/ic/ - Artwork/Critique

>>6624451
Depends on the artist. Cartoony ones probably don't need much unless it's for specific detail and authenticity like that Anon mentioned.
It's a bit easier to tell back when reference wasn't so varied and plentiful and most people's morgues were mostly newspaper and magazine clippings, when I was studying Rokudenashi I spotted drawings chapters apart that looked referenced from the same photo. Needing reference is unavoidable the more realistic the style, back in the newspaper strip era when comics paid really well Raymond even hired live models.
As a rule of thumb, if something feels too "fake" and contrived, lacking in storytelling or visual interest, it's a good idea to pull up some reference. It's the difference between a childish geometric environment and one that feels lived-in.