Put Down the Pencil and Get a Life

Okay, I have been pushed beyond the point of no return. I will no longer remain calm and collected on this subject. The flow of crappy fan art really, really needs to stop. Now.

Some fan art is excellent. I have seen some very impressive sketches of various characters from games/anime/manga/movies etc., and when I see good art, I recognize it. But, when I see these horrible drawings that do nothing but degrade the focus of the image, I begin to get pissed beyond belief.

If you want to see what I mean, go to google image search and type in "fan art". I did as, research for this. Some of it's good. Some of it is fucking awesome. But I had to stop at page 5 because I was afraid that if I saw any more crappy drawings of Rikku, I would involuntarily put a fist through my monitor. Also, some of it was cosplay and you know how I feel about that.

Look, I understand that the people who make these shitty drawings (at least I hope these are freehand sketches because if someone out there is dumb enough to screw up a tracing that bad, the human race is in some deep shit) do it to try to show how much they love the subject, but please, spare us. Keep the drawings on your bedroom wall. Turned toward the wall. Don't put them on the internet because someone crueler than I will find them and send you very mean emails.

See, the problem with the crappy fan art people is that they are so infatuated with the game and their own supposed "talent," that they cannot recognize how bad these drawings really are. If they really liked the game, they would at least not share them. It's really disrespectful to the game and its creators to put that stuff out into cyberspace. I know they have a right. But I have a right to send them cruel, expletive-filled, hyper-critical email. I refrain from exercising that right. Can't they restrain from putting their crap into the rest of the world?

I myself went on a fan art kick the first time I saw Jurassic Park. This was before I read the book and realized that the movie was a slice of shit pie. I made these terrible drawings of Velociraptors and Tyrannosaurs. But I recognized even then that I am not an artist of creatures and people. I can draw landscapes and weapons fairly well, but ask me for a drawing of Seras Victoria and I'll just look at you and laugh until snot comes spraying out of my nose. Then I'll laugh at you a little more because, hey, who doesn't laugh at an idiot covered in snot?

So I guess what I'm trying to say is, think before you put your fan art online. Take the images to a friend who knows the source material, and ask for an honest opinion. If they say it's good, put it out. The rest of us might want to see it. If not, just put it somewhere where you can enjoy it yourself, isn't that what art is all about?

Of course, that's just my opinion. I could be wrong.