To me, studying is all about observing nature, the way light falls on objects and organisms, and discovering ways that our pencil can imitate form and contrast.
Creating realistic worlds is best achieved by understanding how nature dictates how we see the world.
The Contropose Study of Humans
When it comes to art, conceptual work, and animation, people sometimes need to look at what other cultures utilize.
For instance, in oriental animation, there are colored lines that make sense.
As I found out, this was for special programs where the images created could easily have colour, shading, and light sources.