It may be counter-intuitive, but I feel that without some level of consumption, what you create will be highly derivative—drawing of things you have internalized long ago, but have forgotten whereabouts they were acquired.

(you can see this in philosophical/moral discussions with people who have never questioned the source of their values)

Some consumption is probably necessary for creativity. You need to bring some things outside the world into yourself, or your ideas will feel made-up and phony.

Also, many a artist will admit a lot of what some would call "copying" in the art world is common - but it's more akin to reacting to something from a peer and then putting a unique twisted outlook on it; and this almost creates a 'conversation' even if the author isn't intending that.