Do You Draw From Real Life, Or Imagination?

[Beatlechick90]

Neither for me, actually, I prefer to use pictures. But I can't draw from my imagination at all or the subjects end up looking cartoony. Not that there's anything wrong with cartoons, but I prefer to draw realism.
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[Lexar]

Everything is from imagination, but of course I can't say I'm not influenced by stuff. But I work with a blank paper, and no examples in front of me, and everything, the composition, the character design (unless it's fanart), the background, the pose, you name it, I make up myself. IMO the way it really should be done.

[Stratadrake]

Drawing from real-life can be subdivided into two methods: drawing from real [i]observation[/i], and drawing from [i]photos[/i]. The only difference is that in the former, you're drawing a 3D object onto a 2D surface, whereas with the latter, you're essentially copying the 2D [i]image[/i] of the 3D object.

Me, I draw from imagination, but utilizing various things I picked up from examining photos and such.
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[Saikoro]

I draw completely from my mind. ^_^ I don't really believe in refrences, to me they're no fun.
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[jhonenfreak]

I draw my fanart by studying screen caps of characters, but otherwise I like drawing from imagination. Especially sci-fi and fantasy stuff that doesn't exist in real life. When I draw people, I'm usually forced to take a look in the mirror to see how a face looks or how far a body can stretch, then I alter it to look like an individual. However, I have done some still lifes from actual models of inanimate objects, which I find more difficult.
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[Raymei]

When I first started drawing I'd look at other pictures.
Later on I would just stare at things in real life, studying them really hard in case I wanted to try drawing it later.

These days I try to do it from memory as best I can ^^ good exercise and a good challenge.
although every so often I'll have to get one of my brothers/sisters (or on rare occasions, myself) to pose real quick.

[fallenangel]

[quote]IMO the way it really should be done.
[/quote]

In my opinion, a pretentious twat.

I don't have a preference. Depends on what I'm drawing. I only upload fanart here, though.
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[DG-sama]

I draw mostly from imagination. Even when I'm doing a fanart I usually don't use a reference. I go by memory and what I can't remember I make up! All of my original character and such I design all myself. I love creating really wierd and bizarr outfits.

The only thing I really use solid references for all the time (like photos) is for the rare occasions that I draw a portrait of a real person.
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God damn you signature WORK!

[Lexar]

[quote]In my opinion, a pretentious twat.[/quote]

Besides from that small insult being totally uncalled for, I want to explain it to you, so you understand better how I feel about it. To put it bluntly, copying existing stuff is only skill, creativity comes when you invent things yourself.
Now I know that this is already going to be misinterpreted, so I'll make it clear: I'm not saying, and it doesn't mean copying existing stuff is bad, or inferior, but the creative process just isn't as present as when you draw from your imagination. It's something else that is only marginally comparable. There is nothing pretentious about that, but to me portraits and drawing from real life are less imaginitive and creative than drawing from your imagination. Also I think it takes less skill to do backgrounds and poses when you already have an example in front of you. Also, it gives a better insight into the artist, because they express themselves through their art, which isn't as much the case when you have a faithfull reproduction of a photo, or a still life. Of course it's still possible, vincent van gogh for example made very expressive and impressive still lifes, even though it was impressionist so not exactly the same as the more 'realistic' art, but overall, I feel that drawing from imagination is a 'purer' artform.

[Diathene]

It's not black and white you know - I draw from references but my art is 100% imagination. The fact that I have solid anatomy and a technically correct rapier or crossbow just helps make whatever fantasy character I've portrayed look more convincing.

[fallenangel]

Diathene put it best. Just because someone may not know the correct anatomy of how all the joints in a human hand work doesn't mean their creativity is less "pure" if they look up a reference as an example. Sure, they could fake it and completely mess up the anatomy, but then it's an issue of creativity vs something just being wrong. The "I intended it to be that way" excuse is used to such a ridiculous point. If 99.9% of the drawing is realistic, blowing off one eye being higher than the other or the arm having bad perspective with "I meant it to be like that" is cheating one's self.
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[VictoriaViper]

Since I specialize in fantasy art, I must rely heavily on my imagination. I am influenced by real life when it comes to certain technical aspects (lighting, anatomy, etc.).

[Stratadrake]

Same here. I draw fantasy creatures mostly from imagination, but I do incorporate things I've learned from studying real animals (photos, mostly).
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[gokusan]

I draw from real life, pictures (any references that might I need), and from my head. A lot of my dragons and such are drawn from the depths of my imagination. Although, my gallery here on fan-art central is mainly DBZ fan-art..but most of it is original stuff..(even if I draw Goku a lot..he's in my poses and stuff..)

[Gameglitch]

Just a bit of food for thought...Did you know that a cartoonist has a place/file of photos as reference for his cartoons (example: pictures of a hockey player, race car, etc.. to get the proportions right and such.) and the name for that is a morgue. Yes it sounds like a place to put dead people but thats what its called :blink:


ps: maybe its spelt different but it sounds like it anyway. :wacko:

[Meredianna]

Yes all stuff is from my imagination, and just in case, sometimes i get references, i like the anime or cartoony style, im not so good when it comes to realism

[CyberkittyKG]

[quote="Diathene (Naomi)"]It's not black and white you know - I draw from references but my art is 100% imagination.  The fact that I have solid anatomy and a technically correct rapier or crossbow just helps make whatever fantasy character I've portrayed look more convincing.[/quote]
I couldn't agree more with Diathene, or fallenangel, for that matter...when I draw something, I come up with an picture in my mind using my imagination; a completely original pose, composition, and concept...after I have the idea worked out, I'll draw a rough sketch, and then I'll get out my anatomy books to use as reference to make sure I'm drawing the body correctly. Or sometimes I'll use myself as a model...I do that especially when drawing hands. I don't think this cheapens the originality of the work, because you're using the reference material to enhance your original concept and make it look more believeable.

Although I do have to admit that I did borrow the pose of an existing picture for one of my works, but that was because I was drawing a variation of the character (a darker alter ego) and I wanted the original picture to be a foil for mine. I changed the hands and other details in the picture so it wouldn't be a blatant copy.

[Talin]

I cannot draw from imagination!!! i can only draw stick people from my imagination.

[KFelidae]

Depending on what I'm drawing, I'll either do it nearly-completely out of my head, or grab minimal refernce.

The big trouble with reference, for me, isn't having some sort of objection to it, but lacking in a sufficient reference library to work from. Sure, I'll get pictures of birds and such off the internet, but as I'm usually not in the mood to sit in front of my monitor and draw for an hour or two, I'll try to hold a specific image in my mind and go off to draw.

Stuff that comes completely from my mind usually ends up looking the most "out of whack", but is sometimes the stuff I have the most personal affection towards. Yeah, the hips may be placed funny, but I remember sitting there, doodling freely, and I go, "aww, yeah!"

The biggest thing I don't use reference for (but probably should) are the Kittybirgs. This is mainly because they are mostly from my memory to begin with, and don't really look too much like an existing animal. Sure, they're baised loosely on cats, but they really look nothing like a true-to-life rendition of one. So Kittybirgs, more often than not, come straight outta my head.


-KF

[_matt_]

if i said i drew from real-life experiences, you guys would worry about me... o_O