Copyright - Derivative Work Permission Form

[Burpee]

I don't think Harry is the one that is tracing, I do alot. He just has his opinion of it and perhaps trying to make me feel a bit better about the fact that I do.

You have your opinion about it, and that's fine, but I have mine too and it differs from yours. There's a lot of artists who wouldn't create if they had to stop tracing. There is no copyright issues for me because I use my own photographs or drawings and the rare times I've seen a photograph that moved me to create, I asked permission first....that's only been twice.

You could say that using bitmaps for texture is cheating too since the texture is not being created by hand. We could really thin out the creative pool if both tracing and use of bitmaps were banned, couldn't we?

[handrawn]

No need to feel bad about tracing Nancy - I am not against it

But when you can draw accurate and fast by eye alone, then as an artist you fly; when you trace, your feet are dragging on the ground.

Just my point of view, as you say.

Digital rendering is separate issue, I think.

[Burpee]

I sat here and tried sketching and image with my new tablet and I had some fun with it. The sketch came out halfway decent and I just may try turning it into a finished drawing. When I sketch I tend to do people so that is the subject. We'll see what happens.

[HayTay]

I say whatever methods work for you, use them. Sometimes I draw freehand, sometimes I trace, sometimes I modify clip-art or incorporate bitmap fills. It just depends on what I'm trying to do and what I have to work with. Even famous artists work with or trace reference photos. Norman Rockwell is but one example of an artist that did both (See this Smithsonian Magazine article entitled Norman Rockwell's Neighborhood).

I'm not quick at drawing freehand and my perspective is a little quirky but I get enough of an image or idea down on paper so I can use it as a reference when drawing in Xtreme at a later time. Once I redraw everything in Xtreme it's a lot easier for me to manipulate the lines and objects until they 'look right' (or at least better).

So, I take it nobody uses or has a nice permission form for requesting the use of someone else's images or photos for creating derivative works?

Interesting discussion so far,
Harry

[handrawn]

sorry Harry can't help with the form

nice link, thanks