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Closed Species???
11 years ago
I just don't get them. Why are closed species a thing? For starters, a lot (not all, but many) of the closed species I see tend to be something that's still furry, and looks like a hybrid of some sort. I mean, there's nothing wrong with hybrids in furry (as a kangaroo sheep), so if you chose some animals which hybridized to look like your closed species is that stealing? And then there's the way they are off the radar. A lot of closed species come from furs who are not exactly in the spotlight in some form or fashion. If that's the case, then is it entirely necessary to make your species closed, if only like 5000 people (or less!) ever see it? Or suppose two different people who never see each other's art make two similar (or similarly named) closed species, but never see each other's work. Is that stealing or coincidental? Can one really get frustrated about that?
And like, what about fanart? The whole point of fanart existing is being a fan of a something and producing art of it. Suppose a fan liked your closed species. Is it wrong for them to want to make a character within that species? Or perhaps draw it? They could even credit it back to you who made the closed species! And it's possible they could ask first. Say "hey, you've got an awesome/adorable/badass species there. Can I make a character of it?" And then you could be like "hey yeah sure" or "Okay, but first here's what you must know about the species so you stay true to it" And then everything would be fine and dandy! I mean, popular non-real species exist all over the place in furry. What if Pokemon or Digimon were/contained closed species? What if MLP were closed species? What the Na'vi were closed species?
The fact of the matter is they're not, and fans of them will draw them if they want to. Almost unanimously without asking the creators first. They might draw art of characters in uncharacteristic scenarios as well, because that's how they are motivated by art, and that's how they express themselves artistically. It seems to me like you can't stop someone from vocally, or silently, going "awww, that's a cute species *scribbles up a drawing*". And if not, wouldn't it be a compliment to you? Like hey, I love your species so much that I WANT ONE OF MY OWN. That's a compliment to me, for sure.
It just seems silly to me for someone to draw a thing and go "ONLY I CAN DRAW THIS, NO ONE ELSE!" With the exception being if they PAY MONEY FOR IT THROUGH AN ADOPT AUCTION or something of that ilk. Suppose I went into MS Paint and drew a circle. And I posted it on FA saying that it was a closed species/shape. Called it a roundy or something. And sold the rights to draw it for 5 dollars. Suppose I did that, and then fussed at people who drew it without asking me first. I mean Circles are integral to drawing anyway, so I could get mad at a loooooot of people. Like if someone draws a species based on doge, and then calls it closed, I'm sorry, but it's art, and I don't think you can close it off all that much. Unless you don't want to vocalize it. Make a private species, keep it private. Don't want people to draw it, don't act like you have some sort of copyright on it after posting it online. Maybe instead of closed species we could say "this is a xyz, it's a species I made up that's like this" and if people want to fanart it they can fanart it?
This is a silly rant of course but I'm just saying. I don't think it's necessarily possible, or really appropriate in general, to make a closed species. If you do make your own species and someone copies you and claims it as their own, then you could either operate on the assumption that it's coincidence, or politely ask that they give you credit for creating the species. And even then, it's just art.
And like, what about fanart? The whole point of fanart existing is being a fan of a something and producing art of it. Suppose a fan liked your closed species. Is it wrong for them to want to make a character within that species? Or perhaps draw it? They could even credit it back to you who made the closed species! And it's possible they could ask first. Say "hey, you've got an awesome/adorable/badass species there. Can I make a character of it?" And then you could be like "hey yeah sure" or "Okay, but first here's what you must know about the species so you stay true to it" And then everything would be fine and dandy! I mean, popular non-real species exist all over the place in furry. What if Pokemon or Digimon were/contained closed species? What if MLP were closed species? What the Na'vi were closed species?
The fact of the matter is they're not, and fans of them will draw them if they want to. Almost unanimously without asking the creators first. They might draw art of characters in uncharacteristic scenarios as well, because that's how they are motivated by art, and that's how they express themselves artistically. It seems to me like you can't stop someone from vocally, or silently, going "awww, that's a cute species *scribbles up a drawing*". And if not, wouldn't it be a compliment to you? Like hey, I love your species so much that I WANT ONE OF MY OWN. That's a compliment to me, for sure.
It just seems silly to me for someone to draw a thing and go "ONLY I CAN DRAW THIS, NO ONE ELSE!" With the exception being if they PAY MONEY FOR IT THROUGH AN ADOPT AUCTION or something of that ilk. Suppose I went into MS Paint and drew a circle. And I posted it on FA saying that it was a closed species/shape. Called it a roundy or something. And sold the rights to draw it for 5 dollars. Suppose I did that, and then fussed at people who drew it without asking me first. I mean Circles are integral to drawing anyway, so I could get mad at a loooooot of people. Like if someone draws a species based on doge, and then calls it closed, I'm sorry, but it's art, and I don't think you can close it off all that much. Unless you don't want to vocalize it. Make a private species, keep it private. Don't want people to draw it, don't act like you have some sort of copyright on it after posting it online. Maybe instead of closed species we could say "this is a xyz, it's a species I made up that's like this" and if people want to fanart it they can fanart it?
This is a silly rant of course but I'm just saying. I don't think it's necessarily possible, or really appropriate in general, to make a closed species. If you do make your own species and someone copies you and claims it as their own, then you could either operate on the assumption that it's coincidence, or politely ask that they give you credit for creating the species. And even then, it's just art.
