Is it okay to "fix" someone's art? (+poll)

[Inspector_Spinda]

If it is professional art that is being sold for sure. There are even Instagram challenges that involve redrawing art. If a non professional asks for criticism redraw their art may be helpful to them

[Kelheor]

I see this as that you proclaim yourself to be the better artist than the artist of original art. ...are you though?
And even if you are, even if they screw up, you don't know under what circumstances this art was made. Just make your own art, if you think you can help the artist, ask them personally.
If someone would write me "hey, I fixed your comic", I would be furious. Thanks for nothing, you have no idea what went into this panel, and yeah, maybe the ambience could be different, or I screw up the anatomy, you think I don't know that?

[martinadenatale]

There is an artist on instagram who randomly asks his follower to sent they artwork so he can fix them. He does not redraw the entire artwork but only makes some adjustments that gives the artwork a better quality.
Fixing someone artwork without permission is probably rude but, if there is no bad intention in doing it, I think it could be really interesting. There is nothing bad in being an immature artist who needs to work more on his skills and there's also nothing bad in admitting that someone do draw better than you. Having a really good artist or simply more skilled that makes you understand your mistakes is really helpful. This is a gift, a lesson that you not pay for

[sushy00]

I would not be OK with it if someone would just randomly fix my drawings if I didn't ask for it actually.

[Iris-Grimoire]

Only if permission was obtained first. If you're privately discussing the art with your friends, whatever, but coming up in public on the art's comments with your "fix" both imply you're trying to ride on the artist's trending status with some nice outrage clicks(especially when it comes to outfits/anachronism or ref accuracy), or that you're being extremely pretentious by saying you'd do better than the artist. It doesn't mean it's true, but being the internet, we have no context and usually no answers.

[Kann]

Asking for permission first is okay.

Fixing it without permission and shoving it in the artists face is not okay. What are they trying to prove? That they are better artist or what? And maybe I could understand the need to fix proportions or posture or technical stuff like that, but why would someone go and try fixing other's person design without their permission? I'd be mad if that happened to me.

[Cavechan]

If someone is going this, I would be very curious as to WHY they are doing it. I would have to question is it actually for the sake of the artist? Or an ego trip? Or hopping on someone else's popularity?

Believe it or not, most artists are not perfect even as we strive to be perfect. I can't count the number of times I have drawn something, reworked it, thought it looked okay and then posted it only to realize there was something completely off about it and then going back and fixing it would be frankly more time and effort than it's worth.

I have seen this happen a lot with a popular artist I follow. Absolutely amazing artist, but sometimes the proportions are off and if they are off even a little bit, the mob will go crazy in the comments about it (sometimes it's not even something that is actually even off. Like a finger was obscured by something the character was holding and everyone was like "She's missing a finger!!" when she wasn't). The person is a professional artist and I'm sure has a booked schedule and likely doesn't have time to fix these things. They have to create new stuff to make a living. Not to say that people can't point these things out, but I have seen some really vicious comments. Like people saying they are betraying their fans and being lazy by not going back and fixing things.

Luckily I haven't seen it to the point where people are "fixing" it, but then again I haven't heard of this before and I haven't looked for it... considering the popularity of the person, I really wouldn't be surprised if there are even several out there.

Come on, people, we're artists, we're not machines. We work hard and have imperfections and we get frustrated and depressed when we notice them, especially if it's done so in such a crude manner.

[NickRowler]

It depends...

If it is just some random person posting their art on Twitter and you come along to fix it, don't do that. Especially if you are doing so because you think they are not good enough. It is a bit of a slap in the face and can be very insulting.

If someone post on a forum that they need help fixing their art, then it is OK. In this case, they are reaching out for help.

If the art is from a large publication (like a wonky book cover), I think you can redraw it. In this case, there is no way for your art will replace the original, it has already been published. You are more or less just creating fanart.

[LadyN]

Honestly, don’t say “fixing” it. Just say you redrew another piece of art you saw and credit the original artist. Saves a lot of drama.

[AmysGames]

As a lot of other people have said, the only time it would be okay is if you have explicit permission to, like in a critique setting. Otherwise, it's pretty rude.

Redrawing or adding to a professionally produced piece, though, I would say is generally okay? Though I would still say it's pretty arrogant to claim you're "fixing" it.

[TAMAnnoying]

It always depends for me, context is everything.

If your doing it to simply be salty cause you don’t like the artist- even if I agree with your “fix” it’s gonna put a bad taste in my mouth. A lot of people do “fixes” to snipe at people’s hobbies or art styles, some people “fix” things like people’s skin colors to be more or less darker and it’s just really petty. I’ve also seen people “fix” women’s breast and other features in an artwork cause it dosn’t fit their ideas “feminism” even tho the entire point of feminism is to love yourself no matter what Your body type is. I’ve seen this happen from everything to flat chests to giant boobalus and it just feels like everyone in the world HAS to be born with B cups to make these people happy.

I disagree a lot with this kind of art “fix” I also feel like if your gonna do it- don’t act like a victim for being called out- your not helping anyone your being salty. Also if the artist asks you to remove it because you’re not properly siting their original piece or spreading your “fixed” piece around more then their own. Maybe do what they say and take it down.

Now the “fixes” I do like are not really what I’d call fixes but I understand the #fix movement that has come out of Twitter in order to get as much clout as possible being a starving artist- I get it- just like I get clickbait- don’t like it, but I get it. In truth these are redesigns or proper red line fixes where you actually take the Design of the character and actually try to make it better or see if it’s possible to improve. I think this is good cause your now making your own artwork rather then drawing all over someone else’s in order to “fix” it, it’s also good for your own personal development because you are taking an existing broad idea of a character and trying to redesign them as you would personally. Overall I think it’s a fun exercise so long as your doing it for your own personal development and not doing it cause your super salty about a successful artist.

I also really appreciate red lines, tho I rarely see them, prob cause most people- at least people with some manners, Tend to only do it if the artist has asked for advice- or- they already know the artist well enough that they would appreciate the corrections, ie being a friend or irl friend. Redlines can be helpful tho more for young developing artist then professional ones. Tho I’ve seen a few times professional artist try new poses they’ve never tired before and they usually appreciate the help.

So yeah that’s my thought prossess of “it’s ok” with my detailed asterisk

[IdiotWithPencil]

if you do it for fun then sure go nut, but if you do it to call out the original artist or touting you did it better
then sorry you are a deuce

I mean you can "fix" and art piece (usually composition and anatomy errors are what I mean by Fix, or perspective which let's be frank is something most artist get wrong) but if you show off like you did it better or berate the og artist cause they aren't as good then you may please go to hell

[Luminosophy]

I voted no but I shoulda put 'it depends', lol. Honestly there's two contexts where I don't mind it. First is obvious, if someone is just asking for way to improve their work sometimes the best way is to show rather than just tell. Secondly, I don't mind if someone's edited something to be fun and exploring an idea. Like: "Hey what if Sailor Moon, but Edo period Japan".
In that case just link to the artist's original work and be respectful. I know most artists will just re-draw their own thing but it doesn't largely bother me if it's someone who isn't confident in their ability to draw and just wants to make some edits to make something transformative out of it - which does fall under copyright law.

But when we're talking about the subject of "is it ok to 'fix' someone's art" more than likely it's touching on the people who are claiming they've "fixed" a professional's artwork for a game character and the only modifications they really made was a hack job at covering bits of exposed skin because they were offended over the designers using sex appeal. And I cringe every time. You're allowed to not like a design because you think it's "too much", or whatever. But there's a reason those guys were hired, and it's because they understand basic principals of good design regardless of whatever theme they're designing for. I'd sooner rather look at a boob'd up heroine in colourful streamline spandex than Hobo Baggins who's got so many layers and random conflicting shape language tacked on that I can't even really distinguish who they're meant to be. I also would caution some of those youngsters about the potential ramifications of insulting working professionals if it's an industry they're hoping to break in to.

[33rdCenturyCaveman]

So me am still doing unauthorized edit of popular webseries. Yes, it asshole thing to do. Can't say that me don't have selfish or trollish reasons for doing this. On the other hand, me can take moral stand on this too. Story have literary significance, and it terrible shame that it not more popular. It also terrible shame that author not more popular and financially-secure.

[Hodge]

I just don't like the word "fix". Like even if I'm giving critique, I wouldn't use that word.

However, I think the word is effective if you want to work up outrage on twitter, and idk maybe if a fanbase is genuinely upset by how a character or title was treated its understandable. But even then I don't think it's fair to direct it at who they think the character designer was, for reasons others already went over.

[jmhenry]

I saw this quite a lot on twitter, where people would "fix" character designs or pieces of art they didn't like, and I gotta put a big, bold NO on this one. There's a difference between redlining a piece(with permission) that has some flaws that the artist needed help working out, and an artist smugly claiming they're better by taking another person's work and "fixing" it by drawing over the parts they found objectionable. It really does cross the line into being a smug jerk when people do that.

TL;DR: Sometimes we run into art on the internet we don't like, and if you can't leave a polite critique, don't leave anything. "Courtesy is King", even in the wild west known as the internet

[33rdCenturyCaveman]

You am framing art as solitary activity with no social function though.

[Darth_Biomech]

do all "fixes" carry on a message "hey, I made your picture better!", though? There are a lot of edits in the vein of "I liked all of this picture except for a particular element", what about those? They don't feel like an attempt to feel superior at the expense of the other.

I mean, I myself had done it. I wanted to put a picture of my favorite artist on my bedroom wall in the new apartment. I enlarged it horizontally and painted out the cars since they were ending up in a really inconvenient place on the wall.

I admit I didn't ask for permission (I mean, I tried, but didn't get even a "No!" reaction... I don't think my plea was even noticed, considering how popular Stalenhag is), but I don't think it matters that much, considering that it would be basically for extremely personal use and probably a total of four people maximum are ever going to see it, including me.

[jmhenry]

Oh that is absolutely fine, especially since it's in the privacy of your own home and for very valid reason, and you liked the artwork as it was before then.

I'm talking less about critiques and personal edits and more of a "roast this other artist for clout" attitude that crops up in places like twitter, where artwork they don't like isn't allowed to exist, therefore draw over the parts you don't like and show off the "fixes"

[IdiotWithPencil]

I saw this quite a lot on twitter, where people would "fix" character designs or pieces of art they didn't like, and I gotta put a big, bold NO on this one

It reminds me of those articles that took Disney princess and made them more "Realistic". A big NO from me on that one =/