Do Pro Artists Use References?

Sorry to burst your bubble people, but artists use references to create artwork. All types of references! And there's nothing wrong with that. ... As most of you artists already know, this is quite a touchy and even controversial topic that a lot of people prefer not getting into.

Is it OK to use references in art?

Is drawing from reference bad? No. But as an artist, you need to realize that using reference can become a crutch that you lean on too heavily. If you are trying to create an illustration that is an exact copy of a photograph, then using a reference to do so is fine.

Is it cheating to draw from reference?

So is drawing from reference cheating? No, it is not! When you are using reference the right way and if you are not just copying, what you are seeing or tracing from your reference, then using reference Images will actually help you improve your drawings drastically.