Hi guys,
It's been almost a year since I last updated but I like to straighten some things out.
I'm sure many of you have heard about the Ghost Rider incident how Marvel/Disney is suing Gary Friedrich for damages done by selling copyrighted property through commissions at conventions. Although this isn't what made me start thinking about it, it is becoming obvious that copyright enforcement is getting stronger by the day. I mean it always has been but maybe because of SOPA influence, I feel like it's getting faster. We always knew torrenting pirated materials and watching free online streamed anime were illegal but still do anyways... hosting sites are mostly shutting down recently after what.....10+ years of activity? Well, I decided to stop selling fanart commissions.
This goes for fanart commissions I sell at conventions. It's not that I'm scared of it (Hell I'm not even popular enough to get noticed that way), I just felt why continue. Of course like many people, I started out with no skills and would draw anything for money to slowly support myself. Even though I knew there were moral questions about fanart commissions, I'd brushed it off like: Other people are doing it, technically I'm re-drawing it, and I need money. But now, I don't necessarily need fanart commissions to make money off of. It's a bit different now that I don't rely my income on commissions like these. Even if I kept drawing them, I'll only be putting more work with extra few dollars that doesn't make a significant difference.
However, it's a bit different with fanart prints. I draw these fanarts because I draw these for myself most of the time. I'll keep selling these under the convention rules unless it so happens they change it. Anime conventions are already enforcing new rules such as the 50/50 rules with fanarts and originals. I don't really mind it actually (okay, sometimes staffs can be anal about it...) but otherwise it seems reasonable. I guess the difference is slight, but there. If I sell fanart prints at conventions, the problem would be most likely forwarded to the con chair, not really individual artists. If it's commissions, that comes straight to me without mercy. Right now conventions make a pretty decent business but I don't plan on going to these conventions for the rest of my life if you know what I mean. It's already been like 7 years.
I think it's more fun to draw other people's original characters. I like people's creativity and drawing them is so much more fun than fanarts of characters I have no idea about except for the person's fandom. I don't really care if other people are selling fanart commissions, I also just prefer original characters. Let me know what you think.
Although it's closed right now, I made a commission tumblr where I'll be dumping commissions I drew from now on ;D. Please feel free to follow and check on the status quite often.
[link]Oh and also! I'll be attending MangaNEXT next week sharing a booth with

in the dealer's room so check that out! I have no idea where it is though lol.