Copy Write

While I was just starting with my art, I began by referencing artwork by other people, and drawing them line by line until I got it as close as possible to the original picture. I started off with characters from cartoons or anime, and as I got a little older, moved on to other drawings that I found online, which most of the time wasn’t a recognizable character.

Back then, I would show some people my art and tell them that I did it, which I did, but it gave them the idea that it was my original work. That made them even more amazed at my talent and that made me feel better. I was “copy writing” other people’s artwork without realizing it, which is illegal, and Soon someone noticed that one of my art pieces were familiar to them so they found the artwork I referenced and confronted me about it very angrily, thinking that I was taking another art work and claiming it as my own. This embarrassed me because I didn’t want everyone to think I was taking credit or for God’s sake, tracing a drawing, and I explained to everyone that I did use that photo but I drew it myself, and apologized to the friend that confronted me. The whole situation made me realize that I should have told my friends all along that I was referencing my photos and that they were not my own creations. Drawing someone else’s artwork, taking quotes or writing from another source, even taking photos online to use somewhere without citing or giving credit to the creator is illegal.

This could have gotten me in some real trouble if I continued my art career this way, for example I could have posted my art and the original artist could have confronted me or even sued me. It was my mistake that made me learn a lot and grow in my art, and now I only reference poses for example, or a complicated hand, flowing hair, or maybe even an exaggerant facial expression. The whole concept comes from my creativity and my brain and onto the paper to create beautiful artwork! Eventually I learned not to take ideas from others work and to create my own concepts, and have changed my self to be more safe when dealing with art.

Photo on Foter.com