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Don't Fucking Do This.
11 years ago
General
My UPDATED Commission Terms of Service: https://www.dropbox.com/s/vmkm2z0xo.....20TOS.odg?dl=0
My Commission Price Guide: https://www.furaffinity.net/view/27268238/
Commission Status: CLOSED
My Commission Price Guide: https://www.furaffinity.net/view/27268238/
Commission Status: CLOSED
If there is one thing that gets under my skin more than anything else, it's someone copying someone else's work, and art/ character theft. It's an absolutely rotten, awful, and utterly pathetic thing to do, and honestly, it's not going to get you anywhere but down, down, down. Artists work extremely hard to create from the depths of themselves, to put their blood, sweat, and tears into what they make, and IT DOES NOT MATTER IF IT IS PORN OR CLEAN ART. To try and steal or copy their creations is such an atrocity there are not words for it. It's like trying to copy someone's heart, take their beloved child and pretend its yours, and then murder it too.
I can spot a pic flip and a trace a mile away. Read that twice, so it sinks in. I'm not saying any names, because of a few reasons, but you know who you are. And so do I.
Now there is this: I know that when you see a character you think is really cool, that you really like the look of, it's not abnormal to think, "Man, I want a character like that one, because it's so cool!" It's not wrong to want a character that's *KIND OF* similar, but for God's sake, at least put forth the effort to make it unique, make one that is YOU, that is so different, it's nothing like the artist's anymore! Believe me when I say, you will enjoy your own, customized, personalized, DIFFERENT creation a lot more!! No guilt attached if you create an original thing yourself!
Studying an artist's work, trying to learn from them, that isn't wrong. In fact, that is a great way to get better.
But freaking COPYING? TRACING?? Making a half-assed attempt to barely make it look slightly different, to try and not get caught? Absolutely not. You won't learn a damn thing, and it will be blatantly obvious to anyone with a half-decent pair of eyes; the original artist will know it right off the bat. Trust me, I'm going through it.
And why am I so upset, and slamming my foot down to stop this over something that if you looked at the quality of, you may say: "Pffft, you're getting upset over THAT? That isn't close to the quality of what you draw!" ?
Because it's the tip of the proverbial iceberg. It is the pebble that if left unchecked, will roll and roll until it's a boulder full of shit and momentum. I care about what I create, so I intend to protect it.
This is an angry journal, probably pretty ranty, but I know all the other artists out there can completely understand why. On top of that, this is perhaps my BIGGEST pet peeve.
That being said, this is more to help the person I spotted, more to help and talk some sense into anyone who'd consider copying or tracing or stealing. It isn't worth it. You'll be far, far happier to be completely original, even if you're drawing yourself and it's not that good at first. Getting better is part of the fun of drawing. It takes a lot of time, it gets frustrating, and it takes a lot of work-- but don't give up, and keep at it, and it will feel so rewarding to you.
Then when you have your character, one that's totally yours, that you didn't copy someone else's to make, didn't trace for, that you made from YOURSELF... you'll love them. And you'll realize how foolish it was to ever even consider the foul alternative.
Don't be shitty people. If you do your best to be kind, to be honest, it will come back to you.
I don't know if I overreacted. I'm pretty upset, but I can't imagine I've overreacted much, considering.
But this needed to be addressed, and needed to be said, for both the present, and the future. Even if it is a rant, and I end up thinking I sounded like a butt later, I'm not taking this journal down. It simply had to be said.
I can spot a pic flip and a trace a mile away. Read that twice, so it sinks in. I'm not saying any names, because of a few reasons, but you know who you are. And so do I.
Now there is this: I know that when you see a character you think is really cool, that you really like the look of, it's not abnormal to think, "Man, I want a character like that one, because it's so cool!" It's not wrong to want a character that's *KIND OF* similar, but for God's sake, at least put forth the effort to make it unique, make one that is YOU, that is so different, it's nothing like the artist's anymore! Believe me when I say, you will enjoy your own, customized, personalized, DIFFERENT creation a lot more!! No guilt attached if you create an original thing yourself!
Studying an artist's work, trying to learn from them, that isn't wrong. In fact, that is a great way to get better.
But freaking COPYING? TRACING?? Making a half-assed attempt to barely make it look slightly different, to try and not get caught? Absolutely not. You won't learn a damn thing, and it will be blatantly obvious to anyone with a half-decent pair of eyes; the original artist will know it right off the bat. Trust me, I'm going through it.
And why am I so upset, and slamming my foot down to stop this over something that if you looked at the quality of, you may say: "Pffft, you're getting upset over THAT? That isn't close to the quality of what you draw!" ?
Because it's the tip of the proverbial iceberg. It is the pebble that if left unchecked, will roll and roll until it's a boulder full of shit and momentum. I care about what I create, so I intend to protect it.
This is an angry journal, probably pretty ranty, but I know all the other artists out there can completely understand why. On top of that, this is perhaps my BIGGEST pet peeve.
That being said, this is more to help the person I spotted, more to help and talk some sense into anyone who'd consider copying or tracing or stealing. It isn't worth it. You'll be far, far happier to be completely original, even if you're drawing yourself and it's not that good at first. Getting better is part of the fun of drawing. It takes a lot of time, it gets frustrating, and it takes a lot of work-- but don't give up, and keep at it, and it will feel so rewarding to you.
Then when you have your character, one that's totally yours, that you didn't copy someone else's to make, didn't trace for, that you made from YOURSELF... you'll love them. And you'll realize how foolish it was to ever even consider the foul alternative.
Don't be shitty people. If you do your best to be kind, to be honest, it will come back to you.
I don't know if I overreacted. I'm pretty upset, but I can't imagine I've overreacted much, considering.
But this needed to be addressed, and needed to be said, for both the present, and the future. Even if it is a rant, and I end up thinking I sounded like a butt later, I'm not taking this journal down. It simply had to be said.
I honestly hope said person reads *everything* I wrote. Hopefully it will help them rather than just make them feel the fire. :( I'd rather help than just throat-rip lol.
I'm all up for people drawing my OC but for god sake at least make it original and posed in a unique way.
You spend ages drawing, developing your style and perfecting it, to have some go and trace over your work and call it their own is disrespectful and it undermines all those years of work.
It's the same with OC's, you spend ages drawing them, creating their personalities and the like and for someone to take your character and say "mine now kthxbai" or to take your character and make them do something that you don't want them to do, it would piss anyone off.
It happens... :C
I know what you mean about feeling humored. I've got to learn to feel that way and shrug it off, to an extent. Just dang, feels bad xD. I'd rather someone come ask me for help than pull a stunt like this.
Live, learn, and grow extremely thick skin T--T; The way of the artist.
I for one have too much respect for artists to even use their artworks without their permission, heck, I wouldn't even have the guts to claim that an artwork is mine even if it's commissioned.
Some people are just....fucked in the head, that's the best I can put it...
Yeah, I really don't get what they think they're going to gain. No matter what, they'll never be the artist. Be better to become your own artist, or just buy commissions, look for requests or raffles, anything but be a butt :(.
Howvever, from the way I think, if that person you are talking about was just a fanboy who just liked your characters, your words may get to him, but if that person was actually malicious, he wont care. I like to give people the benefit of the doubt and see what they do. I hope this problem does not escalate for you bud :(
And I know what you mean. You're right, if they're malicious, they're not gonna care. I don't think they are, but I didn't think sitting by and saying nothing was the right thing to do. This is my first time going through this, so I'm a little, er, agitated xD. It'll probably be fine and I'll feel like an explosive dumb later, but eh, I'm just, trying.
But yeah I don't tolerated art theft.
Gonna get a little bit off topic here, but I also don't like the idea of buying character adopts. It's just like, dafuq. Birth your own character. But with that I can sympathize. What it goes back to, is people not wanting to make the effort to use their right brain. Be creative! There's different worlds and galaxies just in your head--even if untapped--that no one has yet to see. But you finna tap into other people's and suckle off them . . . nah. You're right. Doesn't work.
-hug- I hope you feel better about all this and the jerk learns his lesson ;3;
I've been through art school, and I have seen some pretty rancid theft. But there is a line between stealing and referencing that should be addressed. Now I have NO IDEA what copying you may have just undergone, so I really can't say how close or over the line the offense was, so for all I know, they just took your art page and hue shifted it and called it their own...I don't really know. That said, I know designing and posing is not something that comes easy to people, and especially in a community that is arguably dominated by art and artists, the referencing and retooling of that imagery is to be expected to a degree, especially from people who have distinct styles (your art is a good example of that). Its also why we see so many sonic fan characters, or characters that take from loony tunes or disney design sensibilities. People get pulled in by the stuff they like and emulate it more often than not. With more elaborate stuff, like posing...man posing can be hard. Especially if you are not that great at the fine art of 'working the kinks out of a drawing'. People who are less strong in certain things will referencing whole poses, designs...because they see exactly what they want, and so they mimic to get it. I think in THIS example of copying, I will allow it...and I will especially allow it if the original artist is honest about it and mentions when they post it what the inspired or original work was. When this becomes a problem is when people don't do the work themselves and then try to make money off of it. I personally have a bit of grief with people who use copywrite characters on products. Less so if its like, content or maybe porn where teh subject might NEVER EVER be seen in that light otherwise, but I don't really like people selling tshirts and mugs of my little pony characters. Fan characters are ok, but people selling a traced rainbow dash on a tshirt is pretty lame. And the same goes for prints and stuff...its not tasteful.
In summary, I try to be more UNDERSTANDING when artists copy or reference work because I don't think it needs to be a big deal. FurAffinity to me is not a professional gallery, I don't feel like I have assets that are a super huge deal protecting with an iron fist.
I feel in almost ALL cases, copying and theft offences should be approached calmly. I try not to jump down someones throat right out the gate. I prefer to think that people are better than they are worse and try to be polite with them.
That all said, if a person copies my work, and is rude about it and unwilling to talk about it...let the weight of the internet crush them.
Though may I ask a question? There is something I saw and love; is changing the coloration of the eyes and small bits of another area okay? I'm curious. Also can your answer be in motes please?
About the closest I've seen, is someone copying another artists style, to the point it's hard to tell them apart.... but even then it's not tracing. ~ That's part of the reason why I don't want to upload yet, my ... "stye" is very similar to another's, and out of respect I don't want to "be weird" x3. I need to figure out a few more things, get my own way of doing stuff so it looks even more unique.