So my art is apparently at worst racist and at best colorist ? (LONG RANT)

[Kelheor]

This is actually so stupid, that I'm glad everyone already gave you the answers. It is absolutely normal that he is tanned in more rural environment, because vacation, grandmom's village, seaside, fishing, etc. is actually where most people get a tan. Not in a city, wearing jeans, hoodies and probably a sunscreen!
Also if you really feel bad that you draw your character in chic clothing only without tan, just draw some pictures of him being fashionable and having a tan... or vice versa

[ble]

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[zammap]

I can kindaaaa see what they mean with the connections of tan=rural farmer, which is class issue among asians BUT he clearly has a tshirt tan line. Someone who works and isn't a city boy would be evenly tanned. It is by no means blackface tho, and not actually a racial issue, just an asian class issue.

[CallMeMattheww]

Perhaps you should give your friend a crash course on suntanning because they clearly are under the impression that the sun is racist when it is in fact, not racist.

LMAO the sun is racist

[ar-ninetysix]

There's people that actually get tans like that in the real world, are they racist for just existing that way with the skin they can't do anything about once they stay out in the sun for too long??? I guess light-skinned people can't get tanned anymore, it's an attack on a race, whoops

So here is where the issue lies, he claimed that when I draw Jayden with light skin I'm portraying him as fashionable, cute and chic but when I drew him with dark skin I portray him as rural and simple

Now I can see where my friends coming from but at the same time I feel like he's ignoring the context behind the first picture,

This is all the context he needs, that should've been enough to kill the accusation, but that's not good enough apparently. Tell you what, I think rejecting the context of that art to fit a narrative that makes someone say that their friend is racist is just awful. It's just art, man. A series of colors and lines.. A guy fishing out in the summer when he's not prepared for the sun is gonna get a tan or sunburned. Apart from that, like.. what, do they expect him to be wearing the latest chic trends as he's fishing?? He'd ruin his clothes, ya big dumb, simple clothing's the way to go

I'm sorry you gotta put up with that, dude, just keep up what you're doing

[spicy_sweets]

....?? He just has a tan, and may like to fish. It doesn't seem colorist/racist at all, the hell

[Rhonder]

So here is where the issue lies, he claimed that when I draw Jayden with light skin I'm portraying him as fashionable, cute and chic but when I drew him with dark skin I portray him as rural and simple

So like most of the important things have already been said, but just to add on to this like... you get tans when you spend time out doors. Maybe you just don't draw this char outdoors too much but your friend seemed to just ignore the context and was trying to push some agenda on you xD sure Fishing is "simple and rural" but he could have gotten the same type of tan playing beach volley ball or anything. that's just how sun + skin works

[SleepingPoppy]

Draw a cute fashion chic picture of your OC post tanning, problem solved~

If you always drew the tan version of your OC in strictly "rural and simple" ways, and always drew the pale version as fashionable cute and chic, that would be a troubling trend. One picture does not make a trend, though.

Sorry you're dealing with this with a friend. I imagine it's really uncomfortable, and I hope you two get to a better understanding. =(

[Nachi]

Wow, that is just ridiculous Sorry, I can't really say anymore about it...

Also in Japan I believe it is fashionable to have skin as white as possible (ever saw a gaisha make-up)? So people are also avoiding sun as I think the tan in the past basically showed everyone that you were poor and had to work outside. Or something along those lines. So even if you portrayed your Asian character as fashionable with white skin, I would say it is perfectly fine.

[Freemints30]

Wow that sun must be pretty racist to give these poor folks such an um......_interesting _ tan. Really its just a tan Fair skin people in real life naturally tan or just burn like one of my friends(Sun is also the worlds biggest bully, to keep doing that shit to them)

[blackwolfdog77]

Your friend has no idea on what he's talking about. I'm Asian and I'm not offended. XD I actually like your art tbh.

Since you said that your OC is Asian he has to assume that the character is Asian. Therefore it's not racist. Besides, it's usually white people who get offended at this kind of stuff. Asian people wouldn't even care less.

Time to show your comic to people who actually know what they're talking about.

[baasinsimple]

I mean, you simply drew him fishing honestly, man. Fishing takes all fucking day usually sitting out in the sun. Your friend sounds like the ignorant one here. I like the art keep it up. Also Asians on average, tan very quickly and very well.

[indagold]

I don't know how to put this but your friend is clearly an extremist and its not worth getting advice from them. Don't try to rationalize black and white thinking, it's unhealthy mentally and is gonna just make you paranoid and stressed. Believe me I went through that phase before, I was depressed because I drew a dream catcher once... it's not worth the stress and anxiety.

[silverraven0]

I'm Asian and I f*cking tan like that so wtf.

(maybe they never seen Asian people's tan and being ignorant so they're the racist one. :3)

[TAMAnnoying]

Everyone has already said everything that needs to be said about this so imma just point out a very important thing off subject: Dats a really good picture of a fish :v

[AllynCrowe]

How dare you, that fish is appropriation of mermaid culture! That's scaleface! You scalist! /s

[Jenna_A]

Holy crap! People need to chill and stop overreacting at every little thing.

[Cavechan]

Did anyone else lose some hope for humanity after reading this?

[BobbyjoeX]

i most certainly did (woulda just put yes but...)

[QueenofBabyLoon]

Can I be honest with you? This is not an insult to your friend or me looking down on the efforts society makes to respect the social differences, the lower economic opportunities, the different hardships of less privileged ethnicities, "races" (from a purely genetic point of view, humans don't have "races", we ain't dogs), but our desire to be welcoming, to be just and not to slip into racism (which are all laudable and important and should be upheld) has made it difficult for us to walk that blurry line between sensitivity and bigotry.

Your friend is ignorant. Ignorant about the process of tanning? Ignorant about the concept of racism? Or maybe a tidbit jealous as well, knowing that your art truly is superior (very impressive) and wanting to maybe pinch you a bit? You know your friend better.

I am just a little bit annoyed by this concept of the depiction of a tanning character being in any way racist. My family is from the South of Europe. My mother is blond and blue-eyed. Every summer, she gets a good 2-3 shades darker than what you depicted with your character Jayden. So according to your friend my mother blackfaces every summer? I think I am getting a little offended myself, here.