What is the deal with people having a problem with other people using a reference picture??
I'm not saying the quality of art on this site is comparable to the great masters of art through out time but if you do a little research you'll generally find that most of them used a reference of some kind. Whether it be a live model or standing in front of a scene while they sketched/painted it. I don't know about most of you, but its kind of hard to get someone to sit around here for 2 hrs or so while I draw them on the computer, so instead I search the net for a picture to use instead. I HIGHLY doubt anyone who's picture I've used gives a flying F*** that I used their picture. Plus I doubt it will have any impact on their lives that I did because they'll probably never see it. Neither will I receive any financial gain from the drawing so no compensation is in order. PLus I'm willing to bet that most people would be honoured that something they've done has inspired creativity in someone else. So anyone who has a problem with people using reference pictures can just lick my bal.....ahem....sorry, a little carried away there.
And So what if they don't post the reference picture, I use reference pictures all the time and don't post them, but if you asked I'd be glad to let you know exactly where I got it as I bet most people would. Some people need to stop caring so much about where the inspiration for drawings come from, especially if its in the sole purpose of belittling another artist, and enjoy the piece of art created.

So what I'm saying is stop the flaming or just shut the hell up!

P.s. nothing I've ever done has been under attack, this is for those who have had to deal with idiots

I really have no problem with reference pictures; I use them myself occasionally and they're a completely valid way of improving your art. If you can't draw from life, then they're the next best thing. I don't care really if people use a reference but don't mention it, because of course I've done that myself; the only thing that would bother me is if someone specifically announced that he didn't use a reference for the purpose of bragging, when he really had. 'Cause that's just dishonesty.

I didn't really think most people here had a problem with reference pictures- some of the really good realism people surely make use of them all the time.

Amen. See that pic under my name? I used a reference :P!

lmao, Lori :D

Bleh, I don't really feel like starting a flame war here, but I personally prefer to know when someone used a reference. In most cases of realism, it's usually pretty obvious when someone uses a reference, so I don't really care that they don't mention/link it.

Obviously if someone lies about it, that's just wrong, and not saying anything is arguably saying, "this is completely my own work," but I don't really care on the latter case anymore. It's nice to know, but meh...

Okay, for future "reference" pun intended but not funny... I always use a reference of some kind... maybe it's a memory, maybe it's something I see on my desk, maybe it's something outside the window, maybe it's a photograph in a book, one I took, or one off the internet. (Oh, and sometimes I might even see a picture of something that I can relate to or that inspires me, and I'll change it and combine it with a memory, and something I see currently...and so on, and so forth).... lalalalal I hate posting links to crap.

hey! some of my realism pics are from my head! :| lol, yeah, I don't care but just don't lie and say it was from you imagination. We'll catch you bitch.

lol Kasha... :)

rofl.. you crack me up, Kasha!!! :D

If someone draws X rated drawings, should he/she still post references? <:)
|XOD|

I just enjoy browsing through the pictures you all make.. I don't give a rat's rear end whether anybody posts their references.. I rarely look at them anyway. And I don't care whether they mention the use of one either. But, yes if they say they didn't when they actually did use one.. that wouldn't be nice. So.. don't do that.

For future reference, I always use a reference, except when I don't.

As an artist, I find it helpful to know if the person used a reference, so you can compare their work with your own. Or for example, you could try doing a picture based on the same reference and see how it goes.
My only personal interest in references is to see where the artist is coming from and perhaps learn something because of that.

i just counted, and i used a reference on a little over 50% of my pictures..which is lower than i thought
do i get a new car now?

You make a good point, Marcello. It's interesting to see how extensively each artist intentionally deviates from their reference. Everdream is particularly clever in that respect. Still, it's not a requirement, just a nice thing to do.

I doubt anyone here will ever claim a referenced piece as original. I mean, look what they're doing to people who do admit to using references. It would be suicide. If you got caught, people would flame you so bad your computer would explode. That's all there is to it.

heh.... It happened not too long ago. And boy did they get the flames. lol

I really think that its amazing that people use references... I worship those that do, seeing as it is impossible for me to draw humans from references such as pictures etc.... People that refer to the images around them for inspiration obviously have to have significant amounts of talent to portray said accurately. In conclusion, I say that all flamerz should go suck a zoob...*has wanted to use those past four words for comedic effect in a sentence for a longggg time* XD lmao at self... :)

The only time a work of art is not an "original" is if it is a copy of another piece of art.

I meant someone got flamed for straight out saying "I used no reference!! woohooo!" in the description or a comment... when in fact loads of people found it on google image search. lol That was a funny day.

Oh... lol... I wasn't even referring to any of that... some people go around saying stuff isn't "original" because a reference was used... in the art world "not original" means you've copied someone else's art work... that's what I meant. :)

haha .. i was referrin' to bump about the "flamerz" comment :P unless i'm just readin' things wrong today!

Semantics. You know what I meant. :P