I get a little annoyed when I see young artist starting out, and they show a drawing that they copied of an artist they like to someone else, and the person says, "Oh, you copied it". This can be discouraging, but don't let it. This is how you learn to draw.
No one ever sits down at a piano and starts playing original Mozart quality music. You have to first learn how to play by playing someone else's music, unless you are some kind of phenomenal genius (I'm not). It's no different with drawing. First you should copy someone else's art (Don't trace). What you're learning to do is measuring with your eye, understanding shape, lines, form. In short, you are absorbing and training your mind to think visually.
It seems to me there are two basic plans--Plan A. Be a genius. (That plan didn't work out so well for me) --Plan B. Work hard, study, copy, practice, learn, think, get frustrated, consider an alternative career, try again, get better. (this is the current plan I use. I'm not aware of any others).
As an artist starting out, I heard this advice from a very successful graphic designer named Milton Glaser. He said copy what you like when you are starting out. Your own style will eventually emerge from there.
It's true, most artists start out by learning from copying, so don't be afraid if it. (Just don't copy it for sale. That's plagiarism). Copy to learn. Where would Bill Sienkiewicz be without copying Neal Adams? Where would Moebius be if he didn't copy Winsor McCay and Herge? Most everybody that does great art, passionately liked, and copied someone else's art first.
The advice given to me that I'm passing on to you--copy, copy, copy, copy, copy what you like. Your own style will emerge from that.
Best,
Dan
Milton Glaser
Neal Adams
Bill Sienkiewicz
Winsor McCay
Herge
Moebius
Comments
That's how I learned at first as a kid. Mike Zeck, Arthur Adams and Jim Lee were my "Masters". When I went to a fine art school it was required to copy a famous artist's work for some assignments. I do remember back in the day, most people said they could draw if they could illustrate Bart Simpson. lol!
Yup, I agree. Copying is a valuable stage in the development process. I guess a natural translation to the next step is when your spending huge amounts of time on pics that will suffer in comparison to the original artist; at that point it would pay to start developing original characters