Unfortunately it's a trend and from what I've learned from art studies and business studies -It is easier to follow a trend than to set one.- So expect to see them a lot.

I hate to say it too but I will be doing more of them soon because its the only thing that has made money in the past month... People eat trends up.

well I certainly do need to make like $200 before college this fall ;A;

Well look at it this way to soften the blow to your pride. You can work up ANY concept you'd like, and then leave a spot blank for a person to bid. They are now not only playing for your work but also rights to your personal intellectual property, and as long as you only auction the concept once it can still be considered an original concept and not a "cookie cutter" as you put it.

Take for example my dislike of assemblages. Assembling found objects into a composition I have always felt was "cheating" because not all the components were made from scratch, but there is still a niche for this genre of "art" and I am apparently exceedingly good at it... I'll have a good example what I mean when I take photo's of my first staff tomorrow.

Point of my rambling is, to be open to the whole idea of other peoples ideas because that is the only way culture and art and politics can evolve.

I could ramble more and start referencing the Renascence and so on and so forth but I'll save that for my art history professors. No one here wants to hear that x,x

I also meant to throw in this; It'd be an opportunity to have freedom of expression with your composition and concept.

But I went into philosopher mode and started to ramble x,x

Its a lot like the whole "Adoptables" craze that was going on. I really, REALLY dont like them. It feels like a shiv to creativity for betterment of pocket padding.

On a personal level, I would say dont do them - but if you need money and dont feel like you'd be selling out, there is a market for them and you're entitled to take advantage of that if you want.

I share the same distaste, I mean people are spending all this money on art that you barely have any ownership over and art that is limited to what the "template is" and seriously if you are going to pay anything above the artists regular commission price than why not be smart and just commission them xD?