Serious question. Please answer.

[webhead731]

I drew a picture and I needed a city backround for it. I'm not good at drawing city buildings as if you were in the street looking ahead. So, I went to Yahoo Image Search for New York City and found a good one. I'm going to put the figure I drew on that backround. Is that like, bad since it's not my photo? I won't say I took the photo myself.

Please answer and thanks.

 

[StrainedEyes]

It's bad in terms of you putting your picture over someone's work, you didn't even try to re-do it.

But, since you obviously aren't that good of an artist (you couldn't draw it by just looking at it) and I doubt many people will see this picture anyway, i'm sure you are fine.

 

[Tsunulia]

Actual background references like that are very common in art projects, but it's usually best to use it as a reference and trace the city scape to make it more original.

 

[Iglius]

It's bad in terms of you putting your picture over someone's work, you didn't even try to re-do it.

But, since you obviously aren't that good of an artist (you couldn't draw it by just looking at it) and I doubt many people will see this picture anyway, i'm sure you are fine.

Thats quite mean.

 

[StrainedEyes]

Thats quite mean.

It's the truth.

He could atleast try and draw it using the photo-reference.

 

[webhead731]

It's bad in terms of you putting your picture over someone's work, you didn't even try to re-do it.

But, since you obviously aren't that good of an artist (you couldn't draw it by just looking at it) and I doubt many people will see this picture anyway, i'm sure you are fine.

Wait wait wait. Is this some kind of insult?

 

[cryptic name]

sounds like a compliment to me...

 

[Duende Verde]

register at sxc.hu
it's a free stock photography site.

 

[webhead731]

sounds like a compliment to me...

Oh no. No it doesn't.

 

[Axid]

Here, use mine.

 

[StrainedEyes]

Wait wait wait. Is this some kind of insult?

Not at all, you stated yourself that "I'm not good at drawing city buildings as if you were in the street looking ahead", and you decided that other than attempting to do it, you would just cut and paste.

It's not morally wrong, but it will never help you get any better or fix problem areas.

 

[Iglius]

It's the truth.

He could atleast try and draw it using the photo-reference.

Well there are different ways to speak the truth, my friend.

 

[webhead731]

Not at all, you stated yourself that "I'm not good at drawing city buildings as if you were in the street looking ahead", and you decided that other than attempting to do it, you would just cut and paste.

It's not morally wrong, but it will never help you get any better or fix problem areas.

I tried it last night. It's the windows that get me the most. Also, I have problems with coloring backrounds that I draw. It messes with the character(s) in the picture. I like real looking backrounds too.

 

[StrainedEyes]

Well there are different ways to speak the truth, my friend.

No, there is one way to speak the truth, and many ways of walking around the point.

 

[StrainedEyes]

I tried it last night. It's the windows that get me the most. Also, I have problems with coloring backrounds that I draw. It messes with the character(s) in the picture. I like real looking backrounds too.

What do you try to color it with? And you can always do the two seperately, then combine them in the end. This could cause scale problems, but not if you are careful.

The trick about a city is that you have to find the right balance between everything being monotonous, and everything being unique. Man-made things in general are hard to draw, but atleast buildings have straight lines. It really depends how in depth you want to go with it.

Just make sure the 'realistic' background doesn't overshadow the primary focus of the picture, aka the character.

And if you must do the cut and paste, atleast do an artisticly rendered city, and not a photograph.

 

[webhead731]

What do you try to color it with? And you can always do the two seperately, then combine them in the end. This could cause scale problems, but not if you are careful.

The trick about a city is that you have to find the right balance between everything being monotonous, and everything being unique. Man-made things in general are hard to draw, but atleast buildings have straight lines. It really depends how in depth you want to go with it.

Just make sure the 'realistic' background doesn't overshadow the primary focus of the picture, aka the character.

And if you must do the cut and paste, atleast do an artisticly rendered city, and not a photograph.

I use PhotoShop. I can't get that bright blue looking sky that looks real and kind of hurts your eyes because it's bright. It always kind of looks dry and pale when I do it. Maybe sometime after tonight I can try to draw an actual backround. I think I will. Or if it doesn't look good when I do it tonight I can start on it pretty quick.

I'm going to add a sun to the photo I have by the way.

 

[StrainedEyes]

I use PhotoShop. I can't get that bright blue looking sky that looks real and kind of hurts your eyes because it's bright. It always kind of looks dry and pale when I do it. Maybe sometime after tonight I can try to draw an actual backround. I think I will. Or if it doesn't look good when I do it tonight I can start on it pretty quick.

I'm going to add a sun to the photo I have by the way.

I'd say go for it, then post it in the fan art section and get peoples comments on how to improve it.

That's really the only way to get better at art anyway, just do it.

 

[webhead731]

Go for the real photo backround?

Sorry for thinking you were insulting me.

 

[StrainedEyes]

Go for the real photo backround?

Sorry for thinking you were insulting me.

No, go for drawing it, then post it and get feedback.

I did come off as mean, so it's understandable.

 

[webhead731]

I drew it and it turned out alright but I can't color it. I don't what colors to use or anything. When I colored it and put the figure there it was like "Ugh, this sucks."

I guess I should use the real one and practice on drawing and coloring a backround.

 

[StrainedEyes]

You should post it to get actual feed back.

 

[Danger Mouse]

Follow the advice given by the people above. Do not cut and paste other people's photos without their permission or you run the risk of a lawsuit for copyright infringement, especially if you plan on publishing your work.

 

[webhead731]

Feedback is for people to tell you how to correct your art right? Wouldn't I get, "Learn how to color the buildings better"? I already know I need work on that. So I'm going to keep trying and I'll practice to make it better. My art isn't super great anyway, that backround won't help. Hopefully I'll get feedback on this. I really worked hard on the picture. But I'll keep trying and thanks.

Here it is. I just got done five minutes ago.

EDIT: Nevermind. Just read the Mod's post.

 

[webhead731]

I guess I'll draw a city the way I know how and hope that I can color it right.

 

[webhead731]

Or I could get a movie trailer that has a good city shot in it that I can use and take a cap of it. I've done that alot to make manips.