All the great masters used reference, some even traced using a camera obscura. Copying great artists can allow you to learn about the process and technique used because you have to problem solve to get the same effects they did. This helps you to develop your own visual language. Observation is the foundation of drawing and art, and allows you to build an understanding of the world around you and you can use that to create things from your imagination. I am all for reference and drawing from observation to improve - having taught art for over a decade students that practice these things really improve more so than those that don't.
Drawing and imagination are two aspects of creativity that may not be aligned in all who "draw"... Even still life artists, painters are copying what they see and interpreting and expressing that in their own way. No different than emulating others. First thing to expand beyond yourself is to educate yourself in all artistic arenas that call you. Admiration and inspiration is in the emulation (copying) to learn and grow with your own twists and essence! 🎨 ❤
It's not cheating, if you create a drawing from a life person or nature or an image is the same thing you're still creating your own version/ interpretation of what you observe. There are many types of art creating content from imagination is just one.
