Copying is reproducing the whole picture or the concept while referencing is using it to create your own art. For example if you took a photo with certain pose and then reproduce the pose but with another background, clothes, hair, mood, concept etc then it's reference.
If you use something as reference probably others won't be able to surely state that you reference it from somewhere.
Copying is where you do everything exactly the same as the person before. Referencing is using someone elses art to help enhance your own, or give you ideas when your stuck. I need to do this often, mostly when I dont know how someone should be posing
Referencing is using an image to take ideas and inspiration from. I use reference photos a lot. For an example, say I want to paint a red rose, however I paint it blue instead and paint it in a slightly abstract style, I'd take that reference photo and take down some general ideas of the rose and apply that into my own piece. Copying is well...replicating an image for what it is.
Copying: You look at an image and say, "I want to draw something just like that." Referencing: You look at an image and say, "YES! That little part in the corner has just the pose/texture I was looking for! I will use that to improve the technique of an original piece I'm already working on."
Copying is taking inspiration. Referencing is learning technique.
Refrencing, does not look like the original. This can be using a picture for the pose and putting different clothing on it, or can be using 3 different pcitures for the refrence to get the final result.
Copying - looks enough like the original that you can tell it was drawn from looking at the original.
Either you're setting out to reproduce an existing image, or you're setting out to produce an original image while drawing on information from various sources.
It's the spirit of the thing and generally speaking if people have to ask stuff like "how much should I change in this copy before I can get away with calling it referencing" then they started in entirely the wrong place because their initial intention was not to create an original composition, it was to copy.
Copying isn't always wrong as long as you keep it legit. I've a few copies of photos in my body of work.
Blackrosekane89Featured By OwnerJan 22, 2013Professional General Artist
It does take skill and years of practice to copy exactly. People don't just wake up copying like this just because they're copying [link]
It may be uncreative, and seem pointless to many people. But it still takes talent/skill. Especially if they have permission to use the photos.
I agree. You should be able to come up with your own concepts. I think both are important. I think it's good to learn what you see in front of you as accurately as possible, whether it be from real or photographs, and be able to come up with your own concepts.