Comments on: Is Tracing Art Bad? (Find Out The Truth!)

By: Anthony

Anthony — Mon, 09 Jun 2025 07:23:07 +0000

In reply to Saren. Happy to help Saren :-)

By: Saren

Saren — Mon, 09 Jun 2025 06:44:45 +0000

After much of a battle in my brain over tracing or not tracing, I actually recently started tracing over armor and weapon sets because my proportions while drawing such things are ALWAYS off! Thank you so much for the validating info in your post!

By: Kevin Sampson

Kevin Sampson — Tue, 23 Jan 2024 20:50:25 +0000

I do a lot of portraits where I use a tracing app or transfer paper. I just mark where the eyes, nose, mouth and shadows are. Then I know the proportions are correct. The rest I fill from the reference picture. Without out it, it would take a lot longer to get to actual painting and drawing is not my favorite thing.

By: Anthony

Anthony — Sat, 02 Dec 2023 08:48:16 +0000

In reply to Claire Hartfield. Good to know Clair :-)

By: Claire Hartfield

Claire Hartfield — Fri, 01 Dec 2023 23:21:58 +0000

In reply to Addie. I sent my sister a projector a month ago, I can't live w/o mine! Even the cheapest ones work really well!!

By: Anthony

Anthony — Wed, 20 Sep 2023 08:37:06 +0000

In reply to June. Great tip June ! Thanks :-)

By: Anthony

Anthony — Wed, 20 Sep 2023 08:36:15 +0000

In reply to Addie.

Hi Addie
Hope this give you the reassurance to use tracing to help you progress 🙂
Have fun!

By: Addie

Addie — Wed, 20 Sep 2023 04:06:53 +0000

mmmm…WOW! I have struggled with the idea of tracing. It just feels wrong. I do spend a LOT of time by not tracing and I have wrecked watercolor paper and had to start over..lolo
Hey if it is good enough for Picasso, Degas and da Vinci….I think I will give it a try!!!
I did art for years and then I discovered sewing and kids! Now, I am newly retired and trying to go back to my first love…art. It is slow going and I am not nearly as good as I used to be….a LOT of wasted paper!!!
I took a one day WC class and was shocked to hear of tracing. As well as from many YouTube artist.
Thanks!!!

By: June

June — Tue, 19 Sep 2023 15:21:01 +0000

Terrific post–they always are. I’m a big proponent of tracing, and, judging from your list of brilliant artists, I am in impressive company. I learned various methods when I was in a textile design program and my (highly experienced) instructors were also all for the method.

One more transfer trick I used to use before I bought a good-quality light box: I used one of my two glass-topped tables with excellent results: I would flashlight under it (shining upward), place the drawing to be copied face up on the glass, place the watercolor or gouache paper on top, and trace that way.

By: Anthony

Anthony — Mon, 18 Sep 2023 07:15:34 +0000

In reply to Ellen Zimet. Thanks Ellen