On Art Integrity and the Tracing Epidemic
Lately, I’ve been reflecting on the state of the art community and how we, as creators, sometimes lose sight of what really matters. Art isn’t just about the followers or the fame—at least, it shouldn’t be. But there’s this growing trend that’s becoming impossible to ignore: Tracing, stealing, and essentially leeching off the hard work of others.
This person (revheadarts on Deviantart and revhead_fanarts on Instagram) is out here tracing over original art just to make it look more “popular” and likeable.
Honestly, love, tracing isn’t art. You’re literally stealing someone else’s hard work and slapping your name on it to get likes. That’s not talent, that’s manipulation. 🙃
And don’t even get me started on how they’re only drawing ideas from free bases they find online. There’s absolutely no originality here. They can’t even be bothered to come up with something fresh or unique—it’s all just recycled rubbish! I find it funny they call themselves „scrap junkie“. Sooo relatable.
We’ve all been inspired by something or someone, but there’s a big difference between drawing inspiration and copying. Artists build on ideas, sure, but we also need to respect the originality of others and be mindful of copyrights and creative ownership. ✨
What’s worse? Their characters are literally blends of already existing canon characters. Like, we’re talking about direct rip-offs, people. This isn't "inspiration," this is straight-up copyright infringement. You can’t just mash up a bunch of well-known characters and call it your own. That’s not how art works.
This person’s all about the likes, the fame, and the attention—just look at their social media. It’s all about the numbers; no heart, no soul. If they don’t care enough to put in the effort to be original or even respect other creators, why should we support them?
If you need more proof to believe me, just check the difference in their style. The change happened so fast, my brain just sent out a ‘404 Error: Unable to Process’ message.
Not to mention how their "fame" changed overnight once they started tracing the original artwork:
Revhead_fanarts has been known for tracing ever since their existence and this community is not the only one he has been deceiving. This is just one example among many (traced art on the left and a movie scene on the right):
It’s unfair to real artists when tracing is seen as equally valid or praised because it undermines the dedication and time they pour into their craft. While Revhead can produce content in minutes by tracing (noticeable in how frequent they post, which is every day); true artists face hours of practice, learning, and refining their technique, often without the immediate recognition they deserve.
Tracing might create fast results, but it skips the growth process that shapes an artist's unique voice. It’s disheartening when the effort and skill required for original work are overshadowed by shortcuts that don’t reflect the real work that goes into creating art from scratch.
Final takeout: Let’s keep the art community a space where authenticity shines. Whether it’s coming up with your own character designs, experimenting with different techniques, or simply learning new things, there’s no shortcut to becoming a true creator. It’s all about passion and effort, not the quick thrill of chasing likes. 💪
