Art is for everyone.

Thats why we make it, cause we want others to see/hear/whatever- medium-is-appropriate and enjoy it.

I detest artists who are so miserly about their work that they refuse to let anyone do anything with it.

KEEP the stuff to yourself if thats the case, make the art, in whatever form, and never let it leave your room, otherwise its up for grabs.

EXCEPTIONS:

I'm not saying its fine to steal. I am talking in a purely artistic way. Its obviously wrong (not to mention illegal) to make money off of someone else's work. This is not cool, and every artist is entitled to their opinion on how or even IF their art will be used for monetary purposes.

Also, when someone doesn't SITE the original artist. This isn't cool. It defeats the whole purpose of an artistic community. And I don't mean to say that someone should or even needs to ASK an artist to use their work, just site. No one NEEDS permission. Again as long as money isn't involved, someone stumbling upon a piece of art and then feeling inspired to 'change' it in some way and make their 'version' IS NOT WRONG. That is art. Who draws the line between what is an 'artistic influence' and what is 'stealing from someone I saw do this' ? Every artist mimics some style already out there and tweaks it to make it theirs, or simply combines several styles. Who are we to confine the artistic spirit simply because of our selfishness.

I say, as long as no one is making money illegally off something that isn't theirs and they make sure to site the original creator: there is absolutely no other parameters that need to be fulfilled before modifying and freely using artwork from other artists, in whatever form, whenever, where-ever, however.

The End.



(p.s. This started as a comment post to a user I watch, and no, I didn't know the whole story of what happened to her in the realm of supposed 'art theft' but it made me want to put up my philosophy on art so here it is. Regardless of the details of her personal situation, if the situation doesn't, or she personally doesn't, or anyone reading doesn't, agree with the basic structure I've set up here, I'm afraid I drastically disagree with you, and I can't understand why you would make art in the first place.)