Aside
from portraiture I quite enjoy drawing fanart. The opinions on fanart
out in the interwebs presents a multi-pronged rubric of expectation
and technicalities. There are plenty of creators who resent fan works
across the board, and sometimes even the most understanding artist
may encounter fan works that step over the line from homage to
competition.
I
don't have high-minded principles, or a fear of retribution by riding
on the coattails of existing fandom. Fan
works are an important part of our cultural landscape. I
just feel that artists who ONLY do fanart are missing out (ergo the
reason I'm trying to build my creativity). Talent does not equal
creativity in my opinion. Fanart is an excellent means of creating
something people can really relate
to because it's something they recognize. It sells well and gets you
recognition. I also enjoy drawing scenes from my favorite books and
movies as It's a unique way of living within that magical world for a
little longer. Fan
fiction and fan art are both enormous components of our popular
culture. It's a way we can retell our favorite stories just as humans
have always retold myths and legends. When
I see an artist who only
does fan-art I wonder if they are creating art simply for money,
popularity, or even just to hit trends. Either way, you should be
doing it because it makes you happy! Don't get me wrong, good
craftsmanship get me every time, but good craftsmanship mixed with
the creativity of original artwork is just plain bewitching in my
eyes.
A
sad fact is, sometimes original artwork doesn't sell well. Especially
when you're just starting out and don't have a fan base yet. Fanart
becomes a means of survival and and inevitability. Many artists get
commissions for fanart and it's a great means of supplementary
income. It's dicey for many reasons, sure. I think that it may be a
little too reductionist and judgmental to sum up all fan-artists as
poseurs. I often wonder if all the hating of fanart is just a means
of challenging someone's talent or integrity. I don't think doing
fanart is a unilateral pass to come down on people who create it.
Unfortunately, in the art world, there's a lot of inflated egos and
pompousness. I like fanart. It's sort of my reprieve from work and
life. Though it might not enhance creativity as much, it augments
skill and every artist wants that!
