>>3968710These "why don't you just copy/trace/photobash everything lol" threads are endless and tiresome. Look, you want to trace or photobash? Go right ahead. Unfortunately, if you don't have at least some level of understanding of anatomy, composition, form, etc. it's still going to look like crap.
I wish I had screenshot this, but I remember a thread about using 3D models and the /beg/ who had started the thread (who, to their credit, was not being a crapper and was earnestly trying to learn) just couldn't produce a good drawing by tracing a model. Even though they were drawing on top of a 3D model and presumably having all the heavy lifting done for them, it still looked flat, lifeless and awkward because they didn't know the first thing about drawing.
Then a more competent artist took the same render and produced a very dynamic, solid sketch that had more depth and life than the original render did.
There really are no shortcuts. If you copy/trace without understanding fundamental drawing skills and principles, and having at least some knowledge of the underlying structure of what you're trying to copy, it's going to look mediocre at best and at worst it's going to look like hot garbage.
Also, the art in the OP pic isn't even a direct copy of the photo. The pose is very similar but the proportions are way different, and the hands aren't showing in the photo either. The lighting, costume, and facial features are also different.
It looks to me like like the artist used the photo as inspiration for the pose but otherwise used their own knowledge to compose the whole thing. I'd say that's like 10% reference (for the pose and most likely other references of the character itself to get the costume and features correct) and 90% the artist's own skills and knowledge.
