I'm posting this from Tumblr to here too, since i have so many finnish followers here and DevianArt is a bit better place for discussion if there's need for that.

Today i learned that apparently i have the questionable honor of being an infamous fanart-hater, which i probably got last autumn from Tracon's fanart panel discussion i participated in. I'm really surprised, because although i did criticize and question some points in fanart, i've never judged it. Or hated. I said there that i generally appreciate more original art, which doesn't stop me from enjoying fanart too. If i sometimes feel that i would like to see some artists draw more original art (because i find their original ideas interesting), it's something i acknowledge being my opinion, not something i am demanding. Usually it's also something i don't say aloud unless asked, like if the artists are asking what the followers would like to see them draw more.

What troubled me more was the part of me being bitter. If i understood right, story goes that i'm bitter for not being popular because i don't draw fanart. Which bafflles me, because… wouldn't that be easy to correct? Just by drawing more fanart? Of course it would, if one believes that only fanart brings fame to you. I don't. It can be a shortcut, but fanart alone usually doesn't guarantee fame. I have said that some artists are well-known/popular for their fanart, which i dare anyone to deny, but i don't have the delusion it's solely because of fanart. Usually it also takes skill to be recognized, whether their subject is fanart or not. Although it may be easier to get more views for fanart than original art, that's not the main point here. One thing i especially criticized was fanart being used as… a tool? For making money. I've seen people post that they are going to this and that artist alley, and asking what's hot now, which cartoon/comic/anime/manga/tv-series is selling now. That i can't understand. For me, fanart is being passionate about something you enjoy and love, and that kind of cold calculation on how one can make profit of someone else's ideas/fame feels so wrong. However i do represent a more…uhm, strict end of the fanart spectrum. Personally i wouldn't sell for example printed copies of my original fanart, but selling that original would be okay. But i don't have a problem with other artists selling their printed fanart and i don't think my values and decisions are better than the person's next to me on artist alley.

I thought i expressed in that panel discussion that my point of view is kind of opposite of being bitter for not being popular because of not drawing fan art. I have a pretty realistic picture of my popularity and i'm okay with it. I'm proud of my work. I stated there that i'm proud that my owls are kind of famous, as they are something i created, my ideas. I'm not sure if i pondered aloud the eternal question, would i have more audience if would draw more fanart? But it's just a hypothetical question for me. I have made my choice to focus more on my own art/ideas and i have worked hard to get to the point where i am now, and i see no reason to be bitter. I have more reasons to be thankful and keep up my work, it's an honor to have so many followers who are genuinely interested in my original art.

I don't know if i really did give such a bad impression there or if my opinions hit some tender spot or if it's just a basic problem of world being black and white, that if i am not praising something you love or even worse, dare to question some of its points, then i must be againts it.

But yeah, i wanted to make my views clear, i wasn't aware that i have such a reputation. It's a shame if people really think i hate fanart (and at the same time their fanart), when i don't. I think the most important thing is that you enjoy your art, be it fanart or not.