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The BASICS : Using References
Published: 2011-08-30 19:21:46 +0000 UTC; Views: 193090; Favourites: 7048; Downloads: 2583
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Description
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
thanks! refs are a great tool for learning
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I'm not sure what you mean, sorry!
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"It'd be impossible to agree more with the statements shown on the tut", more or less.
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Ah thank you! I tried to translate it and i got "Most agree, impossible", haha. Thank you for explaining, and I am happy you agree with it
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I have been doing this wrong all the times I've used stock - well it's never too late to learn - and thank you, the tutorial is great! Keep them coming - this has been a huge help!
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You're right, it's never too late! I hope it helps :3
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thank you for the tutorials ~ i'm happy i'm learning from you. . .
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Aw that's nice, I'm glad they could help
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well it really did.
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This is amazing. No, sorry... You are amazing
I have a 2 year certification in Visual Arts, and all they tell you is: "DONT COPY. COPYING IS SOO BAD. REALLY. YOU WILL BE PUT IN JAIL AND RAPED/MURDERED REPEATEDLY IF YOU COPY SOMETHING FOR ART!!11one!!11eleven."
It scares the shit out of the (decent) students, sure. But, The morons never explained how to properly reference something. They just scared us shitless and then left it at that. The result??? Terrible, terrible artwork. Even after having a daily, 2.5 hour class for 2 years, a few of my classmates still cannot draw more than one figure pose or certain face, etc 
It was time-consuming, to say the least.
Are you a teacher??? Because you could be. Rather, should be a teacher.
You are the hero technical art schools deserve
BRB currently linking every person I know here <3
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aw jeeeez, thanks so much! I'm not a teacher though, i don't have a teaching degree or an art degree XD, i would feel bad trying to legit teach people things. I'm really flattered that you think i could though
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I actually really really like this. Because you went further than going "get your basic reference and then find fifty bajillion others and use them all" but you actually went into how to break down the fifty bajillion others.
And its really hard to not get trapped in stock artist poses, particularly the *SenshiStock one you used. XD
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Aw thank you, glad it could help. and yea, you start to get like ohh.. i only know how to draw this pose cause thats the only one i saw.. and just kinda sticks you in a corner >_<
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wow that is a really! good tutorial on how to use references
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Thanks! I'm glad it could be of help
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thank you, thank you so much. ;_; /cries
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aw geez i'm glad it could be helpful at all TuT
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Thank you so much for this! I'm just starting to get into game design and I'm having a lot of trouble drawing up some of the environment/character sketches since I'm not really much of an artist but this is a huge help. Thank you!
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Aw that is great to hear! It totally works for environments and other types of design too, the more you digest the better you'll get w/o copying later
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I guess I'm already close to this attitude. 
Wish me luck.
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XD good luck! as long as you don't pass off copied work as original i think that's a good way to study too
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Thanks - and don't worry, I'm not going to publish those practise pictures anywhere.
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this is so very helpful.
i have never really used references, but if i ever want to i will do it this way.
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I hope you'll find the method useful!
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Thank you for this tut. It will be very useful to me :3
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Oh that's great
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My thanks! I'm still a starter when it comes to art (I've only recently really been making progress and I started 1,5 years ago) so this stuff is very helpful!
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I hope it helps you learn speedily
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While I agree this can be a useful method, I'd disagree with it, especially for beginners.
All of the advice I've seen and heard is that you should take your own reference (or otherwise legally obtain reference) as close to what you're doing as possible. Now copying blindly isn't a good thing, but let's not throw the baby out with the bath water.
Many professionals try to get very exact reference, even if they combine bits and pieces here and there. Here are a bunch of professionals with a reference photo that is very very close to what they actually do in the final: [link] (comparison at 1:10 and again at 1:18), [link] [link] [link]
It's not a bad thing to use exact reference, many professionals go the extra mile to get everything as exact as possible.
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Let me expand on that actually.
Those artists didn't get to where they were by drawing every thing via reference photos. They did tons of copying, studying and drawing from life in the privacy of their own homes for the sake of practice and can recreate almost everything without a reference from their mind without a photo as well. Their color schemes and ability to compose and paint is not a product of simply copying a photo as you can see from the color differences and other anatomical changes and design changes from the photo to the drawing. When they have a project they hire someone to help them get some details down (to differing degrees), but most of the basics they've already got. The detail they gain from the photography is also fairly compensated via $ to model/photographer.
When you tell a beginner all they need to do is reference to the T, (which is apparently all they are told), they do not learn to think for them selves. They do not have the resources to hire a model, they will and do copy photos from the internet. They do not learn to study for the goal of creation, they instead think it's okay to rely on copying references for everything. You get people that over rely on photos and they do not have the ability to think of their own poses, spot their own mistakes or even come up with color compositions that aren't based in the photos they see.
There is a lot to be said about using references, but telling beginners that they should just focus on copying a reference as close as possible for art that isn't obviously a photo copy or a study is disengenious to the viewers (we except a level of originality in something labelled as original art!) as well as the beginner. You can tell someone that, but you better damn well tell them they won't be able to even think of the pose in the first place without learning the human body via study and examination first. Otherwise you'll end up with artists that are incapable of doing anything without virtually tracing a base photo for the pose first
That being said I will link your comment in the description because it is an important point of view that i do not cover because I feel it's a more harmful message to absolute beginners, especially younger ones who have no means to take their own photos or hire people.
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I think we can both agree that blind copying is a bad thing, and that an artist needs to be aware of the structure underneath what is happening. I just think you can do all that while still using a photo as close to your image as possible.
Having talked to a bunch of these guys, a lot just take their own photos. While hiring models is really nice, you can also use your friends. That's what I did throughout art school. They're not as good as they would have been if I had had $500 to book a model and get a proper costume, but it's a whole hell of a lot better than nothing. In addition, it can allow you to try some new variations on poses and lighting at little to no cost.
Most amateur artists I talk to are embarrassed to admit they use reference closely because they'll instantly be jumped on for being a slave to reference. These two things are not one and the same.
Personally I think there's no problem with copying google images for studies when you're trying to learn volume, for example, or even to learn how to draw a wolf.
When you get to stuff like a final image (which I'm assuming this tutorial is focusing on), you want all the help you can get! Why make it any harder than it already is? A beginner may have an understanding of form, but not understand hard and soft edges. However, observing them in the photo (or ideally life) can be the first step to understanding them.
I would also disagree with photos limiting originality, particularly when taking your own. It's a lot easier for us to take dramatic angles on a photo than for us to plan them in a drawing. When drawing, we tend to default to the straight-on view, whereas with photos you can very easily experiment with different angles.
they should just focus on copying a reference as close as possible for art that isn't obviously a photo copy or a study is disengenious to the viewers (we except a level of originality in something labelled as original art!)
That's why you should be using your own photos. If the photo is original, the art piece is too. Even if a photo is being used from a stock site, that doesn't mean the artist isn't making an original piece. The use of the photo is all important, or else collage or even photomanipulation wouldn't be art forms.
And just for the record, there are people out there who can produce that level of realism and accuracy without exact reference copying and IMO that is far more impressive but that's just me.
I really don't like this. A bunch of these guys probably could do exactly what you're talking about, but using reference can only help them improve. An artist who chooses to use reference isn't lesser by any stretch of the imagination than someone who doesn't. That's a common and very damaging assumption.
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Gosh sorry i'm so bad at remembering everything I wanted to say. I just wanted to say also that frankly i think your POV is already over represented on DA owing to all the tutorials about referencing being about how to copy a reference, so i don't think you need to worry in the slightest about artists thinking they can't copy, they clearly know they can and have "persmission" from people like you and lots of popular artists as well. It's not unfair of me to the only dissenting opinion I think, especially when i'm relatively obscure too :/
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For the record I think the best way to learn volume is to draw from LIFE, not from a photo. A photo is what we use because we don't have a model for hire, but a photo is not ideal either.
Here's my problem. When this tutorial was made, the only tutorials out there were about how to copy references. And i know that since it's inception at least one other was made telling beginners to straight up copy and trace reference photos (that were not even self taken). I have friends who do the method you talk about, but they all already know the fundamentals and basics to draw WITHOUT a reference too. AS do the artists you posted (the one who drew the horse cover explicitly says only 50% of her art uses that method and it is only for time contraints most of the time). My tutorial is addressing that basic knowledge, it is not addressing time constrained artists who already know how to draw and need tips on how to effectively use a reference they own the rights to.
And that's the thing, you are free to make your own tutorial about how to use references too, we have a lot of them but we could always use more. But you would also be responsible to imparting the difference between "blind copying" and "reference as close as possible". If you do not explain that adequately, you realize lots of BEGINNERS will get the idea that all they need to do is take photos and copy/trace them and change some things and call it art, and never learn how to construct a body or a picture from scratch themselves, right?
I don't think i could possibly edit my tutorial to reflect the nuance in that argument, nor do i think a beginner artist necessarily has the skill to differentiate those two types of copying quite yet. I think all the artists you have posted are able to draw to that level without a reference either, and I think that's what people should be first aiming for before they think about using photos. An artist that MUST use references is IMO no way nearly as skill as someone who can choose not to and produce the same level of work, sorry. To me that is an obvious fact *shrug*
And as i've said already, i've already linked you in my description so that is as much air time as i can give you short of making a whole new tutorial which you are free to do.
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For the record I think the best way to learn volume is to draw from LIFE, not from a photo. A photo is what we use because we don't have a model for hire, but a photo is not ideal either.
We're in agreement there. Life is always the best, but we're not discussing life vs. photograph, we're discussing how to use photographs.
When this tutorial was made, the only tutorials out there were about how to copy references.
I have seen many other tutorials like this before. In addition, there's a general attitude of "You copied a photo? That's cheating!" Hell, some people even act like using reference is cheating. Here are a couple of links that suggest just that: [link] [link]
And i know that since it's inception at least one other was made telling beginners to straight up copy and trace reference photos (that were not even self taken)
That's a great way to learn, just not so great if you're using them for any other purpose.
the one who drew the horse cover explicitly says only 50% of her art uses that method and it is only for time contraints most of the time)
I know he said that it's only used half the time due to time constraints, but you're looking at the wrong side. Taking photo reference takes a lot longer than making it up. Also, I don't see where Elwell says he bases his use of reference on time constraints.
My tutorial is addressing that basic knowledge, it is not addressing time constrained artists who already know how to draw and need tips on how to effectively use a reference they own the rights to.
Basic knowledge is important, but this guide: [link] also shows how to thinking about your reference while still supporting using reference close to what you want. In addition, not mentioning taking your own reference is a major oversight.
you do not explain that adequately, you realize lots of BEGINNERS will get the idea that all they need to do is take photos and copy/trace them and change some things and call it art, and never learn how to construct a body or a picture from scratch themselves, right?
You know what? If they did that, it would still be art because photographs are art. They do need to learn how to construct the body, see the gesture, change things, etc. but that's not mutually exclusive with copying photos.
I don't think i could possibly edit my tutorial to reflect the nuance in that argument, nor do i think a beginner artist necessarily has the skill to differentiate those two types of copying quite yet.
I think it's important to recognize that there is not one and only one way to use reference. You specifically mention that using one photo is wrong, using lots of photos is right. It's not a nuance, it's creating the idea that it is never appropriate to use one photo.
I think all the artists you have posted are able to draw to that level without a reference either, and I think that's what people should be first aiming for before they think about using photos.
No! Not at all! That's why I posted all these people saying "Photos are a major part of the process." You need more accurate photos the less you know. An experienced artist can "fake" different lighting a lot more than an amateur could. The amateur learns from copying what they see until they understand how it works.
I don't think i could possibly edit my tutorial to reflect the nuance in that argument, nor do i think a beginner artist necessarily has the skill to differentiate those two types of copying quite yet.
It's not a nuance to say that it's bad to use one photo, it's only good referencing if you use lots of photos. It's also completely ignoring of taking your own photos which is a major oversight. Yeah, beginners start copying blindly, same thing with figure drawing. You learn from copying what you see, then recognizing it, then understanding it.
I think all the artists you have posted are able to draw to that level without a reference either, and I think that's what people should be first aiming for before they think about using photos.
No, the less you know, the more you need reference, you need to learn what you're seeing before you can see it from your head.
n artist that MUST use references is IMO no way nearly as skill as someone who can choose not to and produce the same level of work, sorry. To me that is an obvious fact *shrug*
They are less skilled, but the worth of the artist is not the same as the worth of the art. In addition, I bet most, if not all, of the people who use reference will say it's a hugely important step. Nobody does their best work without any reference.
frankly i think your POV is already over represented on DA owing to all the tutorials about referencing being about how to copy a reference, so i don't think you need to worry in the slightest about artists thinking they can't copy, they clearly know they can and have "persmission" from people like you and lots of popular artists as well.
Absolutely not! I see it all the time in amateur art circles where they discuss that it's cheating to copy photos, and using reference is cheating to a lesser extent. In college my profs had to decondition all of us from that point of view. Also, there's a difference between 100% copy image exactly (to be honest, you might as well trace at that point) and work directly from an image that is as close as you can get to what you want.
Also, you're talking to someone who avoided working from photos because I thought it was wrong based on what I read on the internet.
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Frankly I don't think we're going to agree because I'm not going to edit my tutorial regarding this issue. I've both stated multiple times that this is the best (not only) way in my opinion (not deffinitive, multiple tiles) and i've already linked you in the description so people are free to read and decide for themselves.
I've also never said photos were not art. But when you draw digital art or something that is not labelled as portrait or a still life, the viewer assumes the art is made from scratch unless otherwise noted in the description (i.e. here is the photo i used or i copied this from reference). There's a huge difference between presenting for example, a fantasy illustration versus a celebrity portrait. For the former viewers expect the artist to have done most of it from imagination and using references when they get stuck, they do not think you found a picture and copied it then changed some things around and called it original.
And let me clarify when i say an artist that "must" use references, i mean to the extend of just that, copying something exactly as you put it. All artists use references, but most artists use them the way I've described here.
I'm going to stand by the fact that i've already stated multiple times that copying and perfect referencing can be used as much as someone wants for the sake of practice. I just don't believe you should be teaching beginners that they should do it for all their pictures, especially ones they are presenting to the public, especially if the photos they are copying do not belong to them. The goal to me was always to be able to draw without the constriction of photos and copying, so what is the end goal of using a photo every time you draw?
I also stand by the fact that if you had two artists that were exactly the same and produced the same level of work in both creativity and technique but one REQUIRED the use of a photo reference and the other didn't, the one who does not is preferable and more skilled. I just don't see how else you can argue that when all other things are equally accounted for
Lastly, I seriously think you are barking up the wrong tree in terms of what is "wrong" or "harmful" to artists. This deviation has only 17K views in like 6 months. This: [link] has over 80K views in less than two weeks and it encourages people to *Copy their art* in stead of from life, and [link] which does the same and has over 100K views. Oh and here: [link] 22K views and it preaches the opposite of what you are saying (literally trace the photo for the pose THEN make up the painting and details!)Seriously?
I suggest you make your own tutorial to counter those because they are to me CLEARLY the prevalent voice in tutorials on DA, even the guide you listed as shaming copying only has 18K views, the poll only 3000 votes (and most of them think referencing is fine too).
Again, I'm not going to edit my tutorial because I think i've already stated multiple times that I am not the authority on tutorials, and I've already linked your argument. I also do not think you're wrong, i just do not think it's an point of view i want to impart on beginners so soon because they're getting all the opposite messages already IMO. I would gladly link to your tutorial if you decide to make one.
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I had a longer reply, but I lost it, so I'll summarize.
You are putting words in my mouth, I never asked you to edit this tutorial, I only pointed out that it was greatly flawed.
I have provided evidence that the da community looks down on close copying, I can point to a ton more of journals that call it cheating. the only thing you've shown me is that popular artists get pageviews.
Fantasy from closely copied photographs has a heck of a lot more originality than celeb portraits.
You are pretending that those voters who said that they were okay with referencing were talking about close copying when they clearly weren't, then you turn around and say that not many people here have the same idea of referencing as you: this is clearly not the case.
The `AquaSixio tutorial is a little different as he's not starting out with a concept, rather letting the photograph inspire him. Other than that, he's doing exactly as suggested. He's not taking the photo exactly, he found one close to what he wanted, then made intelligent decisions about how to improve it.
You are missing a crucial skill for beginners: taking their own reference photos.
Also, where are all these artist saying that you can never use a close reference photo who only use photos the way you described? I've cited my sources, it's time to cite yours. (I expect professional artists with major contracts, not just da artists.)
Finally, why should I create a reference tutorial when I've already linked artist far better than you or I explicitly explaining their photo process? Obviously it was important enough to them to show and mention, so I'd guess it's a pretty important step to them, and certainly one they want to show students/beginners.
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What's the point of pointing out a perceived flaw if you don't want it fixed? Just to make fun of someone?
Honestly the moment i see that you are supporting AquaSixio, I understand that there is no point in speaking with you any further and regret the time i wasted already doing so.
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What's the point of pointing out a perceived flaw if you don't want it fixed? Just to make fun of someone?
To point out a problem? It's like a criticism on any other piece of art - to help the artist learn, and discuss the media.
Honestly the moment i see that you are supporting AquaSixio, I understand that there is no point in speaking with you any further and regret the time i wasted already doing so.
He has a lot of good tutorials. I've acknowledged the difference in the process between what I and others have described, but it's not a horrible tutorial either. It seems to me that you don't really want to deal with citing your opinions, so you're falling back on saying because I'm 'wrong' with one thing, I must just be an idiot.
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I think there is a HUGE difference between drawing up to a stage this detailed (as well as the poses the video had in the beginning) and then hiring a photographer and model to pose for you versus googling an image on google and copying it. If anything they are only able pull this off BECAUSE they are able to think of their own poses and compositions.
And just for the record, there are people out there who can produce that level of realism and accuracy without exact reference copying and IMO that is far more impressive but that's just me. If you could have the skill to do it without reference, wouldn't that be more impressive?
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hmm, thanks!
And I keep using screenshots from different angles for references
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That's a good idea if the movie is high res
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Usually, I take them from the dvds on my most hires laptop.
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This is really helpful, thank you!
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I'm glad you could find use for it :3
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I just wanted to stop by to say THANK YOU for this amazing tutorial
You explain why it's important to reference from multiple sources and study a variety of angles even if they do not match the one you're using (why: to lean how something WORKS in life, not how to trace one instance). Understanding WHY things should be done the way they are is something that I think many people forget to include when they make tutorials. It's something that can be so easily overlooked because the tutorial maker is (hopefully) so familiar with the subject, that it may seem to him/her that it can go without being mentioned. But, as it was apparent in the tutorial I mentioned earlier, there are many people who don't understand the "why" of things.
And for a more personal like
Ramble ramble. But, really. Thanks for taking the time to make and share this with dA!
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I was recently sent the other tutorial that people were talking about via PM and yea ^_^;.. i'm.. really disappointed that that's what young artists are going to think is acceptable.. I don't really know how to combat it because I'm obviously not as popular as that other deviant >_<. It's just kind of.. yea sad.
Thank you for thinking this is an adequate tutorial though, i feel like i really need to clean it up now if i want it to be taken seriously in comparison @_@
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