Under Arrest: 5 Things You Thought You Couldn't Do

Novices to the art world seem to think they must abide by a long list of rules of what they can and can not do.  They often judge their work on the difficulty of creating it or the tools they used rather than qualities within the art itself.  I speak here from experience.  For many years I refused to trace, copy, or use reference materials in my work.  While I thought I was taking the high road by not copying someone else's work, in truth I was only limiting my own abilities and slowing my progress.  Below I list 5 rules beginners abide by that don't really exist and reveal the truth of what can and can't be done.

Drawing a Drawing by Threehorn

1. Don't Copy! That's Cheating!
   Let me be clear, copying or tracing someone else's work and then claiming it as your own, making profit off of it, or distributing it (without permission) is stealing.  Don't do it.  BUT copying or tracing an artwork in and of itself is perfectly fine.  In fact it is one of the best things you can do to improve your drawing skills.  Tracing a drawing you like or admire will help you understand how the image is composed, how the artist used light and shadow, and how the figures therein are proportioned.  Copying someone else's work can show you what shapes they used as base for the drawing, how the lines interact with each other and how the artist used other aspects of the drawing to help proportion the main figure.  I would encourage any aspiring artist to copy their favorite works. Just remember, it isn't your original work so don't act like it is.

Hands Reference by Pikishi

2. Real Artists Don't Need References
   I fell prone to this misconception for a long time.  The truth is that most of the great artists through history and even into today use references in most of their works.  While some things such as an alien monster may not be possible to reference it often is helpful to use reference in other areas of your work and even for specific aspects of an object.  Take caution though in the materials you use as references.  Even images that are posted online for the purpose of referencing often times have stipulations for how they may be used, altered, and attributed.  If possible use or own images or get explicit permission from the originator of the reference.  And always make sure to attribute any references you use.

3. Cartoons Are Only For Kids And Comic Artists
  Or more accurately 'stylized' art is only for kids and comic artists.  Similarly is the thought that 'Real' artists don't draw manga.  This is so far from the truth.  There is some amazing manga and stylized art out there. Manga has the benefits of a simplified anatomy.  Stylized it may be but a good manga how to book actually teaches some good basic anatomy. I stress, though, that it is basic.  But if you want to master figure drawing Manga is certainly a good place to start.  Cartoons often encourage movement and spontaneity as well as consistency.  There are some good lessons to be learned from the simplicity of cartoon characters.

4. Mechanical Pencils Can't Be Used For Art
   While using professional grade tools can ease the drawing process and allow for expanded techniques they can never replace a strong understanding of basic concepts.  No pencil, paintbrush, or drawing tablet can fix errors in perspective, color choices, or anatomy.  Nor should you scorn common household pencils and erasers.  Instead master the tools at your disposal, there is an art in itself in mastering the mechanical pencil.  The only time a new tool will improve your work is when you have a solid understanding of basic concepts and find yourself limited by your current tools.  Otherwise focus your efforts on the principles of art.

5. I Shouldn't Practice Drawing Things That I'm Not Interested In
   Practice drawing everything.  Not only does any drawing improve your technique and skill you never know when you're going to need a reference for a pile of dirty dishes.  Whether you're into abstract, fantasy, or portraits, it takes a lot of practice to train your hand to do what your mind tells it to.  Why limit yourself to your area of expertise?  The only way to learn to draw is to do it.  So take a sketch book with you and draw everything you see!

My Art, My Rules by Survey-chan

The take home point: How you create your drawings isn't as important as the underlying principles that support it.  So long as you don't claim someone else's work as your own there are almost no rules.  It doesn't matter how your work is created or what you draw.  What matters is that you keep drawing.

~TickledpinkArt