So, this is something I've been wanting to make a poll on for a while, actually, since it's usually a point of contention among people I know, so I wanted a wider response, maybe!

So, it's a pretty common thing to see characters that are based off of "canon" or "established" characters, honestly especially in anthro and CS spaces, but in others as well! These are often referred to as "expy"s (short for exported characters, which is to say a character from one thing that is very obviously based off of another character, even with differences involved.) Similar are 'kinsona's, of course, which are pretty much where someone takes a character they kin and spins the design to resemble themself (to use as a sona, etc, etc.)

NOW, technically characters like that aren't really allowed on TH, at least, at certain degrees of clear inspiration or basing, but nonetheless they're pretty common.

THAT BEING SAID. I personally have no problem with characters like that. I myself have plenty of characters with clear inspirations, some more obvious than others, and I know people with characters that are much the same (that I adore!!). Now, even if it's not so major as some characters are in their inspirations, it doesn't really matter!! I think if someone wants to make a character or a sona that's just a character they really love but a little different, or, hell, blatantly so, then idk!!! Who cares if it isn't 'creative'!! I think if someone has fun, then it's alright!! god knows i've considered doing the same before!!

NOW, that is to say, it's FINE as long as they:

A.) Don't claim that their idea was wholly original. like, i'd say at least state your character inspiration clearly and give credit where credit is due.
B.) DON'T take their inspiration from non established characters!! that is to say, other people's OCs. now, it can be a difficult threshold sometimes, especially in an era of flourishing independent creativity, BUT. i should hope that proper discretion could be applied to the right characters. because, of course, anyone would hate to see their own OCs copied, especially so heavily, in some cases. (AND, OF COURSE, you should always ASK any smaller artist or CHECK if they've said they're alright being used as inspo before you do anything insane...)

ANYHOW. What do you all think?
(I'm not really looking to argue or debate, I just wanna hear your perspectives!)

Just as the title says.

Artists, how do you deal with artistic envy? Be it self comparison, yearning for recognition or a different art style... How do you deal with it?

It's something I struggle with fairly often, creative envy, but I wanna know how YOU guys deal with it.

OUGH. Well! It has been an ENTIRE YEAR since I originally made THIS BITCH.

(and, even though it was like a day later, their idea came about at the same time , so. ALSO ONE YEAR SINCE GEEKY MADE MY SPECIAL LITTLE MAN)

(see above. i said this on january 3rd last year :sob:)

BUT.

UGH THEY BOTH MEAN A LOT TO ME. Well, Lance the most since he's MY oc, but still. I'd be lying if I said they had not both become my favorite OCs, even IF one of them is not mine. It doesn't matter he's basically my OC in law.

BUT ANYWAYS. Sometime between then and the day I'd actually made Lance, I'd kinda fallen into some deep pit of absolute creative hell? I was NOT hopeful about creating at all, and so, for a bit there, a lot of what I did instead WAS make adopts and just. Whatever designs I wasn't using myself. I just was NOT in it.
But y'know how it is. I guess somewhere along the line I started instead working down my list of ideas I'd been meaning to make BEFORE, and...

(words said moments before my life was absolutely changed forever.)

WELL. I made Lance! It's kinda crazy how I was almost IMMEDIATELY pulled out of any bad moods or kinda funk. For the first time in weeks I just!! I was excited again!!!! I HAD A GUY TO THINK ABOUT!!!!!! IN FACT, I EVEN HAD TWO GUYS TO THINK ABOUT. Although, at that point I'd completely underestimated the total amount of guys I'd have to think about. NOT THE POINT.

I think it's really amazing just how much I've come to utterly adore these two. I guess I maybe never considered the idea that something you made yourself could be a hyperfixation, or anything of the sort, but I certainly am wrong. I really have just thought about them pretty much every day for the past year. AND IT SHOWS! I've spent ridiculous amounts of hours and dollars on pictures of them too. I think most importantly though, is the fact there there are now FIVE different... pairs of them? Three different AUs, the OGs, and then the two losers that died to make them. (Admittedly I might have bias towards the guys that died to make them. Who have ALSO existed for one year! By name, at least.)

Honestly, I find it hard to believe they were ever even 'just friends'. Because now they're gay married and they have been since July. so really it just seems natural

Anyways, I guess my point is that those two are very special to me, and they remind me of my own growth, as a creator, artist, AND even interpersonally. Cause I guess more than anything I'm happy that having these two around let me get even closer to my dearest and beloved collaborator, Toyhouse user GEEKY, or, my friend, Wade!
<3 (I hope we can get even closer this year too! C'MERE)

BASICALLY. happy one year of these fucking clowns. if someone drew them i would explode