I wondered if anyone would bring this up. I think about it a lot, but I tend to keep quite because people hate on me.

Some people get REALLY up in arms about using other's art for references, but I just don't care a lot? I'm an artist, went to art school, almost went down the professional track, mind you. Is it that big of a deal? I don't feel when people use pictures as references, that they're claiming the art as their own, or even that character really. People call this stealing art, but stealing art would be saying you drew it. I know I'm never giving any sign that's the case should I use a random reference. Maybe it makes some people unhappy. Maybe it doesn't; I suspect a lot of artists don't care. I've tried real hard to think of it as an artist and I just don't get where the harm is? If someone knows, please tell me.

I normally use some kind of reference, either a drawing or a face claim when I start off in an rp. I'll make avis or dollmakers too, but it's hard to recreate what I want accurately half the time. I almost always come up with my design first and then go looking for an image to fit it if an rp requires one (or even if not, I'm visual and I like references before I consider drawing them). Eventually I do commission and make my own art, usually shuffle out the borrowed references for the more accurate art made to match my character.

I feel...there's so much more to a character than the face though and it's way more offense to be stealing the innards of a character than the outers.