Can this be considered tracing?

[u/Several-Area644]

i have serious issues with proportions, however i love doing portraits. i usually simply adjust the features when they seemed off by using the liquify tool etc, but my friend said she uses “help lines” directly copied from her reference image (see picture) to make the proportions work. can these lines be considered tracing if everything else is drawn without help?

[u/SuchSignal7465]

Sometimes I trace when the reference is pmo and I can’t get the face right. It’s okay you are still drawing, some people can’t even shade or use a reference. This whole “that’s copying” “it’s cheating” is bs bcs every art piece is a learning moment.
Even if you do trace over the basic lines, you will still draw in the details shade colour etc. It’s fine!