Stamp: What is Fanart?

Stamp template is from [link].

For my watchers, don't mind me, I'm blowing off steam at the usual noobs/ignorant people/etc...
Just ignore the rage if you want.
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[Edit] Spinoff stamp: Rules.
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I've wanted to make a stamp like this for a while, though I just got around to it now. Now I just need a sub so I can actually use it. *fails*
It irritates me greatly when I see people posting stuff like screenshots and other official artwork in the fanart section here.
Here's a lesson, people. Fanart=Something you draw yourself. Adding text or effects in Photoshop doesn't cut it, and it's even worse when people just take things off Google or something and post them here. Seeing other people posting stuff like that here doesn't make it okay to do. Saying "I don't own it lol" in the artist's comments does not make it okay to do. Hiding comments of people accusing you of infringing copyright does not make it okay to do. And yes, for the record, I've seen all of these.

Right now, this is happening a lot in my main fandom, which is D.N.Angel. I'm not too active in other fandoms, but I'm sure that larger anime fandoms like Bleach or Naruto or Hetalia get their share of this too.
The thing that really irritates me is when there are comments on those pictures like "Wow, that's really good!" or "That looks amazing!"

Of course it's amazing, IT'S OFFICIAL ART.

I'm not trying to say those commenters are to blame, since the one who posted it is the one at fault. However, when you love a series, isn't it natural know what official art is, or if you haven't seen the pic before, at least what style the original artist draws in?

Now, I know some people have the ability to imitate a given style to the point that it's difficult to tell if it's official or not. However, these individuals are not the norm. If you ever see something you're confused about, try asking another fan for their opinion on it. Or use this site.
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On the subject of edited official art:

My problem isn't with people who edit things in general, it's with people who break the rules of this site. I'm not saying that all people who create images based on official stuff can't put a lot of work into it. Actually, I've seen edited stuff that's amazing/beautiful/funny/etc... I'm not discouraging people from making these things. By all means, go ahead. Just, please, do not post it here.
Just about the only thing I can think of where this wouldn't bother me is for stamps or some other similar customization like that. But please, don't try to pass it off as fanart.
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So, what can I do to help prevent this?

Well, there are a few ways of going about this.

The first way is to hit the "Report Deviation" button. It is located to the right of any deviation, at the bottom of everything else. Fill out the area under "Permission Issues". The staff will then deal with the problem content.

You could also try contacting the deviant and telling them that some things that they have submitted are breaking the rules. Ask them to remove the images. Here are some good FAQs to bring up (which you can use by typing :faq[insertnumberhere]:)

FAQ #8: What are violations of the deviantART copyright policy?
FAQ #157: Can I use things created by other people in my submissions?
FAQ #306: Does "Crediting" let me use whatever I want?
FAQ #572: What does deviantART consider "Fan Art" to be?

Also, please remember to be polite when doing this. Not everyone who submits things like this knows that they are doing something wrong. It's also better to do this through notes, since things submitted on a user's page may be interpreted as a threat.


This little note is just for people who happen to be in the DNAngel fandom. I've been in this fandom for quite a few years, so I'm familiar with what is official art or not. If you ever see someone submitting official art and are confused as to which volume/artbook/episode it's from, feel free to contact me and I'll do my best to look it up.