Can I Learn To Draw By Referencing

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Drawing from reference falls into a pasty territory. Is it bad? Is it cheating? Is information technology really helpful? In that location'due south a common misconception that drawing from reference is the same as copying, but information technology'south non. In fact, you could end upward with a very original and unique piece, fifty-fifty afterwards using a reference photograph. Cartoon from reference is not merely helpful, it's often necessary.

Drawing from reference helps considering it gives our minds real-world objects to model off of. It's important that a reference photo serves as inspiration, and is not something that nosotros copy stroke for stroke. When using references in that way, they tin can be very helpful for making true to life drawings.

For some reason, drawing from imagination has turned into the gold standard, while using reference photos has gotten a bad rap. This is REALLY unfortunate. There's nothing wrong with using reference photos and, if artists were to answer honestly, I would bet that nigh artists utilize them.

Permit's dive into how yous can apply reference photos to aid with your own drawing and why our imaginations often lead u.s.a. astray.

Drawing From Reference Helps Us Remember Details

When nosotros depict from reference, we don't need to rely on our brains to call back all of the details of an object, person, or scene. We tin can use reference photos as a way to refresh our memories of how things look, especially things that we don't feel regularly.

Retentivity is an interesting thing. If you call back back to a favorite retentiveness, I bet you lot tin can't recall every single detail. Even the virtually important memories of our lives seem to fade overtime.

Now, try to remember something you've never really experienced or seen in existent life earlier? That doesn't even sound possible. How can you use your retentiveness to remember something yous've never seen? Without a reference? Well, if y'all're trying to draw a dragon, castle, bigfoot, or something else you've never seen, your retentivity tries to sew together together all of the renditions yous've seen of it in the past.

And suddenly, you're relying on your imagination, which is a big problem from a drawing perspective. This is why it can be so difficult to learn to draw.

Why is Drawing From Imagination Then Difficult?

Drawing from imagination is hard because our imaginations don't ever work in as much particular as needed to draw an object, scene, or person in completion. It's common to forget how sure shapes are formed, what shadows are needed, and how everything fits together solely from imagination.

When we daydream, imagine, agonize over future plans, and even remember by memories, we don't encounter a play by play like nosotros do in the movies. Instead, we meet abstract forms and figures that don't take all of the details we'd expect if we were to see something in real life.

Don't believe me? Let's requite information technology a endeavor.

Imagine a log cabin with a reflective river in front of it. In the river, you can see the reflection of the snow capped mountains standing behind the motel.

Can yous imagine the cabin in plenty detail to sketch it properly? Can you tell how the mountains reflect on the river? How nearly the shadows, highlights, and colors?

And here's the kicker. We all fall into the trap of thinking, "oh, yeah, I've got it. I tin can depict that from imagination in no fourth dimension."

Then, nosotros really start drawing and realize how many details we've missed. I have washed this HUNDREDS of times, and I know it isn't but me. It's the creative person's plight.

And so, how practise nosotros account for all of the artists who CAN draw from imagination?

This is when we pull from experience. If I've drawn a equus caballus 40 times, I tin can probably draw it from imagination on the 41st effort. I'll also get close with a mule, donkey, zebra, or pony.

Once I've practiced enough, I can more so rely on my imagination because my brain already knows what it'southward doing. It knows the anatomy of a horse and how it needs to be manipulated to achieve sure positions.

This is why so many experienced artists announced to describe well from imagination. But, the reality is, they've really practiced a lot. I'll bet you anything that they didn't describe the human being figure from imagination on the offset try.

No, they probably studied reference images to empathise the proportions of the human trunk and where everything belongs. Even though we all expect at people every twenty-four hours, information technology's different when you sit down down to draw one and need to suddenly think about how the size of the caput relates to the size of the shoulders. This is why reference images are so helpful.

Once an artist has practiced drawing humans for long enough, information technology becomes easier to depict it from imagination without reliance on examples and images.

Reference photos are an extremely important and helpful way for artists of all ages and experience levels to learn. Unfortunately, they've gotten a bad rap that they don't deserve.

Drawing From Reference is Non the Same equally Copying

Drawing from reference is about using an prototype for inspiration, not copying information technology stroke for stroke. Reference images are important for making sure that objects, people, buildings, and more than are drawn accurately and in proportion.

The purpose of reference photos is to fill in the gaps of what our imaginations fail to provide. It'due south not virtually copying every single brush stroke, but about remembering how things are constructed.

Let'due south go back to our cabin scene once more and think about what your imagination told you about how that scene looked.

Now, wait at this picture.

While all of the states imagined different cabin scenes, there are some things that are consequent. Nosotros all imagined cabins that likely had 4 walls and a roof. We all imagined rivers with cogitating surfaces. Nosotros all imagined mountains with snowfall capped peaks.

These are circuitous things that have similar properties to them. All buildings need to exist drawn in perspective in order to wait realistic; all reflections and water features need to be shaped in sure ways in order to pull off the desired effect; all mountains are basically built in the same style.

No matter our individual visions, these are universal skills that we all need to master in order to have our cabin scenes come to life.

Using a reference prototype will help us solve that puzzle and acquire the drawing skills necessary to build a realistic looking scene. There's no need to copy the scene to a T. In fact, our end result may turn out to be completely different than the reference image we're using. But, that cabin will be more than realistic and structurally sound than if we had just relied upon our imaginations; our reflections will actually look like reflections; and our mountains will exist imperial.

Reference photos are non about copying; they're most studying the earth around us and learning how to draw it.

Here'southward another argument for reference photos.

Have you ever heard of someone criticize an artist for setting upwards their easel in nature and painting the landscape in front end of them? I oasis't.

At the terminate of the day, what if the creative person takes a picture of the scene then they could continue working on their painting at dwelling? Technically, they're now working from a reference photo. Is that bad? I don't think then.

Honestly, cartoon from imagination is overrated. Yes, information technology'due south a sign of experience and exercise, but it's not the gold-standard nosotros make it out to be. This also ways that drawing from reference photos isn't on the same playing field as copying. All artists need reference photos in order to accurately depict the real world in their art.

Let's become rid of the stigma surrounding reference photos and realize that drawing from reference photos is helpful for building our skills and creating beautiful art.

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How to Apply Reference Photos in the Most Helpful Way

To employ reference photos in the almost helpful way, make sure to have 2 or iii photos of every element you're cartoon. That manner, you'll be able to come across things from dissimilar angles and truly proceeds an agreement of how it'south congenital.

For instance, if I'm drawing a cabin scene, I volition find 2 or three pictures of cabins. I'll try to discover pictures that show me unlike angles, dissimilar shadows, and different colors. That mode, I have a lot of inspiration to depict from. I besides have a lot of information to report.

If I'thou drawing my own motel and struggling with aligning the corners, I can study each photo to see how each motel manages its corners. I won't exist reliant on merely one photo that may not give me a clear indication of how the structure is congenital.

Instead, I can look at all three photos and encounter if I tin can determine any similarities in how all of them are congenital. Is there something universal I tin discover about cabin corners that I can carry with me into my own motel cartoon, and all drawings of buildings in the time to come?

In the futurity. That'south the point. When using reference photos, the goal isn't just to create the current drawing in forepart of us, but to as well learn new skills that will make us meliorate artists overall for many drawings to come up.

When you lot use reference photos, see it as a learning opportunity. If yous practise, you'll find that reference photos are extremely helpful and a nifty way to go a better artist.

Diana has been an artist for over 25 years and has grooming in drawing, painting, digital drawing and graphic design. Diana'due south latest obsession is digitally cartoon with Procreate and creating t-shirt designs with Canva. Diana has feel selling her art across a number of platforms and loves helping other artists acquire how to make coin from their art every bit well.