Tracing & photoreferencing

Fysh

After reading this column in which Josh Adams discusses his approach and opinion on photoreferencing, it occurs to me that this could be an interesting source of discussion.

I've tried to use photographs for reference a couple of times and have found it a mixed experience. For certain things where I'm struggling to keep proportions correct (eg cars) it can be very useful; on the other hand for people and faces it can lead to very lifeless and dull artwork.

What do ye think?

livingtargets

photo reference is always a hit and miss thing.

If someone can keep their style consistent while using it then it looks great but if someone has a drawing of a really life like car,but everything else in the panel is looser and more stylised,then it`s just counterproductive and any change like that just pulls me right out of the story.

From my own experience of drawing using photo reference,most of the time it
makes the finished drawing look very dull and unnatural.But I know that some people`s drawing styles suit it perfectly.Stephen Mooney`s stuff is a good example.

So long story short,I say use reference if it suits your work but don`t sacrifice style for realism.

Patrick Brown

I use photo-reference at one remove. Like Livingtargets, I find if I draw most of the picture from my imagination but one element direct from a photo, they don't match in style and don't look like they're part of the same world. So my approach is, if I have to draw something I'm not familiar with, I'll find a variety of photos and sketch until I'm confident I know what it looks like, and then put the photos away and draw from the sketches and from my head.