Photo-referencing in visual art is the practice of creating art based on a photograph

Photograph

A photograph is an image created by light falling on a light-sensitive surface, usually photographic film or an electronic imager such as a CCD or a CMOS chip. Most photographs are created using a camera, which uses a lens to focus the scene's visible wavelengths of light into a reproduction of...

. Art produced through this technique is said to be photo-referenced.

Almost all artists will photo-reference at some point; even if not in their daily work, artists may photo-reference as part of their training

Training

The term training refers to the acquisition of knowledge, skills, and competencies as a result of the teaching of vocational or practical skills and knowledge that relate to specific useful competencies. It forms the core of apprenticeships and provides the backbone of content at institutes of...

, to improve their artistic eye.

Photo-referencing, rather than working with live

Life

Life is a characteristic that distinguishes objects that have signaling and self-sustaining processes from those that do not, either because such functions have ceased , or else because they lack such functions and are classified as inanimate...

 models

Model (art)

Art models are models who pose for photographers, painters, sculptors, and other artists as part of their work of art. Art models who pose in the nude for life drawing are usually called life models...

, is useful for cases in which an artist seeks to realistically produce a work of art based on some subject that is not readily available, such as specific person who is not there or a structure in another country.

Artists may use a lightbox

Lightbox

Lightbox may refer to:* Various backlit viewing devices:** A container with several lightbulbs and a pane of frosted glass on the top. It is used by photography professionals viewing translucent films, such as slides. This device was originally used to sort photographic plates with ease. It is also...

 as an aid in photo-referencing.

In the comic book

Comic book

A comic book or comicbook is a magazine made up of comics, narrative artwork in the form of separate panels that represent individual scenes, often accompanied by dialog as well as including...

 industry, photo-referencing is criticized by some as a technique used to disguise the weakness of the artist's technical capability. However, others feel that photo-referencing is a legitimate technique and that there is nothing wrong with it. Artists that have been charged with excessive photo-referencing by their critics include Greg Land

Greg Land

Greg Land is an American comic book artist, best known for his work on characters such as X-Men, Birds of Prey, and Fantastic Four.-Career:Greg Land first got a job with an independent publisher as the artist for StormQuest after advertising himself at a Mid-Ohio Con comic convention...

 and Alex Ross

Alex Ross

Nelson Alexander "Alex" Ross is an American comic book painter, illustrator, and plotter. He is praised for his realistic, human depictions of classic comic book characters. Since the 1990s he has done work for Marvel Comics and DC Comics Nelson Alexander "Alex" Ross (born January 22, 1970) is an...

, though others defend the quality of their work. Award-winning comic creator Alison Bechdel

Alison Bechdel

Alison Bechdel is an American cartoonist. Originally best known for the long-running comic strip Dykes To Watch Out For, in 2006 she became a best-selling and critically acclaimed author with her graphic memoir Fun Home.-Early life:...

also uses extensive photo reference, frequently photographing herself in the poses of the characters she draws in order to convey body language accurately.