09-17-2016, 02:04 AM
Since this thread has been derailed already, some more thoughts on reference: Though you might think that there's finished paintings in your head, that are just waiting to be transferred onto a canvas, the reality is that you're missing a lot of information about the things you are trying to do, and to learn that new information you need to study from life.
In that sense, relying on reference for everything you do can be seen as a shortcut, because you can copy a lot of 'correct' information, without even knowing what it is, or why what you are doing works, which means that it allows you to create something finished even if you don't have a lot of knowledge about the subject.
However, this attitude can also make you oblivious to your own lack of insight, and since you're never forced to learn the forms of what you are drawing/painting, or the way the lighting situation changes in different areas of a space and the way that would affect what an object you place in it looks like depending on where you place it, you won't be able to do those things, which limits you immensely.
Imo, if you don't want your range as an artist to be limited by the reference you are able to find, you have to strike a balance between learning how to do the things that are most universally useful for your work from imagination and incorporating reference into it for those aspects that don't play a big role for it.
In that sense, relying on reference for everything you do can be seen as a shortcut, because you can copy a lot of 'correct' information, without even knowing what it is, or why what you are doing works, which means that it allows you to create something finished even if you don't have a lot of knowledge about the subject.
However, this attitude can also make you oblivious to your own lack of insight, and since you're never forced to learn the forms of what you are drawing/painting, or the way the lighting situation changes in different areas of a space and the way that would affect what an object you place in it looks like depending on where you place it, you won't be able to do those things, which limits you immensely.
Imo, if you don't want your range as an artist to be limited by the reference you are able to find, you have to strike a balance between learning how to do the things that are most universally useful for your work from imagination and incorporating reference into it for those aspects that don't play a big role for it.