I didn't want to make this public and hoped to resolve it privately, but the situation has gone too far to stay silent.
Some time ago, I found an artist on Tumblr whose work felt suspiciously familiar. At first, I didn't pay much attention, but as I looked closer, I realized this was not a coincidence. This person is systematically copying my art.
What exactly do I mean by "copying"? Let me break it down.
1. Direct copying of ideas and compositions. In the first example, you can see my original work next to theirs. They are not just taking general inspiration, they are replicating my personal artistic choices and the specific design details of my characters - my signature as an author. This is not inspiration, it's tracing.
2. Copying color choices. As soon as I posted a colored drawing, this artist immediately did the same. It wasn't just a decision to use color, but the same moment and manner.
3. Compiling my ideas. In the third example, they took two different works of mine, combined their ideas into one, and presented it as their own. This is not simple plagiarism; it's a deliberate compilation. They even traced the glasses exactly as I had drawn them.
4. Imitating my style. The fourth screenshot shows how they copy my technique: the shape and number of hair strands, the circles on the knuckles, my unique shading style. If I draw my characters sitting on a desk, theirs are suddenly sitting on a desk too.
5. Near tracing. The fifth drawing is almost a direct trace. The tilt of the head and the composition are identical. Things like this don't happen by accident.
6. Stealing someone else's avatar. In the sixth example, the avatar this artist uses does not belong to them. They modified it with filters and, most importantly, erased the original artist's signature and the "commission, do not use" mark. This shows a pattern of behavior where taking others' work is the norm.
7. Copying personal techniques. Beyond poses, they are purposefully copying my unique artistic quirks: how I draw knuckles, hair strands, and my angles. They are even trying to imitate the style of my brush. This is intentional.
8. Forging my signature. Right after I introduced my own handwritten signature with a small @ symbol, this artist suddenly added a signature too. They copied my handwriting and the placement of the elements. That's too many coincidences to be random.
I personally reached out to this person asking them to stop copying my work and to try to find something of their own. My attempt at dialogue was ignored. After I blocked them, they blocked me back.
Moreover, when we spoke privately, this person told me that they felt they were developing in their own direction and mainly following their personal aesthetic preferences and what they considered visually appealing. However, looking at the evidence, it appears that this goes beyond simply sharing a similar aesthetic. Many of the similarities are direct references to my work, and that is not something I find acceptable. The pattern of similarities is too significant for me to dismiss as coincidence or merely having comparable tastes.
I am publishing this because I see no other way to protect my work. This is my favorite ship, and I pour my heart and time into it. I will not let someone just take and steal my ideas.
