Tracing is undervalued and even looked down upon by many people, but it is an excellent method for beginner artists to get a feel for drawing clean lines and shapes. It can provide artists with a sense of accomplishment if they experience a lot of failure with drawing. Tracing can also be used for designers working on new logos or illustrations. Referencing and tracing elements from other completed artwork is an excellent way to fast track a design process.
Attribution is an essential part of tracing. Unfortunately, there is no hard and fast rule for this. When I create a piece of artwork for fun and post it on socials, I will often tag or mention the person who influenced my illustration. In my mind, this makes the art world more of a conversation than isolated artists creating isolated artwork.
This week I traced a picture I took and an image of a frog I found online (one that has since been taken offline). Tracing is not a bad thing, just remember that, if you’re taking someone else’s ideas and work, they need attribution.
