Animation Source Forums

I have no idea if people are reading my rants on my other forum topic, but hey. This ESPECIALLY needs to be known about on this site because quite frankly, as a mod, I am SICK AND TIRED of accepting art that is NOTHING but rips off other artists. This includes STYLE, POSES, IDEAS, and CHARACTERS.

The other day, I was signing onto the fanart mod section to accept art and what I saw made me want to scratch someone's face off. EVERY SINGLE picture waiting to be posted on this site was copied from popular DA (DeviantArt) artists. I did not want to accept any of them, but I didn't feel like dealing with other peoples' BS, so I reluctantly allowed them on the site.

And since I had to do so, I figured that this needed to be ranted about because even though I have PMed others (and Im sure other fanart mods have too) that copying without reference and citation IS A FORM OF ART THEFT. So, all you fan artists out there giving artists you "learn" from zero credibility are JUST AS GUILTY as those scumbags who steal original drafts of art and call it their own.

THIS (what I am saying next) is widely accepted: If you are a LEARNING artist who needs some kind of crutch to get you going on your drawings, it is ok if you use another's picture to LOOK AT while doodling, (HOWEVER, CITING your work is IMPORTANT. You MUST LET IT BE KNOWN that you did NOT draw whatever you drew on your own. Not only will you have a clear conscience, but you will be applauded for it.)

THIS is NOT accepted, and I have seen more of this on this site than I can shake a stick at. I have seen artists CONSTANTLY take style, ideas, characters and poses. I have ALSO seen artists who have been copying others since they've come onto this site. Its as if ALL they ever do is copy! And the sad thing is, they're GOOD at drawing! They just NEVER do it on their OWN. The other sad thing is ALOT of these artists are the most popular around. And they do not deserve it. You all know EXACTLY what I'm talking about! I am not going to point out the copycats, you know who you are too (and you better shape up)

The artists I have seen copied from on this site and DA and other sites are mostly Kay Fedewa, Pample, Huskie, and Lovely_Little_Emo (i still see MY stuff copied on this site still). Its artists like THEM who deserve to be recognized for what they do. Know why? Because they started out like crap just like everyone else, and kept trying to improve, and practiced, and learned from themselves and others, and DIDN'T COPY. And if they DID copy, they STOPPED a LOOOOOOOONG time ago.

If these artists are so-called "respected" why are they not recognized?! You all take their poses and ideas, etc. and you're drawig them to make yourself look good??? You're not. You're making yourself look ridiculous and idiotic! Your art will NEVER. EVER improve if you keep taking others' art! Why do people insist on copying others' STYLES?! What is the fun in drawing AS SOMEONE ELSE?! Why don't you all TAKE SOME FLIPPIN CHANCES and CREATE YOUR OWN STYLE?! You all may not realize it, but there is a BIIIIIIIIIIIG DIFFERENCE between CREATION and REPETITION. You can't "create" something if someone ELSE has already done it! And the SAME EXACT THING goes for fanart (and fanfic, etc) IDEAS.

I don't know who you fanartists think you are, but you are NOT a godlike figure on this site or anywhere! You're just letting your FALSE POPULARITY get to your head and quite frankly I am sick of it and I plan on becoming stricter when it comes to accepting art. This is beyond blockheadedness. You are all good artists. I HIGHLY suggest you start acting the part.

CAT CAT CAT CAT!!WHOOOOOOH !! *claps* *claps* ^^ !!!

That was the best rant ever :3

YES I AGREE 100% !

You cannot improve by taking poses,ideeas,style .... FOR EVER;
Okay I understand that young artists are trying to get "better" by refferencing a professional artists' things,but if it goes for ever it'll turn out wild and unstopable.

I studyed a lot about art since school started.And I knew lots before too.

I will be honest and tell you that I REFFED IN MY CHILDHOOD IMAGES.BUT NOT others artists's DRAWINGS..Like cartoon screenshots..and by that i memorized the every single part of the character(I should say that my hand done that..) and each time i wanted to draw something I remembered the charcater which I've reffed...This season went from 1st grade untill 4th..at 5th i started to draw BY MY IMAGINATION.

And it's not hard...of course none has "talent" But it doesn't mean that you're allowed to copy or SIMPLY SEND other artists' art..

I lived those horrible moments 5 times..I won't list up who and what..but once would be enough..and it's bad..I never tought that i will live it once...But look it happened!!

I don't like either when people have "same style"..you know?i find boring..it's like "C'mon let's draw everything the same! Or people to draw same ways!"...And it's not original at all...

I like unique styles..ideeas..and so...that what makes you feel Artist inside...

I Trully hope the persons who everyone's talking about to read this...and think of what I said..

I don't find my self popular or awsome...but i have some feelings and property...which i realy want it respected.

I admit that when i first came to bs I only knew how to refer to a picture like ones of balto [screenshots] and i drew them I was new to the whole entire art thing oin the internet....I really really sucked at freehand [you can look at my previous arts in my gallery ] like drawing my own characters and so on. to be entirley honest all i knoew then was that even if you only referred to a pose and you drew it [not tracing] it was all good and classified as your art....aha until I decided i wanted to draw my own characters and referred to pamples art....[USED TO AND I REGRET IT] but i didnt know any better....I would say my "referring" to pamples art was only not knowing the difference. Sorry Pample!




everything i draw now is my own work. the only way I look at another picture is to draw someones character as an art trade.

Exactly! We didn't have people to tell us it was wrong until it was too late. You all who this rant is referring to need to take this as a fair warning.

Mmmm not the first time it's happened. Once, while updating new galleries, one person sent in pictures from several different dA artists, claiming it as theirs. Others trace right over, also claiming it as their own. We're not stupid, we know..



Cat, I couldn't agree with you more on this one. See, i've seen WAY too many 'artists' work. I think it's pretty good, but, something in my gut is telling me I shouldn't be saying that to myself. Call it a hunch i suppose. I find out later that they've been taking poses, ideas, styles, backgrounds, outines, and other things from specific artists. Sometimes, they'll(fake artists) memorize one artists style, then take ANOTHER's pose, and make it SEEM like their own. WHAT IS IT WITH PEOPLE ? Is it that they WANT to be good like that, or they WANT to become the 'next Pample' or the new 'Catwhohas14tails' ? I'm not pointing out any names, but there are MANY people on BS who have the exact same style as some of the artists who left, and some who are STILL HERE.



Oh nose, haha, I used to do that too. Once (when I was younger) I took a picture of Balto that someone drew, and traced over it with my own character....I have it still, everytime I see it I slap myself for my wrong descision(sp?) Luckily I never posted it....I would have claimed it as my own too...But, that's when you're young. Some children don't know better...But for the older ones, around 14+, THEY should be PUNISHED for what they do, they KNOW better than that. Or at least they SHOULD know better. I'm dissapointed with them, and myself still for doing what I did (still glad it NEVER got posted o_O) But, it's not something that's going to end. We could TRY to prevent it....Doubt it'll stop though....

Well, "others" may not consider it stealing if its at least 25% different from the original. I don't know how THAT works on this site, but Im going with what I know. And I'm talking about COPYCATS. Not out-front ART THEFT. Can't you see I'm trying to talk some sense into people reading this? Maybe it'll actually GET to the people who are copying crap.

I agree with everyone. Steeling is NOT good (as you all know...) thats all I have to say.

And I have a question (if this is wrong, please don't flame me. Just calmly tell me that it is wrong and I won't do it anymore) I like to take screenshots from Balto and fill in the colors differently to match my own characters colors and things like that. I don't have a scanner, so I can't put my hand-drawn drawings up.Of Course, I will say that I got the piccys from screenshots and just colored them like my own characters.... but is that ok? (I havn't put anything up yet)

Well....being a fan art mod, if you sent that in, I wouldn't accept it. So I'd say no. It HAS to be drawn by YOU, yourself. You'll have to do computer drawn pictures then....No other option really.

i agree.i don't like copycats becuase when my friend had fan art somebody copied it and said that their's was the oringinal becuase it looked better(which it did)so they deleted my friends fan art

alright^^ I won't post them then. Thank you.

Yesh, I have seen copy cats. And I'll admit, I've copied one idea from Mizzy. I named one of my charries after a band as she did. Apart from that I have never copied someone's art. I have used a refference before though but, only a refference.

I agree with you Cat

I mean my art isn´t the best but I´m proud of what it has become. Maybe after few years of partice I can draw as well as many I look up to. When I was younger I used to draw balto screenshots from refrence and I didn´t like them much because I knew they werent mine. I´m glad you put this up here for all the great artists that are out there and to show people not to steal their art.