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The BASICS : Using References
Published: 2011-08-30 19:21:46 +0000 UTC; Views: 193057; Favourites: 7047; Downloads: 2583
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If you like this tutorial or do not like it, please take some time to tell me why so I will know how to make any future tutorials! Thanks
USING REFERENCES
Disclaimer: Some will disagree with me on how to use references, which is totally normal. This is just how i believe is the best and more beneficial way to use them. If you disagree and have a better tutorial feel free to link in the comments with your (polite) argument, i won't delete them if they aren't flamey or antagonistic XD. Alternate viewpoints to consider: [link] [link]
This is just born out of seeing what a lot of beginner artists do, which is straight up copy a photo and re clothe it. Sure it's legal and like stuff to do this, especially if you credit the photo, but it's not IMO the best way to draw with references. This is not the same as studying from a photo or doing live modelling sessions. Studying is not passed as original art and the goal is to learn and get close to the original. Drawing from the mirror or a live model is also different because of the way your eyes work. You have to actively decide how to flatten the 3d image your eyes receive into one 2d flat image you draw and this exercises your brain in ways photos will never do.
Just copying a single photo for what you have problems with or the entire pose isn't going to be as helpful as examining many, this attempts to replicate what having a live model would do, that is give you dimensions and 3d form to learn from. I believe it's the best way to use references and I believe it'll be beneficial to many beginners.
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Stock images are taken from *SenshiStock and ~Nemesis-19 as well as google to illustrate my point. If you have any issues with this please contact me via note
Other basic tuts:
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Comments: 827
you made that distinction, not me.
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Haha, while there's definitely a level where you over rely on references, i don't think there will be a level where you NEVER use references. Using references means you're learning and as an artist, we should always be learning
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Not really. If I don't use references when i'm actually working on personal pieces but do studies here and there and rely on my visual memory i'll still progress as an artist.
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okay but doing studies = using references so...
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There is a difference between doing studies to build up a visual library and working from imagination on personal pieces vs using reference while you are working on personal pieces.
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you made that distinction, not me.
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It's not something I made. There is an actual difference. Reference means you are referring to something hence the prefix refer whereas study is a copy. Anyway, the tutorial is helpful although you mentioned that you should do the "study" in your head which seems pretty advanced. I can draw from imagination but only poses I've already drawn, I can't absorb by simply looking, although I've seen manga artists who do use your method of study. Perhaps, it will come easier with practice ?
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Dude i'm not saying there ISN'T a difference, i'm saying i never made a distinction when i said you never stop using references. If you are still using references in your practice time to learn you're still using them. you're the one making a big deal of it when i never did.
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I understand what you are saying lol. I just think it's important to make that distinction though because it is a huge difference.
Anyway, I'm more curious in your mental sketching process. Being able learn by simply looking at something. Can u talk about that more ?
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Great advice and information! Thank you for providing this, it will help me a lot!
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To be really blunt, i don't think you're at the level where you can copy something well enough to be called plagiarizing right now.
In the second image, what you're doing is practicing. It's okay to copy images to practice. If you can't draw a pose or something on your own yet, it's okay to copy references and copy them a lot. But it's important to also study them as you copy, and to link back to the reference if you are copying heavily.
There will be a time when you can draw it well enough without a photo, but might need a photo to get a few details right. And then eventually maybe you may not need a photo again, but almost everyone uses references to get small things down that they just don't know, but they aren't completely basing it off the one photo that's all.
But you can't get to that level without practicing first, and if you need to copy photos to practice (not to sell or act as if you drew it all by yourself), then do it!
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I think the main problem is, if you do just copy ( a bit of copying is okay) But if you completely rely on it, you won't be able to learn to not rely on it. its like swimming, or riding a bike, you need stabilisers or floats at first, however, If you rely on it too long you won't be able to learn to swim without relying on them.
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you have no idea how much this helped me! thank you!
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Very useful information, thank you. I'm going to keep this in mind when referencing drawings from now on.
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Omg thanks to you now i undestand how to use references THANK YOU! i was copyin exaclty what i was seeing and i had no good results but not now <3 !
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I needed to have something clarified. The section where you say that breaking down the reference should be in your head? So are you saying just to look at it or to redraw it?
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you should look at it, but if it helps you practice to redrew it (personally for your own practice) then you should do that too!
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I think the way you approach using references is probably the best way if you want to draw from imagination. Having said that, I also think it's important for the artist to also study their foundational skills particularly gesture, structure and anatomy in addition to using references this way.
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Of course, i don't think i ever said you shouldn't? Using references and learning from images is only one tiny part of being an artist!
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Well you didn't include that in the tutorial. Also you say of course like it's obvious but the reality is that most artists don't learn those skills. How many artists study bridgeman and understand how to rotate structures in their minds? How may artists understand how twist, tilt and lean works or the basic principles of fabric? Understanding those first are prerequisites before approaching references this way otherwise it's just going to be a headache
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Okay but this tutorial isn't called HOW TO DRAW, it's how to use references. I actually have separate tutorials on lighting and folds, did you really thing a single tutorial that is clearly labelled about one subject should focus on every aspect of learning to draw?? Honestly, I'm not even disagreeing with you but you're free to make your own tutorials instead of having strange expectations of others'
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Obviously, there is no way that you could include tutorials for the basics. What I'm suggesting is that you mention that an artist should study their basics( and clarified what those basics are) in additions to using references the way you mentioned if you wanted to make the tutorial more helpful. A simple sentence would have sufficed.
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Okay you could have just suggested that in the first place instead of being super passive aggressive about it
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I know it's a little late for me to comment, but wow thanks for recommending the use of several refs.
What I usually do is to pick one refs, flip or rotate it to fit with what kind of action I want the character to do, then 'copy' or trace (I only trace if I'm in a hurry/chasing deadlines, otherwise I don't recommend this method either).
However, copying real life pose 100% will make your 2D/cartoon character look kind of stiff. This is where you need to apply exaggeration or dynamism, hence making your character slightly out of proportion (like making the character's backbone bend into impossible angles). Imho this is ok because it's done for aesthetic purpose. And it gives 'life' to your character and the illustration as whole.
So when I trace or copy, I'd draw the base or skeleton over it, instead of directly tracing the pose. This is so that I can slightly elongate the limbs, widen the chest or making the waist slimmer, or add more dynamics before I apply lineart on it. Ironically following real life human anatomy kind of makes your cartoony character looks out of proportion instead. It's not that I'm against learning anatomy though. Understand anatomy first before you manipulate it into your own style.
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Oh my gosh, I've been copying for all this time. I'm gonna try this technique out next time. This was a very enlightening tutorial. Thank-you
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Will this technique work for pen and paper drawing? What should I do if it doesn't?
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I'm designing a character and I suck at drawing, but this is really helpful *fave*
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I'm doing a character design project right now and I'm apprently to stupid to get the idea of refernecing, but as I'm no good at human figures this has helped me understand that copying an image = bad trying myself to get the propotions right = good even if it takes all damn day (when I have less than a week to get 4 characters drawn and 4 different poses plus turn-arounds.) *gun to the head*
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Thanks for explaining it so clearly!
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That's really a cool tutorial ! ^^
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This appeared in my inbox just at the right time. I need a gun pose reference tutorial thing right now 
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I have always been someone who only draws what he sees and this has put it into a whole new prospective for me. This is amazing!This is extremely helpful. Thanks!
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This is definitely one of the best tutorials I've ever seen
Honestly
//I suck at anatomy so I should do this more often but I usually give up or spend infinity in front of a mirror and then give up
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YeeeEEeeeee omg i cant ev- kfajlwefaoweiga. I copy from refs too much saying that I'll only peek a little.. then I start to copy the whole thing.. Lol. This tutorial is super helpful, thank you so much!! 
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Honestly I was one of those dicknut fools who thought that using references was cheating, but now I'm honestly starting to understand what i'm doing so much more now that I'm using them.
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I can't stress enough how extremely helpful this was, thank you!!!
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so far this is the only thing thats helped me with this, and with knowing that i actually have to keep doing it. at first i didnt know how to start out but this is very helpful.
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holy shit YES!!!
iv found myself copying poses from photos etc so much lately and i feel so helpless when i want to change it drasticaly
this has changed my whole outlook on art!
thank you so much
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woah i'm glad i could help you break through and hopeuflly produce even more steller work!
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thanks
your tutorials are great!
i found this and the fold/wrinkles one really useful
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This is really helpful! I've only just started with drawing digitally, and I copied exactly what I saw when I was younger. I was doing the exact thing you said not to do because of the exact reasons you said, and this made me feel a lot better!
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I very much enjoyed this tutorial because it doesn't just bark orders at someone to do something, it explains and gives good reasons as to why this would be more beneficial to someone. I honestly hadn't thought of this before and I think it's absolutely brilliant. I'm definitely gonna try this out at some point. Thanks a bunch!
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Thanks! I'm a big fan of trying to explain why something is the way it is instead of telling someone something is right XD. I'm glad that came through, good luck in your art endeavors!
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It very much did and I'm glad to finally see someone using this method! Keep it up, I really appreciate all the work you do
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Oh wow, this is great. I was trying to teach myself how to draw by copying from photos, but that always made me feel so limited in what I could do... This is just what I needed, thank you so much!
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