Update from previous post.

[m4ck3nzi3.livejournal.com]

Edit.
Thanks for just plain mocking me when I tried to ask a serious question on whether I was getting upset over nothing or not. -.- The same people helped me out in the previous post, why do you have to be rude now?

I gandered over to the website that this commissioner gave me, just to make sure she was not using my sketches or anything that someone else colored.

First, here is the link to the sketches I did for her.

http://vampiremackenzie.deviantart.com/art/Cheshire-Sketches-63645695

Here are the images I found on her photobucket, obviously the ones she had done for her.


Here's the other (crappier one)... http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b121/ToxicCupcake/DeviantKittiesLogo.jpg (Ow, that hurts my eyes."

Now for the sake of argument. I flipped my crouching kitty sketch.

Now.. am I just being paranoid. Or did they use the same pose.

Not only that, BUT, it seems that my basic 'cheshire' design was also taken. (See  http://vampiremackenzie.deviantart.com/art/Cheshire-16241487)  Of which the pose is also similar, and the face is quite similar too.

Or am I just being over-paranoid and biased.. -.-

Comments

[kimpers.livejournal.com]

I personally know the person who did the first drawing - http://darkrainfall.blogspot.com/ - And I know for a fact she wouldn't copy anything, so. However, that picture looks like a recolor on one of my friend's drawings.

[spiffystuff.livejournal.com]

Errr, I'm sorry, it sucks that she stiffed you, but her new image is, at best, "inspired by" yours. The legs and stuff are different. There's no law against using a style, etc, as long as it's not traced from or can be mistaken for a copywrited character. (and I'm rather glad of that, or there'd be no more art allowed ever)

Again, sucks she cancelled and didn't tell you, but that seems to be the extent of the problem.

[m4ck3nzi3.livejournal.com]

I'm just saying, it seems that my basic 'cheshire' design and pose was taken--maybe not the artist's fault, but the commissioner who said "Do this in this style and pose."

[sunhawk.livejournal.com]

I think it's hard to suggest that the pose is based on yours considering it's something of a normal crouching kitty pose. I don't think it's that similiar, maybe inspired by, but there are definite differences. Especially the head and arms, they look pretty different in terms of pose.

[rote-gefahr.livejournal.com]

Cat (c) Nature. That pose is (c) Cat.
OMFG art theft!

[immortalpanda.livejournal.com]

IAWTC

[jesspark.livejournal.com]

...Or did they use the same pose.

Oh, goodness gracious, no. Same commission description + crouching feline anatomy = somewhat similar poses... but I never would have considered one of those pieces actually copying the other pose-wise.

[m4ck3nzi3.livejournal.com]

Okay, but look at the style of the cats and tell me if they're similar :|

[space-mutt.livejournal.com]

Hate to say it, but I'm not really seeing it. The head's a different position, the front legs are angeled differently, the curvature of the spine is less exaggerated, and the positioning of the back legs are opposite of the first drawing. The shoulders aren't hunched, and the claws are splayed in one but not the other. The only major similarity I'm seeing here is the path that the tail takes.

[m4ck3nzi3.livejournal.com]

The pose may be a normal just crouching pose, but look at the style of the cats.

[thornwolf.livejournal.com]

They didn't copy it they probably just also liked the general idea of a crouching cat, but theres nothing similar about the images other than the fact you could call that pose a "crouch". :/

[m4ck3nzi3.livejournal.com]

The reason I'm upset is because (since the previous issue) the commissioner obviously (rephrase--Most likely) went to this other person and said "I want THIS type of cat in THIS pose". :( Mostly just feels like the design was taken.. not so much the pose..

[avanyu.livejournal.com]

Yes, you're being paranoid.

[brokenbrawler.livejournal.com]

It definitely doesn't look like a copy to me... and pretty, pretty please post your images under a cut.

[cassu-bean.livejournal.com]

Agreed. MY FRIENDS PAGE. D:

[cuprohastes.livejournal.com]

No, I think they just used a generic crouching cat pose.

[zoom-gas.livejournal.com]

MAN THATS EXACTLY LIKE YOURS
YOU SHOULD SUE!!!

[m4ck3nzi3.livejournal.com]

Yeah.. thanks. -.-

I enjoy being mocked for just asking if I'm being unreasonable or not.

[thaily.livejournal.com]

They did use a similar pose but not the same, so legally you can't pursue this.
Also, unless you've copyrighted and/or trademarked the design of the cats you can't pursue that legally either.

You'll have to write this off as a learning experience.

[emlan.livejournal.com]

If someone told me to draw a crouching cat it would look like these too.

[m4ck3nzi3.livejournal.com]

*sigh* OKAY, but look at the overall DESIGN of the cats. -.-

[niiku.livejournal.com]

I hate to sound harsh but....

One person doesn't own a pose. XP

Also, the cheshire cat is a very basic concept... a slightly evil-looking feline with stripes and an accentuated face of some sort. You can't own that. If anything, the person who wrote Alice in Wonderland owns that.

So yeah, I think you're being paranoid and biased. I'm sorry you got stiffed, but yeah. :P

[nambroth.livejournal.com]

The design and style of the two strike me as different enough that I wouldn't even draw a similarity, personally. :}

[haricotvert.livejournal.com]

the only similarities are the fact that they're both crouching. you can't copyright a pose. and the styles aren't that alike. you ARE being paranoid and unreasonable, to answer your question.

and you get your knickers in a bunch because a handful of viewers reacted in a way that you see is rude? sweets, you need a thicker skin than that to get anywhere in the art world. cheers.

[m4ck3nzi3.livejournal.com]

Mkay well thanks. I believe I am getting somewhere in the art world, and I'm not a whiny crybaby like so many people seem to think. But everyone's entitled to their opinion I guess.

[thrivis.livejournal.com]

They do have similarities, and it is possible your stiff commissioner took your drawing and told the other artist to do something like it, but the other artist is within the bounds of acceptable interpretation. Yeah, they're pretty similar, but there's enough of a difference that it's permissible... The commissioner wanted a certain thing, so it's not unlikely that you both would have a similar outcome, whether the second artist saw your work or not.

I don't blame you for suspecting though. I would have been paranoid, and probably asked for second opinions too. :O

[m4ck3nzi3.livejournal.com]

Yay first person that doesn't blame me for bieng paranoid. x.x

I see now that it's not much to get upset over, but I do believe the comissioner said "hey this is what I want in this style/pose" and the artist went with it. *shrugs* oh well.. I'm over it. It's just that posting here for opinions got me flamed. :|

[rahni.livejournal.com]

It's a generic cat crouching. And as far as the design goes, no, I don't think she copied you. In fact, there are many skinny, stripey, fluffy, long-eared cat characters out there that came before you/will come after you.

[wyngaed.livejournal.com]

In my opinion they are nothing alike. At all. Not in pose, not in style. And I'm not being rude, I'm not being a jerk mocking you or whatever. Just because I'm saying what you don't want to hear (I guess?) doesn't make me a bad person!

You're not giving your work enough credit if you think yours is even similar at all to that piece of crap. Yours is ten times better. You actually have a grasp on style and anatomy. The other person clearly doesn't.

I could go ask a handful of artists with varying abilities that have never seen your work to draw a crouching, lanky cheshire cat and I bet they'd all kind of look like the pictures you posted. So you are being a little paranoid. Give your art a bit more credit. The person that stiffed you is totally missing out.

[m4ck3nzi3.livejournal.com]

Well, thank you for the compliments.. I don't think the other person's image is THAT bad, but I appreciate the comment. :)

Btw your icon is simply awesome.

[growly.livejournal.com]

Jesus, sorry people are being rude to you. D:
It's not like you're accusing... you're doing the right thing by asking before jumping to conclusions or getting upset.

Anyways, my take on it is this. It looks like this character is kind of an edgy, mischevious evil cat. There's only so many devious looking poses for non-anthro felines, this is one of them.
I think you two both had the same basic idea, but I don't believe the similarites were a concious effort on the other artist's part, it's just you two interpreted the character similarly.

[tentaclejen.livejournal.com]

Because it seems to have been sufficiently agreed upon that the two pieces are not alike enough to warrant worry, I will address two other topics of interest found in your post.

Firstly, calling another artist's work (whether a completed work or a different version of that work) "crappy" or making "ow, my eyes" comments is incredibly rude, especially if you expect to be taken seriously as a professional. Whether the remarks are true or not is unimportant. Those kind of comments make you look very immature and no one wants to commission an immature artist.

Secondly, you are posting to an Internet community. Not everyone is going to be sensitive. You do not need to take everything so personally. Chill.

Do not misunderstand me, I have pointed out the aforementioned grievances to you in an effort to help you, not to attack you. Neither of these qualities are desired for a professional - think about it from a potential client's point of view.

[m4ck3nzi3.livejournal.com]

Uh.. ... Noted. This subject has been pound into the ground, if I may.

FIRSTLY, I called the other version "crappy/ow my eyes" becaues of how BRIGHT it is. Not because it sucks. Please re-read and take note of the context. I can also think of FAR far far ruder comments. If it makes me unprofessional to have an opinion and it makes me 'immature'... Then so be it.

Secondly, oh well? That's the way I am. Take it or leave it. :| Is it also unprofessional to be upset that pretty much everyone attacked me on this subject? I'm sorry. I guess 'professionals' are not supposed to have emotions. Or at least show them.

Sure, I'll think about it from a client's point of view.

Client: O HAY I want this arts plz!
Me. Okay, th at will be $$$. Please pay me when I show you a sketch you like.
Client: HOKAY!
Me: Here is a sketch, please let me know of any changes.
Client: Looks good! *pay*
Me: Finished, here yougo.
Client: YAY! THANK YOU!

Those are my clients. They are normal people, NOT business people. They are young adults usually, or people my age. People who are more like friends than professionals. I DO deal with professionals. I KNOW how to be professional, and it irks me to NO END that people keep saying that I don't know how to be professional, or deal in business. I don't think I have to explain myself there, it's my personal business, why do people feel the need to insult me becuase "I'm not professional on the internets". I do not have a website, I do not have a professional site, I USE DEVIANTART. How professional is that?? It's NOT. >.<

/rant. Sorry.

[neolucky.livejournal.com]

It's paranoia *Shrug*. Seriously, beyond a typical "Omg cat is crouching" image, I see no similarities.

[kierstal.livejournal.com]

At best, the one image is only loosely based on the other. Lets point out the differences.

HEAD:
- Upper image is facing directly towards the viewer, while the lower image is facing off to the side.
- Upper image has ears flattened, and the ears themselves are shorter than those in the lower image while the tufts are elognated.
- Upper image has large, poofy cheek tufts, lower image does not.
- Upper image's head is down and menacing-looking, while the lower image's head is up and wary-looking.

FORELEGS:
- Left paw is facing directly towards the viewer in the upper image, while in the lower one it's facing 'forward' respective to the animal.
- In the upper image, the right paw is slightly bent downwards, while in the lower image the paw is pretty much extended straight out.

TORSO:
- The spine in the upper image is not nearly as bent and broken-looking as the one in the lower image. The curve is much more dramatic in the lower one.

HIND LEGS:
- Both hind legs in the upper image are MUCH further down in the 'crouched' position, while the one in the lower image has it's legs outstretched and extended backwards.


And as far as the "overall design of the cat"... well, both cats are stripey. Like about half the other cats that have ever been drawn. You can't call color into it because there's no way to tell what color the animal 'should' be from just a sketch - and from the 'cheshire' link you posted, the colors are not alike *whatsoever* and well, there's about a million cheshire cat designs out there, so you can't go claiming copycat on a concept that's been done to death.

So yes. You're just being paranoid. There are probably thousands of pictures out there that bear just as much of a resemblance to your picture as this one. The two poses in this picture are nowhere near the same, and I'm actually pretty impressed that you managed to see enough resemblance to bother posting about it.

[m4ck3nzi3.livejournal.com]

The thread is long over. I got it, thanks.