comic cover. Ancient comics, by the way. I don't even know who was such a fan as to notice the similarities from years ago! And comic books, for the love of Christ! Super hero comics. You know, the one where everyone's striking the same poses. There are very limited poses I see in a comic book. Soyeah, it had to be pretty similar (you changed the costume, colors, and added goggles; big whoop) to warrant a dismisal (and it wasn't very, at all).
At the very least, it's wrong. At medium, unprofessional. And at most, illegal.
If you reference Twilight's cover art, it's still copying, even if you're making it in pastels. I've done this. Even if you switch out the pear for an apple...
If you copy from a photo, even if you don't do the background, it falls under copyright rules. (I've done this for DARPG stuff.) If you change it a little, few people will even care, as so many artists do it, that... well, no one cares.
If you eyeball art, it's similar, except that people won't let this infringement slide.
So, then. How to reference art? It also applies to photography, once you're past the imitation stage. You pass on to the "let me just check the proportions" stage, and you can use pretty much any photograph for any picture, even backwards or entirely different, because you already understand the species or the breed and just need a reference of its unique measurements.
Don't reupload the tutorial. Just link right back here, hun...
Materials: Paint Tool SAI, I do believe, for both.
Time: Don't care.
References Used? Yes-ish
Mozart Design © Atroquine
Mozart (Left) © :devatoquine:
Mozart (Bottom Right) © FRivArts
Eyeball Scribble of Mozart © All of the Above?
How to Reference Art © 2013 Frances Rivera (aka; FRivArts ) ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
Do Not Steal - This work is not for public use and is limited in private use. You do not acquire any rights by downloading or printing the material.
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Comments: 20
You cannot copyright a pose that I know of. I have seen lawsuits in attempt... but it takes nothing away from an artist to credit their references and sources!!
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Thing is, this isn't using-the-pose. Look again. It's a copy: pulling a line-by-line (maybe leaving out a line that doesn't fit or five), mistakes and all....
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I was not talking about when when it is an obvious copy, I agree with this deviation. I was talking about in general.
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Oh, yes
It'd be going on weird if someone were trying to even patent a pose.
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" I dont even know what that spike is but im copying it anyways" made me lol - YES COPY ALL MY FLAWS. ALL OF THEM.
No but ssly. I pity anyone copying my sketchy art- half of the time i just upload sketchdump so no clean lineart for you!
I think everyone at some point has copied- or tried to copyfrom another artist. For instance- back in the day I used to be a like BBA clone then i was all NAWWWHHHHH fuck this- lets get my own style. Even now Ifind other awesome artst that I WOULD like to be able to draw like- theres nothing WRONG with trying to imitate another artists style- TO LEARN FROM IT- not to just... basically take their style. I mean if youre trying new ways of approaching lines and colouring then hey great! but dont be a little copy clone :F
For instance- I've recently started referening eyes from anime and the almightly Akreonderp ( because she draws pretty pretty eyes) to try and make my eyes look a little more interesting- and i think its definatley helped. Its not an exact copy- just an improvement on how i colour and approach drawing eyes.
But Im rather curious to this discussion you've had- was it jut for basically copying someone elses art?
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X'DDD
Exactly~
I used to go along the same road as :devstrdingsoul:, specifically because I was a colorist at the little "B/C Pets Shop", #Aershaa , and I really did have to know the style to be able to make edits. But I'm no longer a colorist and now I'm just going everywhere. The tablet's giving me too many issues to do what I once did, and I've just gone for simplicity and speed over detail, now. But I still think my anatomy's improved~ Otherwise, I've gone and picked up details from various people, like coloring lines, using Multiply, cartoon-ising... I should check my old work and see where I've been =/ Don't think I remember well. I've definitely made copies of stuff, like anime shots and even a Yu-gi-o card!
My eyes always change inside, just the coloring and detail of them. I don't even know, anymore ='D Akreon does do interesting eyes~ More expressive than I can pull off without looking like...
Yep. I keep saying that you can't reference off art like you reference off of photos. The position (not pose, but that's a part of everything) of every last detail (mostly because you'd get it wrong, and I flip when people copy the mistakes), the face, the everything, and just add some fur or take away accessories and call it enough... Nope. And then I got into an actual argument where I was told that the face was different and that it couldn't possibly be traced--I didn't say "traced", even if I said "even the fur is pointing in all the same directions"--stylistic/skill error does not mean that something isn't a copy. It's like if my old eyeball of a Yu-gi-o card was to be deemed "original work" just cause I didn't have control enough to lay perfect lines... And then another (not a fight) where they claimed it wasn't a copy because the new piece added some more of the body and definitely didn't overlay. It wouldn't overlay. Even I could see that the dewclaw was slightly off and the paw looked rotated about two degrees... and!? I didn't say "trace". But the paws were in the same style and proportions, besides the bits of human error. Just add/subtract hair. The artist is fine with this (is why it didn't turn into a fight), but I did feel that the person commenting did need to know, so I said so.
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What I've found to do is to do a sketch round of the species I'm drawing. Heavily reference photos to get the proportion fresh in your mind. Not drawing the exact pose you intend to make for your finished work, either. Then when it comes to drawing the actual piece, you might not need a reference, (or just a glance to double check a feature, simple stuff).
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I used to do sketch sessions, too~ Then I got frustrated with my lines. But I'll probably start doing them again at some point. Maybe get back to paper and pencils, for better control. It really does help
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I mean, there are times where i want to try something similiar, but i never full blown copy it.
Many people who reference off of others people art, usually have a hint of envy in them. Since Atro or anyone elses art is sketchy but clean at the same time, people love that and they want to try it for themselves.
I have favorite artists, Fargonon, Atro, Stubs, Wild Hearts and many more. And because I study and look at all their art, i sometimes mistakenly do something similiar to theirs.
Like eyes. Fargo does beautiful eyes for her horses, and I do what she does by accident.
Or thick lines like Stubs, well i wanted to try it to see if it fits my style.
Many of us copy on purpose, others dont, some do it by accident, and others want to add more to their style.
We have all done it. Im not against this, im wih it.
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True, true~
I totally envy lots of people. Comics, anthros, humans... humans! But I also won't copy works~ Just styles, but more often subjects. Like I adore Stub's anthros, and while I prefer my anthros more feral, it's the whole mood of his works that makes me fangirl over 'em. I mean, it makes me fangirl over stuff that I don't even (usually/in general) like the subject of, like sex(y) and themes and certain types of characters...
As for style, I (shamefully) have tended towards the lazy way. So it's more unique to me, compared to the variety of people I watch (though not unique, compared to the community), but only because my mood is being stingy towards my muse. Once I've got new tools, that stinginess will probably be thrown away, then we'll see what sort of envy I've been hiding X'DDD
I can't wait to get back to thin lines PX I wonder if people admire what I have now. But, anyways, my lines are as they are, again, because of my tools. I have to slow down the brush tool so that my lines don't grow tails.
It's certainly not a bad thing to draw inspirations from... everywhere! It happens, even when someone thinks they've "settled on a style" ='D
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Very true,
I also adore his style, but i mean Stubs has been on here for 3 years, hard to count with all his account switching xD. And at first like many artists he was thin lined but sorta like his style now, then he moved onto his thin but thicker in some areas, and now its thickness all the way. He sorta earned that for himself. And many admire that and want to do what he does. Its understood, his art is beautiful in its own way, always standing out against others time to time.
As for my style, still havent found it xD. Never found where to start xD. I love lazy art, just i dont know, its not to get up and what not...but im pretty lazy too xD.
But i look at all the artists out there and they all have system to drawing out their OCs etc. Some just do it straight out of the gate like Jullelin, or sometimes Agerskov. But me, i try all different ways and still havent found one that allows me to better get into my own style. I like to compare my work to artists who are 6-10 years older than me and have gone through what i have XD. I have a lot of envy and art block to go through to actually draw half the time and tell myself, they have been drawing before you were born, do not compare. But I always do xD
I have always wanted to do thick lines xD. But like you said thin lines are better. Everyone in the dog community does thick bold lines, slightly or just dark. Not many artists who do thin lines. Like with horses, i do thin lines because it just fits my style. So i might have to try thin lines for dogs xD.
So very true!! I have seen largely known artists on here, wanting to try something from someone elses style, whether it be, shading, lining etc. So its not bad to draw inspiration, but literally tracing, you can't do that and im sure everyone knows...well hopefully 0-0.
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I like thicker in some areas, since line weight can imply thickness, but I would still like them thinner. Not all the same, just not as heavy as they are right now. It looks good for other people, but not my preference for my own style.
I've not settled on a style, either. Again, I just do what's convenient.
It's alright to compare, long as it's not so you can sit and seethe. More to remember where you want to get to.
Might work, might not XD
And paws. Everyone wants to do those huuuge paws. And then, of course, there's the new things you have to try. I've drawn from more than one source how to color feathers, but it was an active search and I did manage to integrate many of them until I was finally left with a product I like~
Not everybody realizes, no... And when it's tracing-with-your-eyeballs, it gets more complicated XP
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I agree, but, ourself is our biggest critic.
Some people say that finding a style is easy, but for most of us it really isn't. We sometimes just think it will be horrible, but yet other people think its amazing xD.
ahaha, i have only seen a few people do large paws xD. I dont think im proportionally correct, because my paws are usually smaller or bigger than they need to be...im like WHY??!!!
I have never been able to draw wings, so i dont try to do feathers much
hahah yes it does
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Yeah XD But at least it means that we know where we're going, even though large amounts of frustration are unhealthy. Others don't know where we want to get, not just by looking.
I've seen too many, but less since entering DARPG. But mine do get weird paw sizes, even if it's not go crazy. And ankles. The ankles/wrists and hocks can get weird.
I colored winged dogs, I made edits, I switched wing types on various breeds. I had to know XD
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Asdfhkglflhalsls I'm one of you're favourite artists ?!?!? ASFSJFKLDGALDHSKFJ
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Asdfhjklhgfdddfj YES!! Always have been since i first saw Quinn!! Thats what brought me to draw dogs xD. I have always admired your style C:
hehehe i had to do this one xD
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<3
Unfortunately I don't draw Quinny Quinn Quinn much anymore - I mainly use her for RPing ^_^ I do enjoy drawing her anthro and human though - get to draw her with all that pretty curly blue hair c:
I should whip her up a new reference actually 
Awesome to know I inspired someone to draw woofers
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Hahah, i miss art of her. Lol always the strongest of the two :3. That would be amazing to see :3
You should
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The only time I ever ref off of other people's art is for things like style of eyes or ears , I do that when I'm trying to do a different style like realistic, I'd look at stiirs wips on her greyscale if I'm trying to a furry looking one, because otherwise I wouldn't know we're to start
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And breed standards, sometimes. (Although I use this technique for breed standards, as well, myself.) And yeah, style changes are hard. Although you might get further eyeballing elements of various works and making an amalgam than copying a single work, just like with photos. A head here, body from there, paws from here... And then checking out the similarities. But... it's not something that should be published PX
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