I admit openly that I am not a particularly moral person. My conscious is flexible, my beliefs not all that strong. However, there is one thing that really gets to me, and that is art theft - and every time I openly state my beliefs on 'theft', in the dolling community especially, I seem to get shit for it. Half the responses seem to be 'but blue, who does it hurt? isn't this just about having fun?'

Short answer? No.

Long answer? Is very long, but I'll attempt to outline it.

In its very simplest way, art theft takes attention from original pieces. A person who takes another person's work and tries to pass it off as their own is directly hurting the original artist. This is pick pocketing the imagination; this is reaching into someone's heart and soul and stealing something they have poured themselves into. I've had it done, and you know what? It hurts. It's upsetting. It's not 'just fun'.

On top of this, the thief is now going to get attention for something that he/she didn't create. Attention switches onto him/her, instead of the singularly talented artist who fought to make the original work, the one that was stolen in part or in whole. The stolen pieces are pretty because the original was pretty; there is no effort in them except that which is expended to cover up the act of stealing.

Then, of course, the world finds out that the work is stolen. It gets taken down, the person gets in trouble, warned or banned or suspended or whatever else may be. But that's not the end of it -- because the world has seen this theft. The world now looks at dollers with a critical eye, always peering in and saying 'yes, but is it stolen?' Every doll gets associated with thefts. Dollers are notorious for their theft, so people who don't still get crap about it. That's not fair.

In another circumstance, let's look at tracing. This is another wide spread problem among dollers, who seem to think that all other art is created for them to take and use. A not-so-talented-doller will snag a piece of artwork, trace the clothing, and put it on a base -- or, even worse, trace the entire piece and call it a 'baseless doll'. Again, attention is taken away from dolls made 100% from scratch [or, at least, scratch except for the base]. Again, dollers are cast into the light as thieves.

And yes, traced bases are just as much of a problem, if not worse -- because they bring in even more problems. Why should anyone bother to create an original base when ones traced from anime images are so well-loved? If you can get loving attention for just snagging a screenshot and tracing it with the loose credit of 'inspired by some anime', why bother making something freesh and original? Every time someone traces a base, I view it as robbing the community of another original base.

I take it personally.

I will continue to take it personally.

I will continue to fight for doller rights, and to educate dollers about what is and is not allowed.

And on that note, here is a slightly-edited version of a sticky I wrote for EE that outlines some important info about art theft.

________________________________________ ___

Before going any further, there is one all-important phrase, and if you don't read anything else, remember this -- ask permission first. If you want to create a piece using resources by someone, or a piece inspired by them, or if you want to use some artwork of theirs to create your own, the simple rule is to ask first. It doesn't cost anything to write up a quick e-mail, or PM, or note, or send an IM, to see if they're alright with it. With permission and the proper credit, then there is never a problem.

Without permission, however, there are certain things that will get you in trouble, and certain things that -- while they're too complicated to enforce -- are strongly discouraged.

'FrankenDolling' defined

* Stealing Work -- hopefully this is pretty clear, but the idea is that it's not okay to take someone else's work and post it as if it were your own. This is why it's always important to provide credit to the original artist and the basemaker on any doll. Give credit where credit is due.

* Copy & Paste -- the classic definition of FD, which involves going into someone else's piece, copying their work, pasting it onto your own, and claiming credit. This is also extended to copying and resizing, copying and editing, or zooming in on someone's piece and recreating it exactly or nearly exactly, as well. If you like the way someone shades, the best way to learn how to do it yourself is to study their dolls, examine their work, and then close all your references and start on your own doll without looking at them. This includes dollmakers and Candybar.

* Tracing -- it is not okay to trace any drawing, painting, sketch or any other artwork without the original artist's permission and the credit that they desire. We define 'tracing' as going over the outlines exactly or nearly exactly [i.e. tracing a fully clothed image to make a base is not okay]. Taking a pose is allowed, so long as the bulk of the work is your own, and no tracing is involved. Always be sure to keep documentation of the artist's permission, as well.

* Forbidden Bases - certain bases were made without the original artist's consent, or are not intended for usage in creation of original dolls. These sites are not doll sites, and their blank bodies are not "bases" as the dolling community uses them. These artists are, for example, Candybar, Tokkida, Haduri and Misuya, as well as bases that are made from art by Rion Vernon.

'Artists's Rights'
These things are strongly discouraged they disrespect artists.

* Palette Theft -- if an artist requests that you do not use their palettes, then it's rude to take them and use them anyway! Of course you can use a palette if the doller allows it [such as blue has stated she does], but if you're not sure if someone's okay with it, once again it's best to ask first.

* Design Theft -- if you like an artist's design, whether they be doller, painter, drawer, whatever, it's great to be inspired by it. However, if you're going to copy their design exactly, it's respectful to ask them if they're okay with it.

* Tracing Photographs -- the only photographs that it's alright to trace are your own photographs, public domain photographs, or stock photographs; and if you're using a stock photograph, be sure to provide the proper credit.

* Tutorial Use -- most tutorials are meant for practice, and not for finished products. If you've copied a tutorial pixel for pixel, think before you post it anywhere, because all you've done is copy someone else's work. If you've followed it more loosely, or if you want to post your work anyway, it's polite to provide a proper link back to the tutorial's site.

Dealing with Art Theft

* Public Accusations -- public accusations are not okay in the dolling community. Under no circumstances should you post a reply to a piece of artwork, or post publicly, to point out a thief. We do not want any witch hunts.

* Your Own Art -- if it's your own art that's stolen, then start out by contacting the thief yourself and asking them politely to remove it. If you can handle this in private it makes everything go more smoothly. Just be polite and clear, phrase it as a request that they remove your art, instead of making it into an accusation. People are much more likely to listen to a careful explanation of what they've done wrong that an explosively angry PM. Also, some new dollers don't yet know the rules, so be gentle! If they do not respond, then it's time to contact someone in charge of the site -- on dA this'd be a gallery leader, if it's a website you contact their web host.

* Someone Else's Art -- if you can get in contact with the original artist, do that first. Let them deal with it if they can. If you can't reach them, then it's time to contact someone in charge.

* Contacting someone in charge -- write up an explanation of the theft [stolen work, copy & pasted, or traced] as well as including a link to the original piece that it has been stolen from, and allow it to be taken care of in private.