Is it cheating when i use ref images? Is my progress for zbrush 2,5 weeks any good or is it average?

ISUther

Hello,

My name is Tanel.
I am 34 and i am from Estonia.
I Have discovered CGI on this year, and discovered programs like Houdini and zBrush this way:
Years back when Adobe Photoshop was released i discovered program via chanse. Tested it and i liked photo manipulation options. Then started to look also other products that adobe had and discovered Adobe After effects from there Video Copilot and plugin they have for 3D and from there my journey to 3D world began.
Tested Cinema 4D and then discovered Houdini.
Started one project (leafs and stivs) but then discovered that i need something better to model the object (plant with 2 stivs. Both stivs had to have 6 leaves on specific spots).
And then i started to search for program that is more focused on modeling actual object. And this is how i discovered zBrush.
I wanted model that is verry high detailed so i can do verry close camera shots in houdini and model had to had verry high level of details. I started to look at different tutorials regarding zbrush from youtube, vimeo and any other site that had decent ones.
My first model was like this (Did spend may be 7 hours on it):
http://imgur.com/a/zPMXk
My second model was like this (Spent may be 10 hours on it):
http://imgur.com/a/5L5ZM
http://imgur.com/a/fzIpA
And then i started to model from referance image (those that you can set behind to your model in zbrush).
Here is fiew modeling videos:
Creating head:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U7efiHRc6LY
Creating botom teeth:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e089uPUL0-8
And here are some pictures.
Have worked with the last model now for 2 weeks and it is not done and ready. What do you think? Is using referance image as cheating?
Is my progres any good? (Have used this program 2 and a half week max)

PixelMasher

you should always use reference whenever possible. that is something a lot of people forget, and using refs will only ever help your work. it's not cheating at all.

jfitch

Your progress for 5 weeks is pretty good man! Keep going. I envy you getting to learn everything fresh, it's an exciting time. Look up lots of tutorials, sculpt as much as you can, and always always always use reference images, whether you bring it into the window as a backdrop or just have it up to look at. The only thing I would ever consider "cheating" is using someone else's work and modifying it to suit your needs without disclosing said information. And then it's also plagiarism? I think? I dunno. 

ISUther

I have not used this program 5 weeks but only 2 and half. 
But yeah i wanted to know what experts think about using reference images. 
As i never done any art and using reference image is using object that already has defined style and pose.
This is why i was wondering how valid is sculpting when using reference images and how in the real work in CG this goes. DO the sculptors who create game charters etc  are also using reference images.
Today after 8 hours work day went home and started sculpting again. Or working on my project. 
Here is what i have so far. 
Tomorrow is Friday and that means i have 2 days straight sculpting. Woohooo

Of course there is A LOT to do. 
At the moment lost some details because i was not happy as eyes were too far back and wanted to move them forward. 
That also affected how mouth line is. 
Re-doing those ATM and will continue tomorrow after work.
Currently eyes are there ONLY to help me to not lose track when sculpting as character has many lines on the face (lines that older people get so skin is not smooth). 
And eyes help me not loos track on those as i want those to be in specific spots.