Inappropriate usage...
For the moment, and for the sake of this post, let's put aside the all-too-real notion that fanwork of any description (fanfic, fanart, fan-whatever) toes, and sometimes even crosses the line of legality -- too big a can of worms... and while I look forward to studying intellectual property this year, I don't particularly want a precursor right now *L*
Instead, let's talk appropriate use of fanart.
I love fanart ^_^ I can't draw a stick-figure to save my life, but I can appreciate good fanart when I see it. I can also appreciate the time and effort it takes to produce said fanart. And while I'm not the the type to scream and rave about inappropriate use (i.e. use without permission and/or use without credit) of other people's fanart in one's own work (wallpapers, avatars, etc.), I do raise an eyebrow everytime I see it being done.
Let's go one step further though, with the use of a specific example --
Kishimoto Masashi's work in Naruto manga panels, and especially chapter title pages, practically scream to be fan-coloured. There's rarely any texture/shading on the line work, saving the potential colour-er the hours of cleaning that is necessary to produce a base suitable for colouring. A lot of these coloured pieces are absolutely gorgeous -- some far better than what even Kishimoto could do ^^;;; And signature on the pic is almost always written "Kishimoto & (insert colour-er name here)" *applauds* So while not strictly "fanart", the sheer effort is worthy of the credit in my books.
There is one particularly pretty, and exceptionally well-coloured piece of the chapter title page for Naruto chapter 211 -- a frontal face shot of Naruto. It is a piece that someone could easily mistake for official anime art... until they saw the credits at the bottom or realised that Naruto anime doesn't get coloured to this amount of detail.
To date, I've seen that pic (edited to remove the background and credits) used on packaging for multitudes of bootlegged merchandise -- at which point I snort and then walk away. After all, bootleggers don't even respect the rights of the original copyright holders. It'd be far too much to ask that they credit a fanartist for the work he/she (unknowingly) contributed to their marketing department.
Today, however, I saw that particular pic (again edited, with a different background and no credits) used as advertising on the website of a well-known Chinese satellite TV channel that is currently airing the chinese-dub of the Naruto anime.
o.O;;;
And that just about tops the list of inappropriate uses of fanart that I've ever seen or heard about.
Not to mention throwing the integrity of the entire TV channel into disrepute.
It's mind-boggling really.
I'd love to be able to hear their explanation about where they got the source image for that pic =P
With examples like this, it's a wonder that more fanartists don't pull their work from the public forum like some Japanese fanartists have...
Instead, let's talk appropriate use of fanart.
I love fanart ^_^ I can't draw a stick-figure to save my life, but I can appreciate good fanart when I see it. I can also appreciate the time and effort it takes to produce said fanart. And while I'm not the the type to scream and rave about inappropriate use (i.e. use without permission and/or use without credit) of other people's fanart in one's own work (wallpapers, avatars, etc.), I do raise an eyebrow everytime I see it being done.
Let's go one step further though, with the use of a specific example --
Kishimoto Masashi's work in Naruto manga panels, and especially chapter title pages, practically scream to be fan-coloured. There's rarely any texture/shading on the line work, saving the potential colour-er the hours of cleaning that is necessary to produce a base suitable for colouring. A lot of these coloured pieces are absolutely gorgeous -- some far better than what even Kishimoto could do ^^;;; And signature on the pic is almost always written "Kishimoto & (insert colour-er name here)" *applauds* So while not strictly "fanart", the sheer effort is worthy of the credit in my books.
There is one particularly pretty, and exceptionally well-coloured piece of the chapter title page for Naruto chapter 211 -- a frontal face shot of Naruto. It is a piece that someone could easily mistake for official anime art... until they saw the credits at the bottom or realised that Naruto anime doesn't get coloured to this amount of detail.
To date, I've seen that pic (edited to remove the background and credits) used on packaging for multitudes of bootlegged merchandise -- at which point I snort and then walk away. After all, bootleggers don't even respect the rights of the original copyright holders. It'd be far too much to ask that they credit a fanartist for the work he/she (unknowingly) contributed to their marketing department.
Today, however, I saw that particular pic (again edited, with a different background and no credits) used as advertising on the website of a well-known Chinese satellite TV channel that is currently airing the chinese-dub of the Naruto anime.
o.O;;;
And that just about tops the list of inappropriate uses of fanart that I've ever seen or heard about.
Not to mention throwing the integrity of the entire TV channel into disrepute.
It's mind-boggling really.
I'd love to be able to hear their explanation about where they got the source image for that pic =P
With examples like this, it's a wonder that more fanartists don't pull their work from the public forum like some Japanese fanartists have...