I usually use reference pictures on my art to help me understand how I would like my final picture. For example, I take a picture of myself in a pose.. Try to mimic the way I look. Than sometimes, I have no clue how the shading to a sunset looks so I look it up on google. Not like, I'm actually taking their idea. I just use a piece of it to help me fully understand how to make my artwork better. Though, knowing that I don't sell my artwork..might be the plus.

I used to copy when I was younger. It seemed perfectly fine when you have no clue it was illegal, but why haven't we taught the children that copying is bad at such a young age? Probably, since we would like them to learn something new..How to simply draw? ^_^' Than again, I learned that it wasn't a baseline or template for art. I started to get ideas from my interest and so on.

I personally think tracing & copying is stupid varying on how & who it was done, without right from the original artist. Yet, I do believe most of us had done it before, especially as children. Final thought, it's okay to some degree in which it is done.