Is It CHEATING to TRACE in Art?
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 23 พ.ค. 2021
- Is it OK to trace in art? Tracing has been a part of art creation for centuries, but is it an acceptable practice? Do you use tracing in your art? Do you think it's ok to trace or is it a form of cheating? In this lesson, we'll look at a few artists accused of cheating and determine if tracing is a form of cheating.
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As an actual artist who makes his living utilizing art, I feel that most in the "tracing is cheating" are mostly non-artists. Using tracing is a technique. I think where it becomes cheating is intention. If you intend to only recreate another artists work and take credit for it would considered cheating. If you are using tracing as a method for creating your own work then it is not. If you use tracing as a method to educate yourself on how to make certain strokes or other technique, then no "cheating". I've had people tell me I'm cheating due to the fact I trace a photograph THAT I TOOK.
I think it comes down to a matter of intention.
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exactly
Absolutely loved your comment. Actually, I have a couple of photographs of my crush named Mohit, a couple of photographs of an actor, and a photograph of my friend called Vora, and a reference image that another friend, Vipul, that I reaaaallllly want to make with perfection this time.
I have made about 3-4 sketches of my crush without anyy kind of tracing, and have made about 10-15 sketches and drawing without anyy tracing. But during the process, i met with 1 or 2 failed sketches and they were mostly because the reference image was in phone, on a small screen and i wanted to draw on an A4 page so, i couldn't decipher how long or how short should the contour lines be. Also drawing a full body image caused me one of the failures.
I first traced an image of God coz i wanted it to be perfect. I felt guilty, but i really loved the perfection it gave me. But when i traced the second drawing, my main objective was to learn how long and how short the lines must be, thinking that i am doing something which is pretty much like how we learnt by tracing the alphabets at school. Wasn't that? Cheating?? Then if it is not cheating, why should tracing in art be cheating?
P.S. Vipul guy is soooooooo much requesting me to make the sketch of his crush and he is wanting to cheat, he wants me to not write my name, and let him take the credit of my work. He wants to impress his crush, I don't know if i should do it or not, I'm confused because, if i give him the sketch and he shows it to his crush then she'll be impressed for sure, but sooner or later she can find it out. Moreover he isn't even gonna pay me, i feel bad to ask money, and ...he said he'll give me a treat, but i don't want a treat, i don't even know that guy, he is a friend of my crush, and i have trust issues too, with this guy. I have never interacted with people, i am an extreeeme introvert and i don't know how to be wise and smart in that matter. I end up being too good, and too stupid and too vulnerable.
I think it's okay to trace if you're equally good with free hand. If you can't free hand then thats cheating
@@PikaGaming24 thanks for your input. FYI I have a rule. Do not draw anyone's significant other nor their dog. They have an image in their head which usually does not represent reality and you'll be having an uphill battle trying match what is in their brains (remember to get paid, do not set the presidence of doing work for 'treats'). If you do not feel comfortable working with this dude, DON'T! I've been burned too many times. Don't make the same mistakes I have.
YOU HAVE A PICTURE OF GOD?!?
Wow, how did you get that? What does it look like? And you didn't spontaneously combust when you saw it.
Sometimes if I've tried to draw something over and over and just can't get it, I will trace it on scrap paper. It 'teaches' my hand and eye how to achieve that line and when I go back the improvement is dramatic. I think tracing is a learning tool in it's own right.
The Perfect way to use tracing for your art. 👍 Good job!
Yeah totally agree with this
It doesnt work for me
@@jeremy-ws1rb Yeah but does anything?
it always has been but like any tool its been misused by some and so people view it badly.
I'm a colour portrait artist and I just want to get straight into the colour process so I transfer the outline onto my paper and then throw myself into the colour process. It saves so much time and allows me to focus on building up the colours and textures of skin
I think it's none of my business how other people choose to pursue their creative efforts.
th-cam.com/video/pqwb1qtsw2o/w-d-xo.html✍️✍️.
YOU ARE NO FUN AT ALL - YOU TAKE ALL THE WIND OUT OF A GOOD ARGUMENY - LMAO!!!
GOOD REPLY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
For me, art isn't a competition or something that needs to meet anyone's standards but my own. I'm a mechanical pencil portrait artist, and I don't enjoy the bit where I need to get the proportions right. I enjoy the shading process, getting the values right, experimenting with different techniques, translating colour to black and white in my mind, and nothing is more disheartening than putting 20+ hours into this enjoyable process, only to end up with something that looks "off" in the end because I misjudged the distances and proportions of the facial features by a tiny bit. So I always trace a face's key features. Corners of the eyes, mouth, nostrils, basic face outline.
This.
I always see the "original artwork" from the artists I admire as guideline.
I don't care for my own artstyle, I just want to recreate the style of those I like as close as possible.
That's all that matters to me
The real skill is when you put paint to paper or whatever medium you paint with.
I think that's a very good idea I also struggle with the porposens.
@@jazzman1626 I strongly disagree.
I do that too! I trace the very basic shapes to get the proportions right, and then, i make the drawing come to life by shading, colouring and highlighting. The trace part takes less than 10 minutes, but the piece itself can take up to 6 hours for me. So Im happy with my technique.
My mom was an artist who did many portraits and she used tracing for some of those portraits. I therefore grew up seeing tracing as a valid artistic technique for getting the shape down correctly. From watching her, I saw that tracing didn't make anything "easier." She still had to do a lot of purely creative steps to make a portrait. I view tracing as a normal and really quite natural part of some paintings. My mom did portraits without tracing as well. The difference is nuanced. The traced portraits were spot on portraits that exactly communicated a person's face. The non tracing portraits were more about the feel and emotion that defined a person.
My mom was commissioned to do many baby portraits and with almost all of them she used tracing. The parents didn't want an interpretation of how their baby looked or an impression of them. They wanted a clear straight-forward portrait of their child. She rarely traced paintings of adults, and there was often more in those paintings than just the person and their physical appearance.
My husband saw a documentary in which artists were using tracing and freaked out, lol. He was outraged to find out that even many of the greats in art had used tracing. I explained to him that tracing wasn't used by artists as a way of hiding a lack of skill. Tracing is just a technique an artist might use from time to time. I can see why non-artists might initially feel "duped" when they hear about this technique, but it isn't cheating. If it was cheating then anyone could do a beautiful work of art using tracing.
Your husbands reaction😂I must admit I thought the same, but seeing so much painters do tracing I changed my opinion. Thank you for your wonderful story❤❤❤
Tracing ensures 100% accuracy in very quick time, It’s a tool like any other.
I remember a wise woman who once told - "drawing and painting are two separate skills and each needs time and practice, it doesn't mean that you need to fully develop your drawing skills to start your painting skill" I think that sums up.
Yes good point, otherwise I would be 80 before I can start😂
i'm not afraid of admitting i'm a tracer. i actually have this rule that says that i shall only post artworks that i've made myself. tracing is just for fun and relaxation (though there are some irritating moments, i can admit). tracing is for myself, so i don't have to really be worried about how it comes out, since it's for my personal use. :)
Same, I love drawing but sometimes I get overwhelmed with it. I like to phisically be drawing something it's a way of relaxing so when I don't feel like drawing i trace.
Me too
Same I only shows those to my family members
I find the term "cheating" applied to visual arts a bit absurd. Unless the artistic performance is part of the intended work, any tool should be allowed. Because of these ideas, I would spend my chilhood thinking that copying from other artists of even looking at references was "cheating". In the end, I was just hindering my learning process with unrealistic notions of what it is allowed and what isn´t, when in reality the result, what people are going to appreciate and observe, is what matters most.
It is true that you can abuse tracing and hinder your learning experience. But as long as someone is creating original art and acknowledges their methods, I think it is fine.
I trace
I copy
I light box
I window
I project
I make art
And I don’t care what other people say bout my creative process
I am a mark maker
I make my marks
I play art my way
BEAUTIFUL POETRY! THIS is all that matters!!!!
I have monocular vision, so I only look through one eye at a time. Therefore, I have no depth perception. Tracing helps me size things correctly so that the perspective looks correct. Once I''m done tracing, I use my creativity and imagination to shade/color - that's where *my* artistry comes in.
For me drawing and painting are two very different skills. I paint well but my drawing is crap. I trace the outlines for my commissions or I wouldn't be able to sell anything. My drawing skills are getting better as I practice but I can't wait to be good at drawing before using tracing as a tool for my paintings.
Same here
Yes I trace too as a painter my drawing skills are relatively accurate but I like to save time on the drawing by transferring the design on my paper so I can concentrate more on the painting process
Try charcoal, make more lines and erase until correct image is there. This helps., try some 3 d images, chess pieces etc, shadows. Make eclipsed circles, lots of lines then erase the incorrect perspective, wishing you well.
So true!
i swear that tracing/drawing/painting/coloring are all different skills
Love how you approached this and your answers. I used to be in the “ cheating” camp and put ENORMOUS pressure on myself to draw it perfectly. So it took ages and ages before I could get to the joyous painting part. Then I took some classes from an amazing artist and she opened my eyes to all the tools for art. There is NO cheating she said, “ you STILL have to paint it..” can I draw? Yes. Can I draw as well as I can trace? Yes. Would I rather paint? HELL YES! So I have let go of my hold on NOT tracing and embraced it. Sometimes I draw it on paper, trace it onto tracing paper and transfer. Sometimes I trace the outline and transfer. Etc etc. It is alll good. This is a fabulous video commentary. Thank you.
Well said!
I draw original art meant for the canvas on transparent tracing paper
Absolutely! I've been drawing and painting for over 50 years. I do the same thing. Sometimes I draw it and then transfer my drawing and sometimes I trace the the outline and transfer that. When I'm pressed for time and need to get a lot of work done in a short amount of time to pay the bills, I trace the outline.
Same for me! I was in the cheating camp too, but after having lessons she teached me it is not cheating😊
Tracing a complex subject is its own skill. You still have to see the shapes and know how much info to include with your marks. I almost always do initial drawings separately and then trace them onto the intended support - if the work goes wrong then I can start again without starting from scratch and if I want to try the same subject in a different medium I've already got an outline ready to go.
True. Get a non artist to trace something and see if it looks a good.
Tracing is, for me, merely a tool. Often, I do a "working drawing" in which I work out the kinks and then trace that drawing onto the final surface for completion. I mainly work in colored pencil, so this also allows me to work in graphite for the working drawing and then exclusively in colored pencil on the final piece. All of the work is mine, so I see no conflict.
I used to think it was cheating, then discovered how erasing damages your paper, which is bad for watercolors. That said, knowing how to draw well enough that nothing else is needed, is an important skill.
In my experience, I just made a commission for drawing an automatic watch, using several references I made the final pic of what my client wanted in photoshop, then I traced with a projector, the tracing process took 2 hours and after that 60 more hours to complete the drawing.
I use tracing only for commissions, whenever I draw for myself I like to practice proportions without it.
This video is amazing at explaining why tracing is a good thing to do and nothing to be ashamed of.
In one way or another, a lot of art is copying/recreating from a reference of some sort.
Because otherwise, there is no art.
yeah but there is a difference between reference and tracing
Pablo Picasso was quoted as saying, "Good Artist Copy Great Artist Steal"
Art is majorly referencing. Inspiration, ideas, concept find their roots in reference... BUT, tracing isn't, it isn't reference, it's copying!
Referencing requires actual skill to be able to recreate a subject. Tracing requires no skill, it’s what lazy people do and call themselves ‘artists’
I did not often use tracing to draw/sketch but the work took a lot longer - lots of erasing and re-positioning if you only eye-ball it. I had a watercolor teacher who frowned on tracing or drawing first and my representational work in his class suffered until I decided to trace and then he loved my finished work. Tracing and grid work helps you take the next step faster and accurately. It is not cheating, It is a method and tool to help begin the work in whatever medium you choose - drawing, painting, watercolor, graphics, digital, etc. Love your channel Matt!!
Why the hell didn’t the algorhythm recommend you earlier - I’m annoyed that I’m only discovering you now
Thanks for recommending this video
Always good to see creators help out other creators! Thanks for this recommendation chief!
Thanks for recommending this video mate .
Thanks for the recommendation!
Yeah just discovered 👍
Excellent coverage of the topic. I agree with both sides of the argument, although why there has to be two sides seems ridiculous. Every craft should embrace more tools in their tool belt. Use the tools that make the process the most enjoyable for you.
drawing always has been a passion of my mine. and art just doesnt really love me back. even so. i work hard practice day and day out. however my art never improves.. can you critique my art pls i just need a pros point of view
Yes!
@@pogz1 utilizing critiques has amazing benefits.
1. Gives you a thick skin
2. Forces your ego to become diminished
3. Allows you to be more objective and realistic about your abilities and can lead to new and better techniques
When I attended art school over half of the students dropped out in the first 6 months. I think the reason is critiques. Their egos couldn't deal with questions brought upon them I think. They view it as confrontational, which it usually isn't. Too bad some of them had real potential.
I’m a cheat! .....thanks Matt, I do sometimes feel it’s wrong, but then I think it’s what you do with the outline that matters. Great topic and views 🙏
THIS. I've struggled to convey this thought process to those who think tracing is cheating. As an illustrator, TIME IS MONEY . The client doesn't care if the line art has been traced or drawn from eye ( especially as I erase the linework!) so why does it matter? Also, if you've got to capture someone's likeness , then why not use all the tools you have at your disposal?
So true❤
I think a lot of those "anti-cheater" people confuse tracing with copying other people's art. I see this a lot on social media, where tracing is usually synonymous with tracing over somebody else's drawing or photo (without permission). These same people will then think that copying somebody else's art/photo without tracing is somehow ok. 😑
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Loved this video! I can finally stop feeling guilty about tracing. Im 30 now but in college I showed a pencil portrait I did to a classmate. They were really impressed until I told them I traced the main features. They accused me of cheating... baring in mind that I’ve been drawing since I was about 5 and HAVE the ability to accurately draw a portrait freehand haha
Sometimes my brain doesn't see what my hand needs to see when drawing something. I do use tracing to help train my hand and head to achieve what I need to do. It is like a quick fix to a moment of a short circuit. But I never show any tracings for my creations, I use it as a training tool.
I'm glad that you brought this up. I use tracing to an extent, especially that my artform is graphic design/fine art. I actually learned it on a tracing table. Now I'm trying to move beyond it because it can be annoying to transfer designs. They can come out looking traced unless you go back and do a lot of corrections which take me longer.
As a digital artist I agree with everything you said! For three years, I traced hands, and now I feel very confident in doing a hand without a reference, because of all the practice and repetitiveness that tracing helped me
I think tracing is a nice tool to understand the structure of things.
For exemple, if you are studying the loomis head approach, picking up some head photos or paintings and tracing these lines on the subject, can help you to memorize and learn how to perceive it...
th-cam.com/video/pqwb1qtsw2o/w-d-xo.html✍️✍️.
Hi Mr. Matt, in my opinion tracing is one of the way to learn art of drawing, especially portrait, for me drawing was my hobby but later turned to a passion, so I was browsing you tube and likewise I got to know about your drawing talent. My first attraction of your work was drawing an eye with colour pencils from then I follow you. Thankyou so much.
I’ve been drawing traditionally for twenty years and for the past few years I’ve been using tracing to set up angular points depending on the subject.
I saw drastic improvement in my ability to approach my weak areas after just one trace. It’s not a miracle method by any means but it helps me.
Everyone is different and I’m not disregarding that it could be a placebo effect nor am I’m implying it’ll affect you the way it does me.
Thank-you for this video, Matt!! 👏👏👏 I'm a self-taught artist, and when I was first learning to draw, I decided to use tracing as a tool to help me learn. I would trace ONLY THE OUTLINE of the subject, PLUS one other important area, then fill in the missing parts, by studying my reference photo. Then I would try again, tracing fewer areas of that same reference photo, until finally I was confident enough to draw it all again from scratch, on my own. So I would end uo drawing the same subject at least three times. I know you said that tracing shouldn't be used by the beginner, and I do agree with you, however the way that I used tracing was to break up my subject into "bite-sized" pieces, so that I wouldn't be intimidated by the entire subject. I couldn't fathom drawing that subject from scratch, when I had no drawing experience, so tracing helped me tackle it piece by piece. It was very tedious and repetitive, but I have to say it did help me enormously because I could clearly see a progression there, and see where I was going wrong as a beginner, then correct myself by studying the reference photo. And now, I am able to draw something freehand, just by looking at a reference photo! But it did take several years for me to get to this point! Thank-you once again for this video! 😃😃
You're right. If your project is a commissioned portrait then you NEED to be accurate. I am a professional portrait artist and I know that people want the portrait to look like the person. Through tracing I can quickly get the shapes of everything in place...the eyes, lips, teeth, nose, jaw line, ears etc. Then I use loose marks with charcoal pencils to to make it look like a freehand drawing that really captures the subject perfectly. I was thrilled to learn the old masters traced for accuracy before they started painting. I don't feel guilty about tracing anymore.
th-cam.com/video/pqwb1qtsw2o/w-d-xo.html✍️✍️.
That is exactly the way I feel about tracing!!! I loved your view of the subject 100%
Great video!! I have tended to lean toward tracing as cheating but for all of the reasons you have described. I am trying to develop my drawing skills. I need to work on the observational facet of this. It also helps me to look at color and hue in a deeper manner. Thank you, Matt.
I 'm à newbie at all forms of Art, I got à light pad and Love it ! saves me time and encouragés me to practice graphite, color pencil ect, but i also have bought Excellent courses on UDEMY, from Virtual Instructor and others hoping to learn how to draw. Thank you so MUCH Mr Matt for your excellent courses ! And sharing your Amazing talent All the Best from Québec 😀
Great commentary on this topic, and I like the subtle point made by the animations of you speaking, which are very artistic yet also appear to be traced for the primary placement of critical features of your face.
I have been tracing since I was a little girl using the window. Now I’m 46 and I still trace. Does that mean I can’t draw? Hell no. Tracing learned me how to draw because its still a matter of seeing and that does not go away just because you trace. I can draw a face with correct proportions anytime without tracing but I still trace because it saves time and that is the part of the drawing that I actually dont like. For me its a tool.
th-cam.com/video/pqwb1qtsw2o/w-d-xo.html✍️✍️.
Agree 100%. Loved the approach of breaking this down between process vs the product. I think it is a natural progression to go through both camps at some point but usually due to the speed your skills develop. Its really easy to see other people draw really high fidelity images and then compare yourself.
Thank you for the info. Amazing topic of arts!..Awesome!.😊
I’ve been an artist for most of my life but more seriously for around 6yrs. I used to be very against tracing thinking people would rip me apart for it, but my highschool art teacher quickly changed that for me. When people would want to paint something but couldn’t draw it, she told them to use the projector to trace a Google image to the canvas. She prioritized the finish piece instead of the sketch layer. Thanks to her I was more inclined to trace photos to help me with posing and backgrounds. If I want a specific pose from a photo, I’ll trace the joint and head position and draw the rest in myself. If I want a specific background that I found off Pinterest, I’ll trace the construction lines of room or landscape I want and paint the rest in myself. Yes, I’m skilled enough to draw all those things by myself, but sometimes tracing is needed to get the precise placement.
The grid method. A happy medium. You get almost as accurate as traced lines and also trains you to draw what you see. I can draw without the grid, but it takes 4x as long.
Just came across your channel....terrific video. I love to paint, not to draw so I enjoy tracing especially for some of my palette knife paintings.
your the man!! thanks for the help and explicit explanation!
Once having acquired the necessary skills to express ones self, I see it as nothing more than a tool to help you achieve the desired result in a more efficient means to an end. Like a chef using a blender or a mechanic using power tools and so on. Thank you for all of the inspiring content you provide! Much appreciated!
I started my creative journey with drawing and I started learning how to paint in watercolour 18 months ago so I use tracing as a way to save time so I can concentrate more on learning how to paint and enjoying the painting process which in itself can be time consuming
th-cam.com/video/pqwb1qtsw2o/w-d-xo.html✍️✍️.
I can definitely understand tracing for that reason. Watercolor itself is a tough medium to learn, better to focus on one big set of skills at a time. I recently started to dabble in WC too but put it aside to focus on drawing more.
As an illustrator this has been a difficult idea to swallow but as Ive done more character/concept design Ive learned to see the value and perspective offered here. I think the main takeaway about product vs process is very important and continuing to develop your skills is paramount. It also takes a bit to realize WHEN in your development you are able to use tracing as a tool.
I still struggle with this concept, so this video was right on time!! I think the breakdown between a professional or contracted artist and an artist in their formative period is a great point! I would add that everyone should still be in the habit of brushing up on drawing from observation. Great video, I’ll be looking forward to more!!
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Love your accent, thank you for this video it's an interesting subject. Cheers from Western Australia.
I fully agree in all your views. Enjoyed the way you approached the topic.
Totally agree! Well covered.
Hola, aceptar el uso del rastreo como una "herramienta" me da confianza para el desarrollo final. Gracias, soy aficionada. Estoy haciendo tus lecciones. Desde Argentina 😀😀😀😀
It all depends how it is used . As for myself, first start thinking on something that inspires me. Have it on my mind already and what medium I will use. May have a photograph for information, but not interested in copying it. But if you want a very realistic portrait I think it is tracing will be helpful.
Sometimes tracing an outline of a subject has helped me understand the perspective much better. I've often traced something and then had a go just drawing it freehand. The "practice" of doing the tracing made the freehand drawing much easier. I could also compare them and see what I may have done incorrectly and also what I did right. This is particularly true with portraits of animals (for me). Thanks for your video and giving an honest review of both sides of the tracing coin.
Great video. I see this question a lot in art groups! I don't feel that tracing is cheating. It's just a tool. I love to draw, but when I'm painting, I don't necessarily want to spend my whole time drawing my subject. I want to get to the painting so I will sometimes trace an outline. But going from a few traced contour lines to a completed painting takes a lot more than just colouring something in - it takes knowledge of colour theory, colour temperature, brush calligraphy, the path of light, so many things. In drawing, I think a lot depends on what you are trying to learn too. If you are learning how to use a new medium or how to shade or whatever, I don't think it matters how you get the contour lines down first.
as a painter that has money tight- I sketch compositions on a small scale and perfect the look. THEN I project and trace my own art onto the larger canvas! That way I'm not wasting paint and I can work faster smaller!
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Thanks for your thoughts and background on tracing! Very interesting. I'm curious how you did that cool effect around 50 seconds in, where the video of you was transformed into pencil drawings. Very cool!
I always wondered. I have a Lucy but haven't used yet. Thank you
Sometimes I tracing from my own photos, and lately in studio made my painting, making adjustments . Choose my palette of colours.
This is great! personally, i care more about making something I like and am proud of than boasting skills but I still work on those skills, so while I do trace at times when I want to make sure something is accurate (and i should probably practice observation a bit more often) it's not something I always use. I usually try to either block it out/roughly draw it, before actually tracing or sometimes only copy the barest minimum. even with lines it can be tough to get the right lines and then there's still a ton of work to do before I eventually erase the lines I traced, to begin with. At times I've even used photo bashing to plan an image or get a detail I'm really struggling with that needs to be right (like in a portrait), i do credit if i use the image in the final work. i also use 3d models often. Even though professionals commonly do these things people still get upset and say it's not legit but each of these things takes a lot of fine detail work to make look right in the end, it's not like pressing a button on a printer by a long shot. even digital art, in general, gets that reputation and it's not accurate, if you wanted to continue that road you could belittle every artist for every tool they use. "Sure you drew it but you didn't make the paper and pencil so..."
honestly, I find it weird to call almost anything in art "cheating" i mean it's not a test? it's art. short of just printing someone else's and calling it entirely your own, I feel how you do it is pretty much up to the artist.
(thanks for captions)
I love this video. I can relate to everything that has been said. My forte as an artist is drawing, I have always drawn from an early age. I find tracing extremely convenient when working on pets and portraits. I usually transfer a tracing of the main proportions onto my canvas. not the details because it is so tedious and I want to get to it. I have achieved great results in doing so. I love all the great comments from everybody. Thank you!
Thanks for the clear explanation
Pro and cons tracing
As a commercial artist I use tracing as well and explain to my students why its not cheating and when you can use it but learn how to draw by your self is the basic.
I used to think it was “cheating” but now I don’t. You still have to have the skills to fill it all in. And I find tracing in and of itself can also be difficult. I still have to adjust my lines as I go. I do. Use grids sometimes as well, and again have to refine or adjust my lines when I thought they were correct. I think it does enhance the artist’s ability to draw and to see things. It forces you to see shapes in relation to each other and lines. Whatever works and helps the artist to their end goal. It’s mostly about the process to me, and I’ll do whatever I have to do to get it done. Great video!
im glad someone took time to talk about this issue
Tracing is the first step in learning to discern shapes and then lines.
It allows you to observe the two results and understand the basics.
It is possible to learn to draw starting with tracing.
Yes it is! You will notice details and the way the lines curve and flow better. Which will transfer when you freehand. Also tracing a subject a few time will make it easier to freehand as you create some muscle memory.
Yea it is but always remember to look underneath the drawing, for example if your tracing someone’s Art work really delve into how they thought when making it. Trace the lines of shadow shapes or if form is what your going for use line to indicate the form and make it as 3D as possible. Tracing is only good if you get more out of it.
@@ilikecookies230 Of course, that would be key to learning to draw. We all start somewhere and there's no shame in where we start. How we grow matters.
Absolutely! I started with a teacher who encouraged us to use tracing and told us that our drawing would improve and that has been true for me.
Bruce McCall endorsed tracing as a way to learn how to draw...
I’m a person who has a lot of anxiety when it comes to drawings - I’m a perfectionist and more often than not, will loose all motivation and confidence if my drawings (I draw animals) do not come out looking EXACTLY like my reference. Tracing for me has pros and cons, although my skill may not be advancing at a rate that it should, tracing gives me comfort and helps me maintain motivation. So to hear than great artists do it too and different perspective on it is really reassuring.
Once I can draw from imagination with great accuracy, I plan to trace to be more efficient. But until then, I want to learn to draw and paint all sorts of things from portraits to landscape, from photo refs to life. I agree that tracing without perfecting drawing skills is limiting..... but I guess a lot of people are okay with that.
In some situations, mostly outdoors, there is often only sufficient time for me to make a quick drawing in a small sketchbook. I will then use a computer and lightpad to increase the size before further drawing and painting. Thanks for the video Matt.
th-cam.com/video/pqwb1qtsw2o/w-d-xo.html✍️✍️.
tracing, at least in my experience, has actually improved my art as i was learning the basics. by following the proportionally-accurate lines that compose a subject, your hand slowly internalizes these movements and can draw similar subjects without the need of tracing.
i often used tracing as a practice tool for myself as i began (rather than presenting it as an artwork that i "totally didn't trace"), but now that i know that i'm completely capable of drawing a subject without tracing, it's turned into more of a handy tool for myself when i want to move onto the more entertaining aspects of paintings. for me, drawing the basic sketch can be a bit tedious at times, it just isn't as much fun for me. tracing is pretty helpful then :-)
I'm so appreciative for this video and dialogue! I view (and utilize) tracing not only as a tool for refinement or composing some initial lines, but also as an additional method of studying. (Plus, Rotoscoping is an animation technique that truly utilizes tracing.)
For example, there was a comic illustrator I followed on Instagram. I loved how they drew eyes, but couldn't specifically explain why I loved their approach. So, to better understand, I snagged a picture, popped it in Photoshop, then traced over it. It was quite eye-opening (ba dum tss) because I noticed the artist drew their lines in one direction, while I drew my lines in the opposite direction. It was cool to notice the nuances of their strokes, how they composed the eye anatomy, the aesthetic quality, etc. Afterwards, I started comparing my approach to theirs and seeing where I could tweak some things.
I agree that tracing is more beneficial once drawing and oberservational skills are refined. In the beginning stages, it may operate as more of a crutch than a tool. Wonderful video!!! I'll definitely be sharing and subbing!
th-cam.com/video/pqwb1qtsw2o/w-d-xo.html✍️✍️.
Early in my life, I had trouble drawing realistic looking human heads. An artist friend who was much better than me, played her head on a large piece of Kraft paper and told me to trace her head in profile. I did so & she had me draw over the lines repeatedly. After some time, she put a blank piece of paper down and said to draw it again, I did so without issue. We then moved on to the next step. Without her help, I likely would have given up before I ever succeeded. Tracing to learn can be beneficial.
I don’t think it’s about how hard it is to create the artwork, it’s more about if the artwork in question is astectecly pleasing
So tracing is not cheating. It’s like using a refrence!
Pretty much me. I really only use tracing to get the positioning of a shot right. When I free hand, proportions may be off, objects are not where they're supposed to be and it bothers me waaaay, too much. I like accuracy but at the same time I like free handing.
I don't think is cheating or wrong but I do think sometimes it lessens the achievement. Like making a gorgeous cake but the base is a store bought pre-mix you know.
Box cakes are AWESOME! I love um!!!
A very honest and becoming acknowledgement. I love working from real life references but sometimes my subjects may not be available in my country. So I'm obliged to obtain a photograph and I think tracing helps me with accuracy. I dont think I'm doing doing a dirty trick but at the same time I wouldn't tell that I do it even to my mother. Otherwise she might misinterpret my commitment and devalue my work and ofcourse, me. :(
Splendid video.
Glad someone has an objective view on it
I draw sometimes as a hobby and often forget details of shapes or how to put them together. I was frustrated by this so one day i got a reference, reduced the opacity and traced over the required parts.
This made me enjoy the art again rather than worrying about getting things right with my memory.
this is awesome thank youuuu
Very intelligent discourse. I subbed, and I'm not even an artist.
I learned how to draw by tracing when I was a kid. Now I use tracing to transfer sketches that have elements I like but I have a hard time reproducing. Every drawing seems to have a slightly different feel, so if I need to reproduce an exact feeling of an original, I use tracing as a tool.
I combine tracing with freehand. I find though that tracing is a simple method of combatting the left side of the brain that can hinder progression when it comes to getting better at freehanding. I think combining the two is best.
I don't think it's "cheating" at all, but I DO think an entire generation of young artists have fooled themselves into thinking they can use tracing to shortcut their way to drawing skills somehow. I see people online claim that tracing helps you learn anatomy or pick up a style, but they are completely unable to draw a form without something to directly trace. If that is what they want, that's fine, but many of them want to create their own original characters, fanart, or comic strips and are unable to because they've been sold this false idea that you can just "Trace your way to skill".
Tracing is a tool, but it's also an entirely separate skill from drawing. There's no shame in using tracing to make your art, but there's some concern if you can't make art without tracing.
I’m so glad I finally found a comment saying this! You are exactly right.
I agree, tracing doesn't teach you how to draw, it saves time because the artist lacks the ability to draw it correctly quickly, by using drawing concepts like proportions, etc. I consider traced art another type of artform.
Being self taught and not particularly confident in my own drawing skills, I sometimes trace for a portrait (pet or person), and - at first - I did consider this to be cheating as, if I had the talent to draw so accurately, why would I need to trace? However, using this process has changed my mind, for the reasons you mentioned but I have others. But I must stress, I draw freehand as often as possible to improve my skills. Bearing this in mind, tracing often doesn’t give me the result I want. I often can’t see clearly through the tracing paper and sometimes, the trace I’’ve made has slipped and a line or proportion maybe out, so I end up erasing parts and redrawing freehand more accurately. I also wanted to paint a sculpture a friend had made but trying different mediums. So, once I had made a freehand drawing I was happy with, I traced my own drawing so I could duplicate it quickly. Besides, many artist quality papers are delicate and you wouldn’t want to use an eraser on them, so unless you were utterly confident of getting a contour drawing correct first time - from the many You Tube tutorials I have seen, artists would do this anyway.
As an amateur artist for the past 10 years I have started tracing guidelines the last couple years due to how much time it saves. I’ve already proven to myself that I can get proportions correct given enough time. I’m still slow with drawing and need to find ways to shade faster.
I taught my self how to draw and paint every thing. Getting the proportions correct was always a problem. Now I grid or trace the image of the face, now the hard work begins. Am glad I’ve learned how trace a image.
I trace in most of my drawings. But I don’t consider it cheating, ‘cause I do A LOT of shading in them therefor the outline won’t be as important in the artwork. And like you said, the artist has to be skillful to have the finished result good looking. Even though when I draw something without tracing, I really feel more proud of myself than when I do 🤭 but it’s ok.
Btw, I LOVE your videos, they inform me SO MUCH in things I never knew before nor found them in other videos. You’re one of the artist I watch that keep me going ☺️
When i was 9 years old i saw my eldest brother drawing faces and cant do what his doing so i started to study by tracing and i can say it helps my drawing skills. When i draw or paint landscape etc i dont use tracing technique but for faces i use it. Now im doing digital arts i still use most of the time this techniques for faces as i just want to make it sure i have at least accurate drawing of the face before i start my painting
I just started drawing and tracing has helped me learn to find the simple shapes in things.
Thank you so so much for this!! I always saw tracing as cheating and a sin basically!
I love drawing portraits I can do them free hand and get a good likeness and proper proportions but sometimes I want it to look exactly like my reference so I trace and do the shading or painting myself.
Great video!
Excellent video. I agree with it all. We should be able to use both. As a wildlife artist this save time just to do a simple outline. I’ve only started to do this since I started using Clairefontaine pastel mat and erasing isn’t possible. We should keep up our drawing skills and doing sketches before the actual piece in helpful. I find this method really helpful doing portraits as well to get a more accurate likeness. I find artist are opinionated and some don’t consider any representational art worthy at all. We are opinionated 🧐
If you're a wildlife painter, watercolor colour artist, or detail/realism artist, tracing is not cheating. But if someone's sketching wildlife bodies then they shouldn't trace.
I am good with both. I do anything that comes to me in my process of creating.
I am very old ☺️ and I learned many years ago that we had to put in the work to learn to draw and paint. We had to learn how to look. So, no - no tracing for me. In fact, in art school, if anyone so much as caught us in the same aisle in the art supply store that had tracing paper, we were scandalized!
🤔
This is a great video on this topic. Tracing is a tool to create the work you want to create. I personally prefer not to trace and enjoy drawing from my imagination. My problem with tracing is that many artists on you tube and other social media sites trace photographs and make no changes to the original content and give no credit to the photographer or media they traced from. This to me is like a band covering a famous song and saying its their original music. For instance, Just type Moon Knight Drawing into You Tube. You will get several artists who just copy the poster that marvel released. A designer/artist made that poster used all their skill to create dramatic lighting and create an imposing composition. The artists that made those copies are selling that art as their own and get millions of views on You Tube. I think that it would be of great value if the general population where a bit more savvy to the ways of artists.
I work out my drawings on sketch paper, then trace MY drawing to my watercolor paper with a light box. Keeps excess pencil marks from ruining my paintings. If you are tracing other people's art or photography then it is wrong.
It’s a tool - just like a straight-edge, a brush, a fine tip eraser etc….. useful at all stages of your drawing career, for different reasons. I found that, as a beginner, my contours/outlines were ‘problematic’ - but as time has progressed, my freehand skills have improved to the point where it takes a bit longer to freehand something but not sufficiently that I have to trace. Low contrast subjects are excellent ones for tracing - placement needs to accurate - and if tracing offends anyone - get yourself an architects proportional dividers -they’re a breeze to use and the results are worthwhile!
No matter who you are and what you do, someone will judge you harshly for it. Art, in my opinion, should be a place where the boundaries fade away, and you are free to express yourself. Instead, everyone imposes their own arbitrary rules. I have been accused of "cheating" for blending graphite with a blending stump, for drawing from life, for using reference photos (with no transferring), and for holding up my pencil to estimate relative proportions. Someone will ALWAYS find something "wrong" with what you do. Carry on anyway. Give yourself permission to create, and let those who prefer to destroy go their own way.
Great video. To me tracing would be a tool, for the representational artist. It can save time and energy. however, the fun of drawing is lost then. Depends on the situation at hand. Thank you and all the best.
I agree that it can be a tool or partof the process especially if you want to focus on coloring, shading and rendering.
When I was a kid I struggled with drawing, but when I was able to use a light box or projector to get the basics down, I did fantastic stuff with lots of varied mediums from soft pastels, acrylics, to wood burning and glass etching. At some point I got terribly discouraged by the drawing purists, as if I couldn't go any further with any other art until I got that part down. I get impatient and frustrated. I quit. I stopped making art.
I've recently picked up my art again, and some amount of tracing is helping to rebuild my confidence. Yes, I know I need to improve my drawing, and I plan to (make myself) do that too, but right now I'm making art for the joy of it.
I'm still slow at the drawing bits, but I am improving. Today my art is for me first.