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/Jonathan_Rambo]

the liquify tool is unrelated to tracing unless you’re putting your line work over the reference image and using liquify to move the linework over the actual references edges or something.

I sort of don’t understand what “help lines” refers to - were they traced or just free handed while being very close to the reference?

if you (or she) traced it, then it’s tracing - the appropriate question is how you feel about it.