Some beginners feel that using video reference is ‘cheating’ but it really isn’t. It’s simply a helpful tool for discovering interesting choices and nuances we might not come up with on our own.

This movie is considered a classic, but largely rotoscoped.

Even professional Animators use these types of techniques for creating more realistic & accurate movements for their animations, Rotoscoping is the most widely utilized technique/ method that is in practice even to this day. So imo, IT IS a Tool to Help & NOT in any way cheating.

Video references is not cheating

Who honestly thinks it’s cheating? Most (if not all) animators use some form of reference, whether it’s still images or video ref/youtube clips etc! I have done Martial Arts for over 40 years, and I can pose a side kick perfectly, but before and after is a different matter 😂

Cheating? But most animated movies used live action references to aid.

Studios have been using video references for a LONG time.

I really love the look of Spice Frontier. 🫶

There are those who don't understand the fine line when using references.

The people saying that probably don’t even know how to animate anything let along make art themselves.

In the early days, Disney spent YEARS going into nature and filming the motion of animals FOR REFERENCE... It was COMMON practice to REFER to the film's motion... Who says these things? How does they FEEL about mocap?... IDK sometimes...

What’s this animation from? I recognize it but can’t remember its name ;-;

Cheating? People have been doing storyboards for movies. For decades. Reference is so useful in getting timing down. And to make something like CGI and even 2d animation, more real.

People always call some technique cheating. The real truth is, whatever gives you the end product you’re looking for is fine.