What's the big deal about tracing?

5 min read

Deviation Actions

Nyanfood's avatar
By
Published:
1.5K Views



Just, you know, asking in the most literal sense of the question. Why do people care so much about their art being traced? I understand at the root value, but I have no empathy for those offended by the act.

I get that an artist put the effort into a picture to create it from scratch.
I get that a person who traces without giving credit or sells the traces is stealing.
I get that people just don't feel comfortable about their ideas being taken from them.

I don't get why entire communities HAVE TO get pulled into the mess sometimes. Tracing isn't like stealing someone's patented idea. It's more like... working with a similar idea off of a model. In the end, the original should be the stronger one.

My rationale:


- If I'm being traced, it's a compliment. Someone found my art worth their time to trace, probably because they like it enough that they want to draw something just like it.

- If my art is traced, it's usually safe to say that the original is the better one. If it is, then why gripe over it? After all, it's not like they're stealing attention from the original.

- If it isn't, then clearly the original isn't good enough. It's not worth protecting because even a tracer can make it look better than you can. Go practice more and do better so you can call your art your own.

- When you know for sure that people traced something, telling people to take down a piece of art is a bit harsh. They might feel attacked if they don't know tracing is wrong, and are more likely to refuse. Telling them, "thank you for thinking highly of what my work, but because you referenced it, would you please credit me with a link? I'd really appreciate it." That sounds reasonable and they're more willing to comply.

- If you're going to be well-known as an artist , you should expect to be traced. People will look up to you and some of those people will use tracing to learn. However, they won't always know that tracing without crediting is wrong. Kindly educate them with a small disclaimer in your description. The best way to prevent people from stealing your hard work is to give your hard work to them as an option.

- It shouldn't be DA's job to take down traced artwork. This is a gray area since DA is filled with people who are learning and tracing is part of their curriculum. Putting a foot down on this gray area jeopardizes DA's reputation for those people. It's not fair to DA that they'd have to put themselves at risk for a GRAY DISCUSSION ZONE. DA is prompt about removing stolen/reposted art for a reason. Stealing is not a gray discussion zone, as defined by the community. But tracing is gray and much of DA trace. To marginalize those who learn by tracing or to force a single philosophy onto the community would be unfair.


Please note:


Naturally, many of you will disagree with me. I know and I understand that we have a difference that cannot be reconciled.

Therefore, rather than telling me why you believe tracing is wrong, please comment on what we can do to make the case of tracing better for both tracers and tracees.

I already know that we disagree so there's no need to elaborate further or try to explain to my why. It's more efficient and beneficial to come up with compromises in order to remain progressive in the light of this issue.





Follow Me


© 2014 - 2024 Nyanfood
Comments89
Join the community to add your comment. Already a deviant? Log In
LiliumFloris's avatar
I think people who trace should do it purely for learning purposes. I had a stage where I copied like a crazy person (never traced though) and it taught me how shapes work and how the body moves. I think tracers should put their tracings in sketch-dump kinda formats, and make sure they put in caps all the credits and original artists so no one thinks they are trying to steal. As long as they make sure everyone is aware it was for learning, then everyone should be able to take a step back and leave them alone. 

On the other hand, it's an artist's job to put in their description whether they will let people trace or not and say it clearly. That way if someone does trace then it can be counted as stealing and then they can have it taken down. 

But I don't know it's just my opinion ^_^