Wrong to draw off a picture?

Question

I am entering a wildlife art contest and just wondering what your opinions are. If I found a picture of an animal I want to draw, do you think it is ok to copy that photo exactly, as in make my own rendering of it in pencil? I do not want to copy a photographer's work without permission. But is it different when you're drawing a picture exact from a photo?

Answer 1

There is nothing wrong with 'interpreting' a photograph in another medium as you plan to do - but I would avoid trying to duplicate it exactly.

However, I would also closely read the contest rules and regulations. They likely have a rule against using 3rd party images as references or starting points, especially if they plan to publish the winning entries. Many art contests have similar rules to avoid any possible litigation that might come from a 3rd party.

Good luck-
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Answer 2

Artists have been doing copies of other artists works in various media for millenia. A drawing is another media and should have no copyright problems. I think a greater concern would be the rules of the contest because I would hope that a serious contest for wildlife art would actually expect you to do art from life and not from a picture.

Answer 3

Many (in fact, I'd argue most) modern portrait artists copy from photographs of their subjects. It's impossible to have someone sit for a painting for weeks on end these days.

& just as an added note, art is a law unto itself when it comes to things like copyright. I mean, you could take a photo of the photo and call it your own, if you wanted- it's art! ;p

Answer 4

The photographer only captured nature as it is so it will be fine. You will never be able to capture the picture exactly in any case unless you are a computer.

Answer 5

what the photographer took a picture of is an animal then if drawn exact duplicate is not his picture but your rendetion of the animal

Answer 6

Do u like cornflakes?