Reference sheet rant

[Bluparrot]

Please excuse me, I'm trying to let out my frustration over not understanding something.

I don't understand the point of 'reference sheets'. Like, can't you just use a SIMPLE PICTURE of a character for reference? You don't need ENTIRE SHOTS of EVERY SINGLE PART OF A CHARACTER JUST TO FREAKING DRAW THEM. Look, I can draw a character from only a simple picture WITHOUT any little words or close-ups that aren't even NECESSARY. The picture does not show EVERY SINGLE PART OF THEM AND YET I CAN DRAW THEM FAIRLY ACCURATELY. I DON'T SEE A POINT IN GOING INTO EVERY SINGLE DETAIL THAT PROBABLY ISN'T NECESSARY. Just freaking copy from the drawing and you should be fine! Reference sheets are for little 5-year olds who don't even know how to draw. Every time I see one of these things, it makes me want to screech and rip something apart.

[Hooli]

-shrugs- I guess people just don't want any part of their characters to get messed up when they or someone else draws them~ It's not too big of a deal, but then again it's a matter of opinion.

[DreamerDay]

..

Reference  sheets are very helpful once you are an artists. If you want an person to draw your art, you simply give them a reference  sheet without  doing the whole request  application. Not only that, it allows  people to get some sort of idea while drawing their characters. I been trying to get people to do my character  sheet but they are so busy. It would nice tho.

I find reference sheets very fun. And I don't see how they're for 5 years old. You might want to be more careful with age choice. Reference  sheets are for everyone.  You might want to think before giving bad deeds on them.

[greenart6]

I don't see why it's something to get upset about. People put different parts of a character in a reference sheet in order to show details on a specific part or show what a character would look like at a different angle. When drawing, I always have to look up different animals and such at different angles in order to draw that properly.

A simple drawing does not always cover everything, especially if you are trying to draw something as accurately as possible. And reference sheets are very useful and needed, at least for me, and I don't see how they're just for 5-year-olds. If someone is drawing my character, I'd want them to have the right details and colors of my character. A simple picture can have the wrong colors, shading that gets in the way, important angles that aren't shown, etc.

[LordSuragaha]

Please excuse me, I'm trying to let out my frustration over not understanding something.

I don't understand the point of 'reference sheets'. Like, can't you just use a SIMPLE PICTURE of a character for reference? You don't need ENTIRE SHOTS of EVERY SINGLE PART OF A CHARACTER JUST TO FREAKING DRAW THEM. Look, I can draw a character from only a simple picture WITHOUT any little words or close-ups that aren't even NECESSARY. The picture does not show EVERY SINGLE PART OF THEM AND YET I CAN DRAW THEM FAIRLY ACCURATELY. I DON'T SEE A POINT IN GOING INTO EVERY SINGLE DETAIL THAT PROBABLY ISN'T NECESSARY. Just freaking copy from the drawing and you should be fine! Reference sheets are for little 5-year olds who don't even know how to draw. Every time I see one of these things, it makes me want to screech and rip something apart.

A single angle picture of a character doesn't always show all the details of the character. If the character was symmetrical then perhaps one can get away without the need for a ref sheet but for asymmetrical characters like my character Lord Suragaha a ref sheet may be needed since the design is different on both sides.

EX:
- Suragaha only has scars on certain sides of his body
- His USMC marking is only on one side
- He is partial blind in one of his eyes

If I gave an artist a one sided image of Sura they will only draw the side they see. What if I want Sura drawn at a different angle? One that shows the other side of his markings?

Ref sheets also make it easier for an artist to draw a character since without one you'd have to verbally list the details that may not show in the image you send them. Often times artists will over look things you wrote that don't show in the image or may leave them out completely. Ref sheets are also more consistent ways of accurately showing a characters design that regular pieces may not show. I have gotten lots of art from users of Sura and while I love them all very dearly many times users have gotten his markings wrong from the way I'd imagine them. I'm usually not picky about stuff like that but for people who are spending money on comissions and may want their character(s) drawn exactly the way they imagine them a ref helps. If I gave artists the pics that users have drawn for me of Sura chances are they would get confused as to exactly what his markings look like since none of the pics are consistent.

So in all honesty ref sheets are very useful and no you don't have to say that "Reference sheets are for little 5-year olds who don't even know how to draw." Because that is an unnecessary and rude comment.

There is nothing wrong with sharing an opinion but do try to be more considerate and mature about it. Many people here including myself use them not only for character art but also preset making.

[Bluparrot]

Thank you for the explanations, guys. I don't have anything against reference sheets, it's just that I tend to flip out over things I don't understand. And what you said about single drawings not showing all the details of a character, I put all that nonsense about being able to draw a character with only a single picture because one, I'm actually able to do that, and second, it's also partially because of my own characters. My characters are symmetrical with no differences on either side of their body. And sorry what I said about reference sheets being for 5-year olds--I tend to say the stupidest things when I'm ranting. My apologies, everyone, and have a good day.

[WolfQueen]

I don't see the point in why you hate them so much tbh. Reference sheets are actually really helpful in understanding a design of a character.