This thought has bothered me for quite a while now. I don't or rather can't do art often (because IRL job) and I can't draw properly shaped bodies or bodyparts without any sort of references or 'help'.

Some time ago when my drawings looked like a 9-years old kid using MSPaint, I used to cut up pictures of bodyparts like arms, legs etc. and assemble them in a way that results in a proper pose, then draw over them. I know that just drawing picture over one whole source image is tracing, but would using pieces of various sources be considered tracing as well?

With today's programs, you can use 3D models as reference poses. What about things like: Pokémon, certain furry characters, Digimon etc. in their non-anthro / original forms? If you pose a 3D model of that kind and then draw over it (basically creating a carbon copy), would it be considered tracing, too?

Please let me now, I won't upload images of that kind here then.

Although I'm not entirely sure about the rules for e621 about this, in my opinion, if you made the model it is perfectly fine. I plan on doing this.
However, if you did not make the model, I'd say it's the same as tracing someone's art.

Its not making the model or otherwise thats important. Are you posing it yourself? Yes/No? Thats what matters.

If youre using it to create original pieces that still look good it does not matter how it was created. Its not the same as tracing someones art as Chaser implied. At all.

In fact Id argue its a very very good way to learn and grow as an artist.

Demesejha said:
Its not making the model or otherwise thats important. Are you posing it yourself? Yes/No? Thats what matters.

If youre using it to create original pieces that still look good it does not matter how it was created. Its not the same as tracing someones art as Chaser implied. At all.

In fact Id argue its a very very good way to learn and grow as an artist.

So in essence, it is okay to trace when done right? Okay, I have an example here:

Let us say, I want to draw Pikachu as close to its intended form and proportions as possible.

I downloaded a 3D model of Pikachu and whipped up a pose. (SFW, don't worry)

Then outlined it.

And with this template, I can continue inking, coloring, shading etc., with the model again serving as a guide to shade.

If the model had textures on them, which you could yet again use as a reference, would that be tracing?

Sorry if I seem to take this serious.

Think it this way: some simply download some random model from internet, put it on TF2 map somehow passabely, then click render. So in that sense, if you do the same, but actually try to draw further from me, I would say you already get much more credit than generic SFM artist at that point.

Also many animators do take references and construct wanted movement either by recording themselves or doing it in 3D. Tracing over whole recorded footage is called rotoscoping

Using a 3D model for reference, even someone else's picture for a pose reference should be completely fine and cause no troubles at all. There may be some people that will notice your work is very similar to the picture you used as a pose reference but as long you're not using tracing paper over it and don't copy the pose 100% as is, people, and the original artist have no real basis to complain and call this a trace.

Artists use reference all the time. Drawing something out of thin air - Unless you have been drawing the same character for so long - is extremely demanding and using a reference is a necessity for a lot of artists. Insomniacovrlrd is known to use 3D Pokemon model for (some of) his work, at least a long time ago. The manga industry also uses 3D models quite often for more than just characters.

The important factor is to not trace/copy someone else's work. You can get away with tracing over a 3D model since no one owns the pose/angle, but I still wouldn't suggest doing that. A reference/3D pose is supposed to be a blueprint and to help guiding you but not to be used as tracing paper

Mario69 said:
Think it this way: some simply download some random model from internet, put it on TF2 map somehow passabely, then click render. So in that sense, if you do the same, but actually try to draw further from me, I would say you already get much more credit than generic SFM artist at that point.

Some might argue it takes effort to put mannequins into place.

Neitsuke said:
Using a 3D model for reference, even someone else's picture for a pose reference should be completely fine and cause no troubles at all. There may be some people that will notice your work is very similar to the picture you used as a pose reference but as long you're not using tracing paper over it and don't copy the pose 100% as is, people, and the original artist have no real basis to complain and call this a trace.

Artists use reference all the time. Drawing something out of thin air - Unless you have been drawing the same character for so long - is extremely demanding and using a reference is a necessity for a lot of artists. Insomniacovrlrd is known to use 3D Pokemon model for (some of) his work, at least a long time ago. The manga industry also uses 3D models quite often for more than just characters.

The important factor is to not trace/copy someone else's work. You can get away with tracing over a 3D model since no one owns the pose/angle, but I still wouldn't suggest doing that. A reference/3D pose is supposed to be a blueprint and to help guiding you but not to be used as tracing paper

On my IB / FA, there is an image in which I used a Pachirisu model as a reference. It looks way too perfect to not have been traced in my opinion. However, the tracing rules there is just one sentence saying "don't steal from other artists kthxbye", I thought "whatever" and uploaded it there instead since I used a 3D model.

I would've uploaded it here too, but since this particular community is slightly more strict in quality control (which is a good thing imo), I thought I'd first ask you guys about it.
It cleared up my concerns, thank you for your answers so far, I won't upload my work here then _{(what's the point of uploading if it will get deleted later anyway + you guys now know that I cheat with 3D models :^) )}

PS: If you want to add something regarding this matter, feel free to respond.

e6 comes down hard on plagiarism. Tracing is fine if you get permission from the original artist and acknowledge it in the description.