Posted

Mar 1st 2009

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Frustrated

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NONE. ;o;

This is prone to change when I want to add something, so feel free to check back, although it's updated very rarely. It's basically some internet art gallery etiquette, and it may be good to use it as a 'recommended reading' for people you are finding a bit problematic. You can link it or quote it. Happy posting, everyone!



Okay, I was IMing with someone and they are upset about someone copying someone else's style. So, I am going to discuss art copying and such to kind of give my opinion and let you know that if you are violating these ideals, I see you as a thief, and if you are being too strict about certain things, I think you're immature, because there are some things that just can't be copyrighted. (And I just learned that the human genome isn't one of them. D:!! ) Mentioning where you got inspiration from not only keeps you from being accused of plagiarism, but it allows other artists to find inspiration of their own.

Direct copying: If you have an image next to you and you copy it exactly, be sure to mention that in your description of the piece and where you got the image/who you took it from. This goes for copied portions of things, such as only the face or the background. Also, if you copy something directly, you cannot sell it without the original owner's permission, because you are selling THEIR work. "The reference image is from ____ and was made by ___."

Character copying: Copying someone else's character or tweaking it just barely and using it as your own. Don't do it. It's not your character. You can copy a character and treat it like a direct copy by mentioning the owner, where you got it from, etc. You cannot use this character outside of mini-comics and one-time drawings. If you use someone's character in a comic/story/image of your own, you must be sure to mention the owner and that the piece is some sort of fanart. "I love ____ from ____, so I've been drawing him a lot lately. I looked at images from ____ and ____, but most of these were drawn from memory." I really wouldn't recommend it, though; it tends to seem unoriginal like you couldn't make up your own characters. I think it's best to create your own unique character that can be used to represent/symbolize the character you really like. And make it look really different!

Style copying: Styles are harder to copyright. If you drastically change your style to mimic someone else's, especially if you use references, mention the owner. The style is not copyrighted, but you should always mention where you take things from. If it's not purely out of your own head, it isn't yours. Also, styles can be very personal, because they reflect a person's view and interpretation of the world, so some people get especially touchy on the subject. Just mention the artist's name, etc. Like "I based this off of some stuff I saw done by ___." That's really it. This is one of those un-copyright-able things that I get annoyed with when people freak out too much over them. If someone copies your style and doesn't reference you, I'm sorry, but there's really nothing you can do but hope the person's karma kicks in soon.

Copying/referencing me: If you copy or reference me, I really don't mind. I just want to know about it. If you like a style I used and you imitate it, mention me, and then tell me about it. I like to see how people interpret my stuff into their own style. (I like to see the evolution of my ideas through someone else, but don't expect me to get really excited. I'm very picky- I'm a bit of a perfectionist. D: ) Please do not use my characters. I mean, you could with my permission, but you just shouldn't. You might have to consult me on the way the character would act. My characters have personalities, and if you put them 'out of character' I don't like it. I find it insulting and feel that you don't respect my creations. When/if you copy/reference me, you can put "I looked at references you can find through http://suketchilt.webs.com" or maybe "I was looking at this image by SuketchiLT ________." Or something along those lines. You don't need to go into depth. Just put my website or the link to the actual image(s). Then tell me about it, because I want to see it. By the way, don't draw my characters being all lovey dovey with yours. It would never happen, my characters stick to their own kind and they're pretty planned out sometimes. I don't like mixing my stories with other people's because once the friendship ends, so does the story, and I don't want to use their characters, so I have to completely alter them and then kill them off in my storylines and... well, it gets ugly. xD My characters love making friends, though.

So in conclusion, if you copy or reference or even draw inspiration from someone else's drawing, style, photos, anything, you need to mention them by name and/or through a link to what you were looking at. It's polite and will keep you out of trouble. Also, you pass on what you saw to someone else who might want to try imitating that style/character/piece, too.





Now. Commenting. I think that comments should have a certain level of intelligence to them. When people send me comments or I want to comment on a piece, I click their icon, scurry through their profile real quick and see if there's anything interesting or if something I wanted to respond with is already mentioned, and then I go make my response. But I'm a little crazy. Personally, I think you should at least read the description of the image before commenting. Sometimes people don't want comments, or they don't want certain ones, and unfortunately the 'disable comments' button doesn't work yet. Whatever point you're trying to make will seem dumb if the person has already answered it somewhere obvious, like the image description.

If you're going to comment on something touchy, like supposed stolen artwork, I believe in the toned down approach. Don't rush in ranting and yelling and already giving off the feeling that you're going to attack someone. You should check the image description and their gallery/profile to see if they mention an all-encompassing reference first. Then maybe make a sort of mild comment, like "This looks familiar, did you use a reference?" or something. Don't just rush in, 'cause if you're proven wrong, you'll come off as a jerk.

Also, sometimes the person lacking the reference-list is new to Sheezy or the internet as a whole and doesn't know to cite sources. Rushing them will make them feel victimized and like Sheezy isn't any fun, and you could be removing a potentially amazing artist.






This is a pet peeve of mine. Y'know how they say you can interpret art any way you want? You can. The thing is, if you are communicating with the artist and they say "No, that's not the point, I meant this ___." don't argue with them. The open interpretations are more for art of which an artist cannot be contacted.

So, here's what happened to me. I drew Archambault. He has wings- he's a dragon. The drawing was of an anthro form and zoomed in, so you don't see the wings all that well, but they're there. Someone came up and started telling me they looked like a second pair of arms. I said they were wings. The person kept going back and forth with me, saying that no, they should be arms, it'd be cooler. I know they didn't mean any harm. But seriously, if I say 'no' about something I made, it's no. Don't argue with me. I take it as you not wanting to understand and that you lack respect for me and my art. Also, not everything I make is 'art.' I call it art as a sort of broad label as "something I made." Most of my stuff is practice and technique building.



I feel like it comes off as immature to load your profile with hatred towards an art style and to comment stuff like "I hate the Sonic art style, it's stupid, and you're dumb for using it." It's still art. You may not like it, but it's art. I mean, I don't like it. But I'm not going to prevent someone else from enjoying it. Heck, I might have some sort of "I don't like this style" somewhere in my profile, but if I do it doesn't stand out. (Yes, my profile is huge, but it's not a giant rant of anger.) Personally, if I don't like someone's style, I just don't say anything. I leave it alone. Less comments for them. (; But yeah, vote with your feet. If you don't like something, just walk away. It's better for everyone.



Art is an extension of the artist. It is their view and interpretation of the world through symbolism unique to themselves. To insult someone's art or art style is to insult the person. You should only make comments that are compliments or constructive criticisms based on improving the person as an artist as a whole or within their field.




Critiques. You have to be careful, because people get attached to their work and even if they say they don't care about it or that they don't like it at all, it's still a personal thing. It's best to try to balance out the good and the bad, either by splitting the comment in half between the goods and the bads or by saying one bad thing and one good thing then one bad thing and one good thing, etc. Don't critique by just saying "That's stupid." or "You suck." Or an empty comment like that. It's not constructive. The person won't gain anything, although they may lose self-esteem and/or begin to dislike you. When you critique, whether it's positive or negative, you should be very specific. "I like your use of that shade of green. The way it's distributed throughout the piece really unifies the whole thing, and its general tone is calming." or whatever. You don't have to be all formal like that, but if you tell the person exactly how the effect is or isn't working they get a better idea of how and when to use that method/style/color/whatever. If something's bad, seriously, don't say "Your anatomy sucks." It's better to say WHY you think that, if your opinion is even that harsh. "I think you should look at some anatomy books. The way the abs were outlined makes them seem sharp and pointy. Also, check the length on the legs, they should be longer. It's okay to draw off the page." And here's a big thing. Passive voice. They tell you not to use it in writing, but critiques are the perfect place for them. Active voice: John drove the car. Passive voice: The car was driven by John. Passive voice is more submissive, and it makes it seem like you are making a suggestion. Basically, it keeps you from appearing aggressive. Instead of "You drew the ear badly." you should put "The ear looks a little out of proportion." Passive voice is meant to 'remove the blame' from the artist. Yup, so that's it, be kind yet truthful on your critiques. :3