I'm an artist. Is tracing a sin?

[The_Otaku]

I’ve run into a dilemma, but there’s still time to avoid it and start over, if necessary. I’m working on a portrait of an actress for a drawing contest on a website. Because realism is not my field, I’ve opted to use a reference picture of the actress to guide me, which is perfectly ok. However, I have lightly traced the outline of the face, eyes, nose, and mouth, so I can establish where they are on the face to give me a base to work with and build on with color, etc. The majority of the work I’m doing under my own skills and merit (the painting, coloring, the rest of the line work etc.) using the reference as a guide for how it should look realistically.

In your opinion, is the small amount tracing that I did wrong and should I start all over and not trace at all if I am going to submit this into the contest? Am I morally required to tell anyone who sees my work and comments on it when it’s finished and uploaded that I traced parts of it (whether it’s in the contest or not), or is it morally acceptable for me to leave that out considering what a small part of the overall project it was and that the majority of the work I did on my own? I don’t want to seem like a cheater, because normally I don’t do these things, and it is weighing my conscience a bit given that it’s a contest, and I stand to win a prize if I win, which is doubtful, in my opinion.

I’ve heard some opinions from both sides for and against it (such as it’s ok as long as you did most of the work and tell people you had a reference, and others say it’s never ok and is always cheating), but maybe some fellow Catholic opinions, especially if you’re artists and can appreciate the craft, will help. Thanks.

 

[kage_ar]

All the artists I know would never trace and pass it off as original. If you do not have the talent for this contest, find a contest that fits your skill set.

 

[The_Otaku]

All the artists I know would never trace and pass it off as original. If you do not have the talent for this contest, find a contest that fits your skill set.

I do have the talent for it, which is why this is conflicting for me. I have enough talent to do it on my own, and most of it is original anyway. I don’ want to see the tracing as a crutch to get the job done so much as I see it a guide to where I need to place value and color. Once I do this, the tracing isn’t there anymore and is gone forever, as more and more layers cover it up. In this sense, the work does become completely original, even if it didn’t start as such. The quick traces to establish a face are no longer there, and everything from that point on is original. Even the lines that were traces are now manipulated and changed by my originality.

What is your opinion on that? When I said this wasn’t my field I didn’t mean I wasn’t capable of doing it without tracing, but it does turn out it makes the job faster. I also have to be mindful of the time constraints. The contest is at the end of the month, and doing a quick trace of the few things that would be helpful will buy me more time and allow me to focus on the bulk of the work which is mine.

Am I in error in thinking this way? If something starts off as partially traced, does it stay that way (as sort of principle of morality ie- you can never erase that you traced) even if it ceases to be traced at some point (literally, physically, and tangibly)? When does my own originality take over and the tracing no longer has any bearing over it, and which is considered greater than the other in this instance? Also, could this fall under the phrase “taking something and making it your own” or is this completely different? If this was a complete trace of the entire picture and every little detail and pixel, I’d see the complete error in what I’m doing and wouldn’t have to ask the question. It would be down right cheating in the extreme, and if what I’m doing is the same, why does it not feel that way to me?

 

[LilyM]

How did Andy Warhol get his endless frames of Campbell’s Soup Cans - or heads of Marilyn Monroe? He certainly didn’t draw her in by hand, as far as I am aware, and yet his pictures of her are not considered copying or unoriginal work.

In music people borrow from each others’ work all the time, but then embellish, add, change, and transform it into something original.

 

[kage_ar]

Don’t know Warhol, can’t answer for him.

As I said, I told you what I’ve heard discussed by my artist friends - my husband is an artist, we have a decent supply of artists around.

 

[The_Otaku]

How did Andy Warhol get his endless frames of Campbell’s Soup Cans - or heads of Marilyn Monroe? He certainly didn’t draw her in by hand, as far as I am aware, and yet his pictures of her are not considered copying or unoriginal work.

In music people borrow from each others’ work all the time, but then embellish, add, change, and transform it into something original.

Assuming that’s true about Warhol (I wouldn’t know, I’m not familiar with him or his work), then I see your point.

Although, why were his works not considered copying or unoriginal? To be technical about this, which it requires to answer the question, I am drawing it on my own, even the parts that are traces. What I want to know is why that is wrong if it is wrong. It would be different if someone else drew it for me, and then handed me the pencil or brush, or if I had someone’s hand on mine, guiding it.

I’d like to think there’s a difference between amateur tracing like what children do, where tracing is the end- they’re mindlessly tracing what they see because they don’t know how to draw, and between using tracing as a tool to get the look you want, a means to an end but not the end itself.

If Warhol and I are similar in this example in how we may have traced over something, but then only used that to the extent it was necessary or desirable, are both of us in the wrong and considered cheaters? I can’t get past this feeling that it is wrong, but only because ideally you should always want to be 100% original from start to finish, even if you are an amateur, because it builds character and real talent. I don’t feel like I’m compromising my skills as an artist just because of one picture because I won’t always need references, and I can count on one hand the number of times I’ve ever traced in my whole life to my knowledge. But I do care about being or feeling like a liar, if when I post the picture, I don’t mention it started off with some traces. What would totally make me feel better is if someone said I’m not morally required to tell a truth about something which is not completely true to begin with. Ie- It WAS a trace at some point, but then no longer was after another point. It sounds silly and childish to have to explain it to people, like I’m tripping over my own trap or something. It makes me seem paranoid and like I have no confidence which really makes the artist look suspicious. I just care about this so much I want to be doing the right thing.

The question is, what is the right thing and what makes it right. And what is the wrong thing, and to what extent is it wrong, and does anything I’ve said make any difference to it. If theres no need to feel guilty because there’s nothing guilty going on, I need to be told a way to allow myself to feel the opposite of guilt, even if logically I would know how to do it. I feel guilty but I don’t know that I actually am. That’s why I need you guys to tell me I am or am not, so I can put my mind at ease, and hopefully make the right decision, if there was even a wrong one to begin with.

 

[kage_ar]

What do the rules of the contest state?

A quick google found some contests specifically state that tracing is not permitted:

maddloudounva.org/Poster_Essay_2K8/PE_instructions_2k8.html

Q: Is my child allowed to trace or use projections of published material as a guide in drawing/coloring all or part of a poster?
A: No. Copying another’s creation by tracing or using it directly as a guide in any form is not allowed. However, an entrant may use pictures, clip-art, etc. for ideas or layouts and then free-hand sketch their own creation from them.

gaiaonline.com/forum/art-contests/take-your-pick-an-art-contest-22-million-in-prizes/t.47936209/

Please note that this also means no eyeballing/tracing other work

www.coloradostatefair.com/uploads///09gespecialcontests/09specialAmateur%20Art.pdf

Art work must be original. Paint by number, tracing, color book pictures, etc. will NOT be accepted.

 

[Nick_in_MB]

Hmmm. I’ve had many teachers that gave us varying methods for tracing or copying a picture. My personal favorite is the grid. You overlay a grid on the original picture, and you draw the same exact grid, either bigger or smaller lightly onto the paper or canvas you’re working on. Lightly so that it can be erased or that it won’t show up with paint. That way, you essentially have a smaller square to draw things freehand, and force you to be more acurate.
But then I had another teacher that hated the grid method. He preferred that we enlarge the image on a copier and trace over it directly, just enough to get an outline so that we can work with the original picture as a reference only.

 

[The_Otaku]

What do the rules of the contest state?

A quick google found some contests specifically state that tracing is not permitted:

maddloudounva.org/Poster_Essay_2K8/PE_instructions_2k8.html

Q: Is my child allowed to trace or use projections of published material as a guide in drawing/coloring all or part of a poster?
A: No. Copying another’s creation by tracing or using it directly as a guide in any form is not allowed. However, an entrant may use pictures, clip-art, etc. for ideas or layouts and then free-hand sketch their own creation from them.

gaiaonline.com/forum/art-contests/take-your-pick-an-art-contest-22-million-in-prizes/t.47936209/

Please note that this also means no eyeballing/tracing other work

www.coloradostatefair.com/uploads///09gespecialcontests/09specialAmateur%20Art.pdf

Art work must be original. Paint by number, tracing, color book pictures, etc. will NOT be accepted.

The rules of this contest don’t talk about any of these things, only what the theme is, and that traditional and digital media are allowed. It didn’t say what isn’t allowed other than you can only enter 1 submission, and it was mentioned how these submissions would be judged overall and by whom.

I wouldn’t include tracing, in any form, if the rules said it wasn’t ok, because then that’s a betrayal of the good will trust the contest creator is giving to us. Also, whose to say others aren’t tracing or copying or using references in some form anyways. I’ve already seen some of the submissions already that have come in, and you can tell just by looking at them they’re recreations based on a photo because the pose is the same, same clothes the figures are wearing, etc.

As long as the playing field is ‘even’ in this way, can I take it that it’s ok what I’m doing THIS TIME? Or am I just lowering my standards by doing that and avoiding the issue?

I’m stuck between a rock and a hard spot here. It’s like I’m lying and telling the truth at the same time if anyone asks questions. How can that possibly be? I did draw the picture on my own skill and ability so I wouldn’t be lying to tell them that as a matter of fact, but the fact is there was some tracing involved in the initial setup, but should I tell them that? It would make me feel better to on some level, but considering the tracing makes up…oh I’d say maybe 5% of the painting and the 95% is all me, I don’t know that I should feel obligated to and that I shouldn’t have more pride and confidence so as to claim this portrait as my own, and not a trace.

I’m going to go to perpetual adoration now. I’m hoping the Holy Spirit will enlighten me or move my heart or conscience and provide an answer or enable me to find my answer. This is one of those things I feel could fester and I could become scrupulous about if I’m not careful…it wouldn’t be the first time it’s happened over my art.

 

[The_Otaku]

Hmmm. I’ve had many teachers that gave us varying methods for tracing or copying a picture. My personal favorite is the grid. You overlay a grid on the original picture, and you draw the same exact grid, either bigger or smaller lightly onto the paper or canvas you’re working on. Lightly so that it can be erased or that it won’t show up with paint. That way, you essentially have a smaller square to draw things freehand, and force you to be more acurate.
But then I had another teacher that hated the grid method. He preferred that we enlarge the image on a copier and trace over it directly, just enough to get an outline so that we can work with the original picture as a reference only.

Thanks for the post.

Yeah, that’s true, but then, if I wanted to, I could call all that cheating also if I wanted to make you feel guilty the way I feel guilty or that you’re wrong to be doing those things and that if you were a real artist, you wouldn’t have to do that.

Something that makes me feel awkward is that people know me on the art site that I frequent. So if I suddenly come out and say I did use elements of tracing for this picture I’m working on, my rep will take a hit most likely as will all of my previous work and both may fall under suspicion. That’s just the way the human mind works, especially in art critiques and art sites. As far as the contest goes, I will/may have outed and disqualified myself. It’s sort of like when a cop pulls a guy over and the guy gets nervous and confesses everything and shows the cop his DUI, unpaid parking tickets, etc, when all the cop wanted was to tell the guy his tail light was out.

LOL

 

[Nino]

…a very famous cover painter artist…Norman Rockwell…used to use an overhead projector in his work.he would use photographs of humans in various postures,put them on the projector and trace the images…its not a big deal…as a retired art teacher I would not condemn that method…its the initial concept that matters then how it is accomplished…I did a painting of the late pope when shot and many think its a photograph for I can paint in such a realistic manner…so again good luck and go for it!!! (if you wish a copy I have the painting on my site let me know)…all the best…Nino

 

[The_Otaku]

…a very famous cover painter artist…Norman Rockwell…used to use an overhead projector in his work.he would use photographs of humans in various postures,put them on the projector and trace the images…its not a big deal…as a retired art teacher I would not condemn that method…its the initial concept that matters then how it is accomplished…I did a painting of the late pope when shot and many think its a photograph for I can paint in such a realistic manner…so again good luck and go for it!!! (if you wish a copy I have the painting on my site let me know)…all the best…Nino

I love Norman Rockwell’s work! I would never had known he used these methods if you hadn’t told me! Really makes me rethink my opinion of him, in a good way. It must have been humbling for him, as it’s proving humbling for me.

That really gives me alot to think about and it really puts me at ease. Maybe I’m just too honest for my own good or holding myself to a standard that never existed or doesn’t in reality. I know that in principle, tracing has it’s value in learning, but at my level of skill, you could say I don’t need it so why am I using it here. I guess that just made me feel insecure and dishonest. But if Norman Rockwell went through these thoughts, that gives me hope.

Sure! I’d love to see your rendition of the pope. You can PM me the link if you’d like.

 

[Nick_in_MB]

Yeah, that’s true, but then, if I wanted to, I could call all that cheating also if I wanted to make you feel guilty the way I feel guilty or that you’re wrong to be doing those things and that if you were a real artist, you wouldn’t have to do that.

Very true.
But it’s like a Photoshop teacher I once had. He talked about how he and a classmate of his wanted a specific type of texture. They basically wanted the same texture. The classmate spent the time playing will all the filters and levels and every other thing Photoshop has to play with. My teacher threw a raw steak on the scanner and scanned it in, then just used that with an mask, and a few little filters and tweaks (all while eating the steak, as he added (he cooked it)). His method was far faster than his classmate, and the classmate said he cheated.
The way he justified it to the rest of us… A client isn’t going to want to pay you for 3 weeks of work when they can get somebody else to do the work faster, just because you won’t take a shortcut.