Copying from a photo reference is not cheating. I often remind myself of this because for a very very long time I thought I could never be a “real” artist, because I always used a photo reference. That is how I learned to draw … I can remember being 5 years old and copying Scooby Doo. And then as I got older, I copied every teen idol under the sun! But I could never seem to conjure up an image in my head, or feel confident drawing a particular animal or scene without looking at a photo. And that made me feel like a bit of an imposter.
Now, for abstract art, I do just go with the flow … so I know what that feels like. And now I tend to that at a certain point in my painting … I just stop looking at the reference and do what feels right.
But I know today that copying does not make me less of an artist. It is just part of my process. And it may not be part of yours. And I have learned a lot by copying. And it helps me obtain a closer resemblance to my subject.
With digital technology today there are a whole host of apps to use to create happier, better and save a lot of time. Saving time is important for me since I am still working a day job. My plan is to do a number of posts over the next several weeks talking about some of the OS apps that I use, including Photo Editing, Grid, Photoshop, Photoshop Express, Art Rage, Be Casso, So stay tuned for more on this subject …
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Eileen Backman
EmyBackArt
www.emybackart.com
emybackart@emybackart.com
Portfolio of Original Art for Sale: https://www.artworkarchive.com/profile/eileen-backman/collections
Fine Art America Portfolio: https://eileen-backman.pixels.com/
Accepting Commissions
I don’t consider it copying either since you add your own unique flair to your piece.