While I believe it's unethical to copy someone's character to that degree, ideas are not protected by copyright and thus not illegal like you told him. If he wasn't explicitly copying a picture drawn of your character with his you probably wouldn't even consider them the same if you saw say http://www.furaffinity.net/full/9996088/ this image floating around. I know you know he was inspired by your because of the trace but my advice would be to let it go. The markings/colors/piercings are different enough from yours so that as long as he stops using the traced image there shouldn't be any confusion between the two.
You should definitely contact the artists who he traced from and let them handle getting take down notices wherever the art is posted. Provide them with any gallery links you can.
no subject
Date: 2013-04-01 04:31 am (UTC)You should definitely contact the artists who he traced from and let them handle getting take down notices wherever the art is posted. Provide them with any gallery links you can.
Edited for a little clarification