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Is creating fan art a pathway in your evolution as an artist? [link]

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=MeLikesManga Jan 8, 2013 Hobbyist Traditional Artist

I don't like the idea of myself creating unoriginal fan art but as I am still a beginner artist and cannot rely on my imagination for drawings, I use fan art to practice my drawing skills. I found it rude how someone in the comments said "if you're 8yrs old.". I disagree with him. Fan art is for everyone... although personally I just use it to practice.

~fearofanemptyBOX Dec 22, 2012 Student Traditional Artist

i once had a conversation with a friend of mine about when you consider something an art. after we talked for a wile we came to the conclusion that true art forms are expression the process of making ones thought or feelings known. the problem with this is it doesn't explain why something such as a portrait is considered art, it may be possible that art has already lost its true meaning. if art is not expression than it becomes hard to pin point that exactly art is. a game can be art despite the fact it has no meaning embedded into it no views or values its only purpose but to entertain. so then is an art maybe something that just looks good or sounds good but this cant be true because my breakfast was made by me and it looks good in my eyes. and also art is subjective so what looks good to one person will not always be the case for another. the other possibility is if art is defined by creation. we draw or paint we can compose or even write to make art maybe this is what makes art. but in this case only specific creative methods make art but those methods are used to create things that are not art. if the act or writing is used to create literature and we say that creating something by writing makes literature an art than why is a diary or an essay or an news paper not art. art has already lost true meaning what was originally The conveying of opinions publicly without interference by the government (freedom of expression) is now applied to almost everything. so if art is expression is drawing your favorite character from a movie or tv series art? the answer is no it is not so if you are doing fan art what you are creating is not art and therefor you are not an artist it may increase you skills with a medium like painting, sketching etc. but it dose not make you an artist. however if drawing things from your Favorited movies and stuff increases your skills it will make you a better artist when you finally decide to make art. so is it a pathway on the way to becoming an artist, yes it is but only if you get around to actually expressing yourself.

~SketchDraik Dec 4, 2012 Student General Artist

Well, yes, and no at the same time. While fan-art does have its perks (in a matter of fact, the first drawings i've had were fanarts of Garfield when i was really little), it is good to delve into your own imagination and find your own style. Fan art can inspire your own style and that (i believe) is fine, as long as you don't try too hard to completely copy their style. But all in all, i do believe it does help you involve as an artist, because when i look back, i don't think i would be drawing without those first fanarts (terrible and unoriginal as they were) of mine.

~the-ketchup-kommando Nov 27, 2012 Hobbyist General Artist

It's practice, and practice makes perfect. Granted it shouldn't be your only means to practice, but it's practice just like drawing from life or photographs or taking classes. Of course, you should do original work, to flex your creativity. But fan art is a fun way to practice and develop.

~KeThuzE Oct 19, 2012 Student General Artist

Alright... Its taken me awhile to think about this question over and over and I've finally come to an answer.

In a way... Fan-art IS a pathway to improve as an artist, not only in bettering my creativity, but also preparing me for the workplace. I'm not very religious, but the Lord has been giving me visual ideas (through Spirit) I should sketch/draw out. Right now He's giving me creative ideas from one of my favorite cartoons: MLP:FiM and from one of my favorite games: Pokemon. Ideas how to draw these characters differently from the artists that have originally created them... something no one has seen/done before. I've seen that from a lot of artists here on dA, and they're all very inspiring! Of course, I've created my own OCs that I am happily proud of and keep evolving as the years pass. Its fascinating! So this is what I believe. I'm being built to becoming what I want to be in life... a Cartoonist!

*supernaturalwolfgirl Oct 18, 2012 Hobbyist

Kingdom Hearts fanart was the first time I drew a human and was semi-happy with it.

~neko-neko-nyan Oct 12, 2012

I beleve that fan art helps inprove the way you draw and helps give motivation, but no one should abuse it too too much

~AoiShiina Oct 12, 2012 Hobbyist Digital Artist

No.
Fan art destroys your sense of originality and practice into thinking of design if done so on a regular basis.
It may provide practice, but it wouldn't make any difference if you could draw something yourself.
The artists who made the art you wish to draw take their inspiration from everyday objects, observing them closely, and drawing them with detail and heart.
That's what makes art truly great.

~neko-neko-nyan Oct 12, 2012

Well i Find originality in many fan arts, and more creativity. Like if its fanart for a book, your showing how you interperate that book, while you may see one of the characters as an evil know it all some one else might see them as a lost soul

You have to look deeper into fanart to truely know what it is

~AoiShiina Oct 12, 2012 Hobbyist Digital Artist

Well it would be making an entirely different character with another person's design to do so.
The person who tries to change the interpretation of the character would be making a completely different character as opposed to what the artist was originally trying to give to viewers. I believe that people would usually find Inspiration to draw a character of their own- which would possibly be better if developed- rather than drawing the piece again on a different canvas with a different pose.

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