Summary of "What is Cheating in Art? with Jeremy and Cedar Vickery"
Main idea
“Cheating” in art refers to using tools or shortcuts that either create a victim (someone whose work/rights were stolen) or deceive your audience by claiming a piece is wholly “from imagination” when it was not. Tools and references are not inherently cheating — they are legitimate learning and production aids when used ethically and transparently. The aim of art should be storytelling and emotional impact, not protecting artistic ego or pretending a finished piece sprang fully formed from a blank page.
Key concepts, techniques, and creative processes
Reference vs. copying
- Copying pixels or plagiarizing is wrong.
- Using reference to learn, extract an essence, or build a story is acceptable and valuable.
- Extraction: study a reference’s essential qualities (lighting, color, mood, pose, materials) and translate those qualities into original work rather than duplicating exact imagery.
Historical precedents
- Artists have long used optical tools and photographic references: camera obscura, early photography (Debates around Vermeer, Degas, Muybridge), staged photo reference, etc.
- Many canonical works were informed by photographic or optical techniques.
Photography for artists
- Photo reference captures fleeting moments—light, fog, movement—and fine details that are hard to study from life.
- Good reference requires learning basic camera principles (lighting, lens choice, exposure, composition).
- Phone cameras are sufficient to start; learn the principles before upgrading gear.
3D tools and photo assets
- 3D assets, scans, and models are acceptable production tools for posing, blocking, and iteration.
- They speed iteration and help realize poses/environments that are impractical to stage in real life.
- Use them as training wheels until you can draw/pose independently.
Skill blending (skill sharing)
- Cross-disciplinary learning (photography, cinematography, story, acting, 3D, sculpture) strengthens visual storytelling skills.
Process and production practices
- Iteration, rough storyboards/animatics, mockups, kitbashing, and low-fi 3D blocking are standard studio workflows.
- The rough stage is for communication and discovery, not gallery display.
- Group projects and tight deadlines (e.g., 48-hour film challenges) accelerate learning and force collaboration.
Ethics of generative AI
- Generative AI that scrapes artists’ work without consent is viewed as creating victims and is ethically problematic.
- Distinguish unethical AI (trained on stolen work) from ethical automation of tedious tasks; refuse to use the former until ethical solutions exist.
Practical methods, steps, materials, and advice
Learning progression & practice habits
- Do foundational observation practice:
- Figure drawing (live)
- Plein air and color studies
- Material studies (metal, subsurface scattering, textiles, etc.)
- Copy masterworks historically to learn technique (museum copying traditions), then extract and transform what you learn into original pieces.
- Do many fast studies (2–15 minute sketches) to build visual libraries.
- Make story-driven projects (key art, short films, comics) to force holistic skill development (lighting, perspective, posing, composition).
Using reference responsibly
- Ask: Is there a victim? Are you deceiving your audience? If yes, don’t do it.
- Credit sources when appropriate and be honest about using reference.
- Use reference to learn traits and speed iteration — don’t pass off someone else’s work as fully original.
Photography & camera basics (practical tips)
- Learn composition and exposure fundamentals: aperture, ISO, shutter speed, lens choice, focus techniques, and lighting.
- Use inexpensive lights, smoke, and practicals to craft mood; plan shoots to capture fleeting light (e.g., sunrise).
- Capture multiple angles and poses; use stills and video to assemble storyboards or animatics.
Speed iteration & pre-production workflow
- Start with rough thumbnails and storyboards; assemble animatics to check timing and story beats before costly production.
- Mock up scenes in simple 3D to test camera angles, perspective, blocking, and composition.
- Kitbash or create low-fidelity versions to test ideas quickly prior to polishing.
Group work and creative constraints
- Join group projects or short film challenges to learn collaboration, deadlines, and skills you might avoid when working solo.
- Let project needs push you to learn weaknesses (e.g., needing to represent a car will push you to learn car drawing).
Tools & materials (examples)
- Cameras: phone camera, DSLR, or cinema cameras; various lenses
- Lighting: basic and inexpensive lights, smoke machines, practicals
- Software/hardware: Photoshop, Procreate, simple 3D blocking/modeling tools, 3D scans
- Traditional: cheap pencils, printer paper for drawing foundations
Ethical stance on AI and digital tools
- Differentiate between AI that steals artists’ work (unethical) and ethical automation of repetitive tasks.
- Traditional digital art tools (Procreate, Photoshop) still require the same knowledge of color, value, and composition as traditional media.
Examples & demonstrations
Historical and modern examples used to illustrate reference
- Vermeer (camera obscura), Eadweard Muybridge (motion studies), Edgar Degas (early photography), Norman Rockwell (photo-staged reference), Anders Zorn, Gustave Courbet, James Gurney.
Demonstrations from Jeremy and Cedar
- Using personal photos (fog, sunrise, street scenes, small objects) as reference.
- Turning figure-drawing poses into imaginative creatures through extraction.
- Example pipeline for a short sequence:
- Thumbnails → animatic
- Shoot reference stills and video
- 3D blockout → painted storyboards → final piece
- Course materials include raw filmed footage (e.g., 40 minutes) so students can practice editing and cutting a scene.
Pedagogical examples
- Copying masters at museums as a historical learning path.
- James Gurney’s use of models and maquettes to build imaginative realism.
Courses, resources, and how to continue
Jeremy Vickery (Lighting Mentor)
- Courses: “Photography for Artists”, “Painting Light” series, Foundations of Drawing.
- Mentorship: lightingmentor.com/mentorship and lightingmentor.com
- YouTube: Lighting Mentor channel
Cedar Vickery
- Course: “Cinematic Storytelling” (short films, storyboarding, shot sequencing)
- YouTube: new/linked presence to be announced
Proko platform
- Jeremy and Cedar’s courses are available on Proko (merged as “Cinematography for Artists”).
- Proko offers bundle discounts and student submission/feedback via accounts.
Free content
- Both instructors publish free YouTube content; paid courses include deeper material, raw footage, exercises, and mentoring options.
Takeaway
Tools (photography, 3D, digital brushes, cameras) are not inherently cheating. They belong to a long tradition of artists using aids to observe, study, and build work. Ethical use means: no victim, no deception, and honest intent. Use references and tools to learn, extract, and tell better stories; iterate quickly, practice broadly, and blend skills across disciplines.
Creators and contributors featured
- Jeremy Vickery (Lighting Mentor)
- Cedar Vickery
- Proko (host/platform)
Referenced artists and creators:
- Johannes Vermeer
- Eadweard Muybridge
- Edgar Degas
- Norman Rockwell
- Anders Zorn
- Gustave Courbet
- James Gurney
- Gary Larson
- Dr. Seuss
- Hayao Miyazaki
- Elisa Ivanova
Also referenced: film examples and industry mentions (e.g., K-pop Demon Hunters, Knives Out, Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves, Pixar examples).
Category
Art and Creativity
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