Fanart Overrated?

[ElenaMason]

i rarely has this specific debate but i wanted to have more of a braoder view about people's opinions of Fanart.

My Opinion:
Bad:
-sometimes overrated
-people get possesive of their fanart sometimes when in reality its just a COPY of someone else's created work.
- its also a copy of someone else's STYLE

Good:
-people dont think abotu it much but its NOT easy to always imitate something down to the nitty gritty. its easy for me (but ive been drawing for YEARS and i just have talent for it) but for someone like my dad, he can't draw worth ANYTHING.
-sometimes you need to copy something....study something for a while before you can develope your own sense of style and originality


Arguments about Fanart:

-copywrite issues....yes there are always copywrite issues because most people fail or are too LAZY to type what the fanart they're drawing IS. (i try to make sure i do this but no one's perfect)

Keep in mind that NOT everyone draws anime....not everyone is going to watch the same show as you, hence why you should reference what your drawing so people KNOW its NOT your art.

-copywrite of poses.....i dont know about you but its absolute BULLCRAP that people get made if i use the same pose as someone else used. you dont OWN a pose. poses will get copied over and OVER and OVER....AND OVER! so stop COMPLAINING about people using the same pose. its one thing to use the same design and same character saying its yours when its not, but if its just pose...so WHAT

-originality is also a big issue with fanart. your drawing something that is already owned by someone else and that isn't considered original.

but is ANYTHING original? the only thing that is considered original is if your the FIRST person to EVER in the history of man to come up with the idea. but since we're so far beyond the years of the past....alot of things that people think are original to them...are not.

for example: if you use a color....such as red....thats copying. why? because did YOU invent the color red? unlikely so that is copying. ever drawn a sword cuz thats copying. were you the first person to invent a sword? no....so unlikely your the first...thus its COPYING! who HASNT thought of a purple dog? or a rainbow colored scarf....etc....etc....

the chances of it being original is slim. however there are THOUSANDS upon THOUSANDS of designers out there like me. from designing clothing to armor to hair styles...its all varied out there.

but even then....who HASNT thought of a spiral design for a piece of clothing? or chains connecting to pockets? or a full suit made of belts? i mean the ONLY thing that seperates it from being copied to being your own, is HOW its put together. because there is an infinite number of ways to put something together.....

but the elements that COMBINE that special design....are all still...COPIED. including the poses, including the colors, and including the idea. its extremely rare that something is entirely original.


So the next time you think about bashing someone for fanart.....think again...  

[ChibiTotoro222]

Well I rarely do fanart, but when I do, I try to use my own style and pose to put some originality into it. n__n
I think referenced fanart is fine, but it would be great if you added a little bit of your own style into it or alter the original picture to make it different. :3

My least favorite thing about copying the exact same thing from a picture is that it's usually not going to turn out as good as the original. However by mimicking the same pose and such will give you better experience on more accurate anatomy and such. :3

As well as the fact that it requires a lot of skill to make something look like the original. After all, mimicking different artists' styles is a tricky thing to master. Actually, I don't think the referenced fanart pictures are given as much credit as they deserve. o: <3

Copyright issues are never a problem if you don't sell your work, and I think it's okay if you state the creator/company that made the character. n___n

Uh, well I don't think there is any copyright on poses, but on places such as DA, you should state the reference you used if you used one. And as long as you don't trace it, I think it's fine. :3

Well, perhaps nothing is TRUELY original. But if you create a character all by yourself cram packed with details and stuff, it is more original than if you just copied the exact same picture. ;3
So perhaps it isn't ENTIRELY original, but there are definately things more original than others. And those designers/artists are the ones who are successful in life. After all, people are always wanting to see something different. n__n

Therefore, I don't think it would be right for one to claim that a referenced fanart picture is as original as a character you designed or a design that you made. :3

And I definately don't think it's right for someone to bash anyone for drawing fanart. There's...really...nothing to bash about. >.>;;  

[ElenaMason]

ChibiTotoro222

Well I rarely do fanart, but when I do, I try to use my own style and pose to put some originality into it. n__n
I think referenced fanart is fine, but it would be great if you added a little bit of your own style into it or alter the original picture to make it different. :3

My least favorite thing about copying the exact same thing from a picture is that it's usually not going to turn out as good as the original. However by mimicking the same pose and such will give you better experience on more accurate anatomy and such. :3

As well as the fact that it requires a lot of skill to make something look like the original. After all, mimicking different artists' styles is a tricky thing to master. Actually, I don't think the referenced fanart pictures are given as much credit as they deserve. o: <3

Copyright issues are never a problem if you don't sell your work, and I think it's okay if you state the creator/company that made the character. n___n

Uh, well I don't think there is any copyright on poses, but on places such as DA, you should state the reference you used if you used one. And as long as you don't trace it, I think it's fine. :3

Well, perhaps nothing is TRUELY original. But if you create a character all by yourself cram packed with details and stuff, it is more original than if you just copied the exact same picture. ;3
So perhaps it isn't ENTIRELY original, but there are definately things more original than others. And those designers/artists are the ones who are successful in life. After all, people are always wanting to see something different. n__n

Therefore, I don't think it would be right for one to claim that a referenced fanart picture is as original as a character you designed or a design that you made. :3

And I definately don't think it's right for someone to bash anyone for drawing fanart. There's...really...nothing to bash about. >.>;;

exactly. of course these days (at least for me) i have some atomically correct poseable figurens (sp?) that use now, even for fanart. of course if im going to copy the style i still have to use reference pics for how the original character looks.

i mean why do people make fanart? why do people copy a style even if they can draw REALLY REALLY well?

i thought about this one day and this is what i came up with. when something is created and there are fans of that creation.....theyll want to PRESERVE the fanart in its "original form"

for example: itd be intersting....but it'd be REALLY REALLY weird if Goku from dragonballz would be drawn in the style of Sailor Moon art.

when i draw fanart....i keep the original form of it, not only out of admiration....but in admiration of the creation itself, to keep it as it is, not change it.

sometimes i actually DO put a spin of my own style....i add more detail...more color....more affects. that may not be a style to you, but my style is DETAIL...lots of detail. the more real it looks, the better. and the ONLY other thing that would be considered my own style is HOW i color a picture. no not the design of the character's colors, but the SHADING of it. i add more mediums and depths to the coloring. i pick my own light source and color it how i see fit.

its not Fancopy.....its fanART!  

[starbubbles]

i have only once done fanart once. it was sailor moon. lol. it came out alright, but i don't know. i sometimes have a hard time with fanart because i believe that some try to create it outside the character. but i guess that's like fanfiction, so artist can take liberities. then, i once traced some pokemon many years ago. they are cute. if anyone asked about it, i was straight forward and said i traced it. lol. but most i really admire. i can't really draw that well. i do fine with tracing, but many are like that. so, i admire the quality of the job. alot of people really do have talent. but i do agree, if it's not completely apparent about where you got the picture from (or even if it is), people should cite their work  

[ElenaMason]

starbubbles

i have only once done fanart once. it was sailor moon. lol. it came out alright, but i don't know. i sometimes have a hard time with fanart because i believe that some try to create it outside the character. but i guess that's like fanfiction, so artist can take liberities. then, i once traced some pokemon many years ago. they are cute. if anyone asked about it, i was straight forward and said i traced it. lol. but most i really admire. i can't really draw that well. i do fine with tracing, but many are like that. so, i admire the quality of the job. alot of people really do have talent. but i do agree, if it's not completely apparent about where you got the picture from (or even if it is), people should cite their work

yeah no kidding. an artist i have on my dev watch on deviantart.com drew a beautiful picture of (the guy i finally know who he is now) Scar from Full Metal Alchemist. but at the time i never watched the show so i had no idea who the character is. i commented on the picture and asked where he got the design cuz he didn't say what i was from in the description....and he said it was Scar from FMA....

no offense but THATS WHY YOU CREDIT WHERE YOU GET THINGS! as big as an anime fan im am, im not going to have the time (or desire) to watch every single freaking anime out there, popular or not.


man this just reminds me of this freaking IDIOT on sheeyart.com that was flaming for so called *stealing* some art.

1) i never sell my fanart
2) i reference where i got it
3) i didn't STEAL the fanart claiming it all to be mine even though it has ONE character in the picture that i created myself, the other two were skuld and urd from ah my goddess.

at first she was giving a warning about "how i should say if i used a reference pic, or give better credit and went on about what she thought fanart was" when i didnt agree with her, she started spamming my page with s!$# and also on her own personal website.

freaking IDIOT! >_>  

[anarchyneko]

a lot of times people need to copy in order to get poses right or a certain style of hair, clothing, object, or anything right. sometimes they are so proud of their work that they post it!  

[ElenaMason]

ninja nekochan

a lot of times people need to copy in order to get poses right or a certain style of hair, clothing, object, or anything right. sometimes they are so proud of their work that they post it!

its good to see some people agree with me out there smile i know my friend has been bashed over the head of her fanart time and time again >> think its about time people think twice about bashing people about fanart.  

[Thonek]

Perhaps you should be alittle less touchy, and alittle more not caring.

I respect peoples oppinions, and respect yours, even though I disagree, but I make my own characters, and draw them my way. Any likeness to anything else is simply coincidence.

but fan aren't isn't original, yes I do agree in that aspect. Because fan nrt is drawing something you are a fan of, and there for already exists.  

[[[Insane.Perfection]]]

In my opinion, fanart should be used as a tribute to the anime, a way to express the joy and emotions it brings you, in your own way. For some people, its imitating a piece of art, for others making your own, but the important part is giving back a bit of the awe that you recieve, or expressing your feeling about that anime.  

[lonewolf007]

I see nothing worng with fan art. Let the people express what they love. You be suprised how a 10y/o draw better than a 20+y/o.  

[__X__Naomi__X__]

a few months back when i was REALLY into neopets i drew a ref. pic of my Kougra.I used a pose from another ref pic but with a different pattern. I posted in the guild i was in that i drew a ref pic tell me what you think of it.
well a few post later someone, i forgot who, said that i copied the pic and i should take take it off before she would notify the artist of the of the pic.
I was like "Um... I used the pose NOT the pic."
but instead as agreeable as i am i just clamly said "Ok i take it off"
i did and then i drew a different pic.

 

[Queen-willow]

I know its ridiculous.  

[moonmage82]

I think it's silly because technically - all comic book artists do fan art, they just do it under license for pay. So there's nothing wrong with doing fan art but you can't sell it unless you have a license to do so.