When you're practicing drawing, does tracing add any value to your learning?

[SandFlyer]

When you work on illustration, you have to trace constantly. Does tracing make you better at drawing or does it make no difference?

[michalart]

Do not trace. Draw from life, even with mistakes, but you have to learn to correct them and modify your drawing.
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[MrsSilentWarrior]

I'd think tracing would help hone the steadiness of your hand and pen/pencil strokes. Also, as you really have to concentrate to trace exactly, I think it would sharpen your attention to the finer details. When I'm working on a project, I do a lot of tracing. I've realized that the more often I trace a specific piece, the easier it gets-almost as if my hand and mind are trained through repetitiveness.

[el rolfo]

tracing is detremental to your learning. not only is it a bad use of time but it hurts your hand eye coordination as well. you really have to draw from observation to improve your skills. tracing just leads you follow the lines without really understanding how drawing something works.

[Tish B]

repetative tracing allows your work to become subconsious. any art that you can do without really thinking about it produces cleaner lines and more accurate details, but, it can also cause a stagnation in producing forms.
try finding a balance between tracing and free hand drawing.