_{I'm going to put this into Fun > gossip until I find some more fitting category; +suggest a better one?}

First off; this is how I feel about the whole thing and you [the reader] shouldn't feel attacked if you think otherwise of the following matter, as this is my point of view only.

Technically, I've spend a lot of thoughts for a while whether inspiration and influence really is such a bad thing or not.

Around 2-3 years ago I used to think that artists shouldn't try to mimic someone else's way of drawing or coloring too deeply, and admittingly, I actually went around here on deviantART telling people off for drawing too closely to someone else's art.

I eventually stopped though because I felt ridicolous sometimes, but still felt that artists should "keep their hands off other's styles and concepts"

My point of view has changed quite a lot since then, and I want to encourage people to think differently about it, too.

I've seen a lot of people still going around and mentioning that someone's art looks like someone else's, despite the fact it might only be a coincidence sometimes.
And usually these comments do read ill willed, rather than a bare statement anyway (and so I heard that artist's generally do not like being compared even if the resemblance might be there).

And honestly, so what?

As long as it's not a trace or a recoloration or a complete clone of an excisting picture, whatever, what's the problem with Artist A's art resembling like Artist B's art?

I know, a lot value originality and while I agree that it can be bothersome for the artists who "invented" the style they're using when someone else is mimicing the way they draw, I still don't think anymore that this is a reason to get mad at them - or even worse - start any drama with them or make them feel miserable for doing so.

[Yes; it has happened to me before, on both ends, so I know what I am talking about]

Art is such a vivid thing. It's liquid. It's changing, constantly, over the time.
I think you'll agree with me when I tell you that you don't draw anymore like you used to a year ago. Or two, four, eight years ago.

Your art makes progress, you pick up inspiration, from everywhere. Daily things, other artists, magazines, television, music, etc etc.

There is so much which goes into your art, sometimes without you being aware of it.

So while Artist A's art might look like Artist B's art right now, it might change sooner or later.
Maybe in 2 years they draw completely different, because they've been trying out something new? Or because Artist A's art has changed so dramatically and they didn't feel like following Artist B's footsteps anymore?

And really, is it so bad that someone is so fascinated by your art that they get so influenced by it that they start to mimic the way you draw? If you push all the annoyance aside, can't you figure that it's at least a little flattering?

_{[If this is happening to you right now, reach out to the artist mimicing you, give them new things to try. If you have the time, get friendly with them and I'm telling you, you might gain a super awesome new friendship!]}

Haven't you come a long way yourself, maybe from when you first used to color in Disney books? And trace or eyeball from The Lion King?
[just to give an example]

Think about it. Where were you now if you wouldn't have been allowed to take influence and inspiration fromt the things around you, and from other artists, too.


I'd really like to quote something my art teacher told me today;

"You can't really copy someone's art. Technically you might be able to, but you will always interpret and draw things differently than the artist you got the influence from. This is why even though two artists draw similiar, they'll never be drawing the same."

_{- A. Rether}

All I really would like to say is:
let each other influence each other.
It can be a great gain, and the other one can learn from it like you can learn from someone else.


Art isn't stagnant, it's vivid, afterall!