Is using a ref pic to draw considered stealing?

I feel reallly upset because someone accused me of stealing their lion king drawings. For one, it's clear I did not trace them, they don't even look the same. I spent sooo many hours on them and was pleased with it but htis girl leaves me this message:

"You know what, I don't appreciate people taking other art for granted. You theiving ****! People have left tlkfa because of people like YOU! Your stealing peoples work! I can't believe you can do that, draw your self you lazy ****! Think of others you selfish ****! You make me so ****** angry! My art has been copied before, and I did leave TLKF for a while because of that. I thought you people had left. I hate you. Oh and to avoid getting banned, I guess you should delete those pictures of yours or I'll report you to Brian. Everytime I see a new artist who's art is very good, I search around to make sure whether it is stolen because I'd like to make sure things are OK. But this time they arn't because you have stolen art. How would you like it if you put a load of effort in to some work and someone stole it and claimed it as their own!"

-sigh- I e-mailed that brian guy to see if I should remove them. I never said they were my own design. I got the pic off a google search so I had no idea who drew them. I just thought they were disney screenshots. I feel like crying now :( I worked so hard on them and now I can't even have them on the net? Is it considered stealing? Like tracing?

Whomever this person is sounds oh so intelligent.

Saying "I Hate you" is a strong, strong statement, and saying it because someone did a similar drawing as someone else is just immature and stupid. :rolleyes:
And then to threatening to report you to someone is just as stupid.

Don't let him/her get to you.

Yeah..it's funny to that I took 2 completely random images off google search and both happen to be hers. I'm wondering if she just found them and thought she'd try to get me in trouble

I think you're ok, especially since you ARE saying "This is what I used as a reference" You're not saying you created the ...design...layout sort of thingy, like the position of Simba, just that you recreated that particular one.

You just used the pics as reference, period. Nothing else. :) Nothing wrong with that! I've done it!

Its not like you found those pics on Google and then posted the originals on the web, claiming them as your's. If you just looked at it for reference, and then drew your own, looking at it, I don't see how that's wrong. You could have taken pictures off of Disney's website and looked at them for reference to draw your own, and I don't think there would be anything wrong with that. Unless you took the original drawing and claimed it as your own, I don't see how this could be a problem. :confused:

I certainly wouldn't worry one bit about what that "person" said. We all know what a great artist you are and I wonder if the accusing person is just jealous? Don't worry at all. That last pic was great! It even looked 3d. I wouldn't let their words bother me.