Here I am, getting ready to write another ... I wouldn't call it a rant seeing as how a rant is really just to vent off and I'm trying to make a point here. Whatever. We'll call it ... um... 'awesome' is what we will call it. Yes.

So. Content. What content? DeviantART's content. I'm warning this is going to be pretty hypocritical on my part when you read all of this, but bear with me. For some reason, I seem to watch the wrong people. Maybe I'm too lazy to delete them from my watch list. Surely there must of been a reason for me watching them in the first place, correct? Well yeah. It's that at some point and time, they showed promise as an artist. You know, they drew something original. It's stuff that doesn't come across as often as it really should on here considering the insane amount of members, but I digress. The point is that for some reason, a lot of artists found a special spot. A special click that caters to an audience. A rabid, annoying audience. One that gives glory and recognition to something that they think is the most amazing thing in the world. You know it's coming. I'm heading there, might as well get it out of the way. It's Kingdom Hearts II. I usually shouldn't say what I'm about to say, because having bought, played and enjoyed the game it's incredibly hypocritical on my part, but that game is nothing more than horrible fanservice to an audience that demands nothing more than a shallow plot and characters that share a relationship that is borderline inappropriate depiction of minors. Seriously.

I'll admit, I've drawn the fanart. Thing is, I grew out of it. You get to see what the game is for and what the characters become. You get past the "LOL this is cool" and reach the "Fuck these characters are hella soulless". But I don't want to bitch at the game. That's the job of videogame critics. I want to bitch about the disgusting following it has on here and deviantART's refusal to do anything about it. There are several artists (That I will refrain from naming. I'm not here to glorify or belittle. I'm here to make a point) that only post KH2 fanart and they get SWARMS of affection for it. Thousands upon thousands of favorites are given for something that very little thought or conception went into. Some artists bust their asses to make something incredible and they don't even get recognized for it. Again, not naming names or linking, but a sketch posted in the artist's scraps has 100+ favorites and there are much more deserving drawings that get little-to-no exposure. I know, it's part of the system. That's what happens when this many people get together. It dilutes the majority and makes a little portion stand out. I know I can't change it but the people who can don't to anything to do so either. It's disheartening on some level to see the same crap pushed out on and on and on and have the top dogs let it slide. Look at the front page at what's "popular" every now and then. Just wanted to make sure my theory would work. Doing so this instant revealed fanart. It has 969 favorites and it is chibi drawings. Come on people.

I know I make a very unconvincing argument because a lot of my work is fanart, but I know when to draw the line. At least, I think so. I don't milk the proverbial cow to get attention. The deviation I have that got the most views, favorites and comments is my Japan deviation with 200+ favorites and I still get favs regularly. I love everyone who cares to show their love because I love that dev too, but at the same time I'd wish they would so very much look at what else I'm doing and see I've tremendously improved over the years. My Dead Rising stamp has over 150 favorites and that took me literally 2 minutes to make. That makes me so horribly undeserving, but it's there and I leave it that because I <3 DR. I just wish people would not fav for love of the intellectual property and fav because of the effort the artist put into their work. It would make so many people more willing to contribute to the site. I've known more people than I can count on my fingers that have quit this site simply because the audience was too selfish and too indulged in more fan-focused art to care about their work. It's sad and it can only make for bad presentation. I know people need to let loose and draw what they want, but the people who show the affection shouldn't have to praise an artist because "they draw Link hot". Praise them for their talent, not because they like the same stuff as you. It makes you look shallow, it makes the artist look bad and it makes deviantART as a whole look tremendously unprofessional. There really are people who come to this site in search of artists to hire. Do you really think someone who visits your page and sees your featured dev is Sora and Riku having a picnic in skirts will want to contract you? Even if it's drawn well? No. They don't want someone who draws pre-pubescent boys in girls clothing. They want an artist they can count on to make art that's presentable.

And for that matter (I won't elaborate on this because it really pisses me off), quit it you retards. Stop. With. The. Fan fiction. There's a site for that. I'm not gonna link. Prose, poetry and writing can be an art form. Words can mix to create some of the most inspiring tales. dA is a place to share your stories and make someone feel like they've read something completely different and original. dA is not somewhere where you can post a 6-paragraph long text about two male anime characters kiss and fuck themselves in the butt because it's your fantasy. Not only is that distasteful and inappropriate, but it makes you look immature (Yes, this is coming from the guy who drew himself in bed with Mitsuru). It's great you love the series and it's characters, but L and Light want to kill each other. They would never kiss. Naruto and Sasuke are enemies. Axel and Roxas are friends and nothing more. Get over yourself and stop poisoning what is an exception means of conveying a story.

After all that, I think I've made my point. Perhaps I should sleep. It is a quarter to 5, after all. To sum it up, yes, fan art is delightful. It's a way to express your love for an intellectual property. Use it, don't abuse it. If you're going to draw something, don't make it a shameless attempt at realizing your fantasy. Make it tasteful. Make yourself and your art gallery look good. Your image is everything and if you want to attract people who will follow you for your skill and dedication, you can't go posting the most idiotic of fanservice. You'll only attract the 13-year olds who desperately want you to tell them where Mickey Mouse is hidden as a summon in Kingdom Hearts.

And with that, I'm out.

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