FA+
Shop
A couple silly, but serious questions...
9 years ago
This is a header.
Some stuff has come up recently that has made me think a little.
Normally, I do good to keep my characters out of each other's business/universes for the sake of keeping things consistant, and give them a bit more context. However, sometimes I feel like that limits what I can do with them. Being honest about a subject here, there are times I'd like to draw some of my characters doing stuff, but I always have a nagging feeling that whatever I post will be considered out of place. So in the end, I tend to censor myself before actually doing anything. The idea I was thinking of was putting together a "Non-Canon Junk" folder or something like that to post stuff that would bear no consequence to their stories at large. Something sort of like how the non-canon series of pics with Maya back in December was handled where I could cut loose, and go bananas with stuff. However, it would also include The Dragon Clan stuff, other assorted characters, and even Zero too.
I already know there's a bunch of you who I can count on support, and probably a larger group of people who would be fine either way too. However, I don't get much serious feedback on whether something may be a good idea or not. A lot of work was put into these guys, and doing something like that may feel like selling out, and/or probably even give them some kind of negative connotation. Perhaps that kind of thing might be unavoidable at times, but I don't want that stuff to make it seem like there is no love for the characters, and the stories they come from, and what has been established.
Or perhaps I think way too much about this kind of stuff. It's probably way more of a non-issue than what it's seeming like. Either way, I wouldn't know if I didn't get some honest feedback to help put my mind at ease.
So my questions are (A) would it bother people if I posted pics of my characters in a non-story manner by either interacting with other characters or situations they would/wouldn't normally engage in or (B) would I be selling out or worse doing something like this to my characters, after all the work that was put into them over the years, all for the sake of some sleaze?
Let me know. All opinions are valid.
Normally, I do good to keep my characters out of each other's business/universes for the sake of keeping things consistant, and give them a bit more context. However, sometimes I feel like that limits what I can do with them. Being honest about a subject here, there are times I'd like to draw some of my characters doing stuff, but I always have a nagging feeling that whatever I post will be considered out of place. So in the end, I tend to censor myself before actually doing anything. The idea I was thinking of was putting together a "Non-Canon Junk" folder or something like that to post stuff that would bear no consequence to their stories at large. Something sort of like how the non-canon series of pics with Maya back in December was handled where I could cut loose, and go bananas with stuff. However, it would also include The Dragon Clan stuff, other assorted characters, and even Zero too.
I already know there's a bunch of you who I can count on support, and probably a larger group of people who would be fine either way too. However, I don't get much serious feedback on whether something may be a good idea or not. A lot of work was put into these guys, and doing something like that may feel like selling out, and/or probably even give them some kind of negative connotation. Perhaps that kind of thing might be unavoidable at times, but I don't want that stuff to make it seem like there is no love for the characters, and the stories they come from, and what has been established.
Or perhaps I think way too much about this kind of stuff. It's probably way more of a non-issue than what it's seeming like. Either way, I wouldn't know if I didn't get some honest feedback to help put my mind at ease.
So my questions are (A) would it bother people if I posted pics of my characters in a non-story manner by either interacting with other characters or situations they would/wouldn't normally engage in or (B) would I be selling out or worse doing something like this to my characters, after all the work that was put into them over the years, all for the sake of some sleaze?
Let me know. All opinions are valid.
They are your characters and you should do whatever you want with them.
Although if you are very concerned about it, why not make new characters to fit those needs? They don't even have to completely new. For example, you can have a brother, father, son or any family member of your main characters partake in non-canon stuff.
Are you profiting off of it in any way monetarily? If not, it's hardly "selling out". You're doing what you want, and that's perfectly acceptable. In fact, most would probably encourage you to do so, and they should. It's your art! :)
A: No.
and
B: No.
I say go for it. The "Non-Cannon Junk" folder sounds like a cool Idea if you just want to do art like you described.
A: your charecters your art do what youed like with them, you may get a few people who don't like it but pleasing everyone not going to happen and most of your watchers are probably going to like it
B: I don't think it's selling out unless you make a lot of money off it, in no way dose what you plan to do sound bad. More interesting and fun witch it should be
Of what we've seen, you have two 'worlds' developed so far:
The Dragon Universe & the 'Qausi-Sci-Fi Universe'.
I don't see why your characters can't appear in either world, specifically the Sci-Fi universe, seeing as you have your main furson, Thunder, and Snow who all would seem to fit perfectly together in a neat story all their own. You can always use the 'reincarnation card' to pull one set of characters from another world entirely, if need be, so long as they are given a sound enough reason for existing there in the first place.
The question becomes, do you have the energy to create another fully fleshed out world for your unused characters or would it be better to develop the world you already have by adding in continents and places where they would naturally fit anyway?
The "everything else" universe is rather devoid of any distinction, so not much is lost on that. The emphasis weighs more on the Dragon universe than anything else, esspecially since I've already treaded the waters with Maya's a while back. It's an irrational notion that keeps popping up in my head where whatever I do with them has to fit in the story's flow, and if it doesn't, it will be confused as if it is. Like if one day, I go "I want to make a Ruze/Ammon pic", and afterward, people go "Oh shit! They are back together after everything that happened? Awkward." when in reality it's just a pic featuring the two of them. Again, it's a completely 100% irrational fear, but it's been holding me back since The Predicament came out which explains why not there's not a lot of decent Dragon Clan content. So I wanted to get some second opinions/feedback to help reinforce if it'd be a good decision to break the cycle.
It's something I should have nipped in the bud a long time ago, but I rather face it now than never.
Personally, I like the idea if it means more interesting ideas to throw around. If you want to do it, go do it.
Naturally, I'm only speaking from the viewpoint of a viewer. I wholly understand your concerns as a creator, because I find myself asking the same questions whenever I wonder who Baraaya would allow 'em to suck his dick. :b But eh, characters (can) change. Just play with the idea in your head, and then ask yourself, "If this character were real, would they jive with this situation?"
There's nothing that would make you a "sellout" if you draw your characters in situations that they wouldn't normally be in. Heck it wouldn't even make you a "sellout" if you'd offer to draw your characters interacting with characters of people who commission you. Some artists who do have an established setting with established characters do, in fact, label art they consider to be out of character for these characters to be non-canon as well (particularly if it comes to, say, porn).
It's all up to you. :) Do whatever you wish.
If you're going to do that, it'd be ideal to also put a "NON-CANON" warning on the comic themselves.
I'd say as long as you avoid letting it become predominately what you draw then its fine.