kaytikookie

It's real easy, so no worries. You pretty much state on your main page that you're using the artwork from whatever artist, preferably providing a link to the artwork. It should be in a location that will be seen by all visitors for as long as you're using the image. For some, that's the User ID widget, as it's always on the main page long after journals have come and gone. It's also polite to ask first, as some might not take it as a complement as I did. Nobody remembers that image, so it's cool to see it appreciated.

Artists are used to people taking things while the original struggles to be appreciated, so any help you provide with credit is not only polite but is just…well…it's artist-to-artist respect really. Bare bones, I think that's what artists are looking for.

There's even a specific DA policy about user icons, so you have to be very careful when using anything, either exact or as reference. A pose used without consent, an image directly screengrabbed for you to use, anything. It'll always make you more credible as an artist and will make other artists feel more comfortable with you using references as you learn and grow as an artist. In your comments section in each artwork, you can mention anything the individual pic was inspired by as well, so always be as thorough as you can. It's like writing a paper for the teacher: listing your sources is always best. ; ) Except there aren't many "teachers" here: nearly every artist is still a student.