Tutorial 44 - Studying from Reference

Using reference is a personal choice and we should find out for ourselves how it can both enhance or hinder our work and progress. 

For client work: 

Personally, I use reference daily in my freelance jobs. When dealing with existing intellectual properties (IPs) or a client's narrow specifications, we have to do whatever it takes to swerve our creative impulses and get the job done for the client. So, a good body of reference is essential and yes, even tracing is recommended if it enhances the work, though it often won't, not to mention copyright issues. There are no rules when it comes to client work (accept for the client's rules), no ego, no time for trying new things, whatever it takes to make the best image possible within the time frame and budget.

For personal work: 

In our personal work, study and growth should be at the heart. We must broaden our visual library.  Without some basic knowledge of anatomy how can we express with our figure drawing? Without knowing the fundamentals of light and shadow, how can communicate form? We learn about these fundamentals by carefully studying the world around us. Use reference not directly but as a way of committing something to memory. For example, if you are painting a knight in armour, go to the museum and find a strong example to study from (or study from several photos, though it is never as good). 

When studying from reference, our aim is to form new memories and skills to work with later. If we drag it out by trying to make our studies look nice, we've missed the point. We are only concerned with developing new tools, adding to our visual library to recall when we are creating. 

Try this: Next time you're working on personal artwork and you feel compelled to look at reference, stop! You might think the reference will enhance your work, but more often than not, you'll find yourself adjusting your original work to match the reference. 

Instead, close your work, then open up your reference and make several study sketches. When you feel stronger, go back to your artwork and apply what you have learned. Repeat as necessary until you see results.

Another note. (Sorry this is so long!). Many professionals use reference directly in their paintings. Norman Rockwell, Andrew Loomis and many modern painters spend hours if not days building sets and dressing models, taking photographic reference to paint from directly. This is somewhat different as it relies on the painter's skills as a designer, photographer, director, etc. No doubt they were taught that way.

Reference, it's a personal choice that you should make yourself based on diligent study and educated decisions.