Imagine putting hours of effort into something. Imagine slaving over something because you want it done well. Imagine showing it to other people and getting praise or a reward out of it. And then imagine someone taking that product, the product you poured your blood, sweat, and tears into, and gaining even more of a reward out of it without having to even put in a little bit of effort into it.
That is essentially what art reposting is.
We live in an age of technology and social media where most things are shared on the internet, and artwork is no exception. Instagram, Tumblr, Twitter, deviantART, Pixiv--these are all especially popular websites for posting and finding artwork. With this trend, it’s much easier to gain traction by posting your artwork and commission information online. Unfortunately, with this comes the plague known as art reposting.
Art reposting is the act of taking someone else’s artwork and reuploading it on your own account, usually on a different platform but even on the same one. It isn’t always a bad thing, as many artists will consent to art reposting provided all due credit is given, but the problem lies in consent--many art reposters will simply repost without asking, and often without credit.
Many people will argue that since the original artist posted it on the internet, others have free reign to it, but aside from the fact that that simply isn’t true--some artists can and will take legal action against reposters--it’s also a gross overstepping of boundaries and a disgusting lack of regard for the original artist’s feelings and the work they put into what they’ve created.
The disrespect isn’t the only problem, either. Art reposting can and will hurt artists financially and may even interfere with future job opportunities. Content creators, artists included, rely extremely heavily on exposure and traffic to their sites. They can’t get commissions or interest in their work without people knowing who the artist is. Some artists have even lost job opportunities because of art reposting; when something is posted enough times without credit, there is no longer any way of confirming who the original artist is, and art portfolios require your own content.
The sad thing is, very few sites actually crack down heavily on art reposters, so it falls on the artists themselves or those who realize it’s wrong. Instagram, Pinterest, and Zerochan are huge offenders of reposting without credit, directing traffic away from the original posts. Do your part—whenever someone posts art without credit or permission, reverse google search it and link to the original artist and remind the reposter that reposting is wrong and harmful to artists.
To my fellow artists, always remember to sign your work. Labels with do not repost are extremely helpful. Make sure your artwork stays yours. It shouldn’t have to be a necessity but it is, and you should keep you and your work safe.
That is essentially what art reposting is.
We live in an age of technology and social media where most things are shared on the internet, and artwork is no exception. Instagram, Tumblr, Twitter, deviantART, Pixiv--these are all especially popular websites for posting and finding artwork. With this trend, it’s much easier to gain traction by posting your artwork and commission information online. Unfortunately, with this comes the plague known as art reposting.
Art reposting is the act of taking someone else’s artwork and reuploading it on your own account, usually on a different platform but even on the same one. It isn’t always a bad thing, as many artists will consent to art reposting provided all due credit is given, but the problem lies in consent--many art reposters will simply repost without asking, and often without credit.
Many people will argue that since the original artist posted it on the internet, others have free reign to it, but aside from the fact that that simply isn’t true--some artists can and will take legal action against reposters--it’s also a gross overstepping of boundaries and a disgusting lack of regard for the original artist’s feelings and the work they put into what they’ve created.
The disrespect isn’t the only problem, either. Art reposting can and will hurt artists financially and may even interfere with future job opportunities. Content creators, artists included, rely extremely heavily on exposure and traffic to their sites. They can’t get commissions or interest in their work without people knowing who the artist is. Some artists have even lost job opportunities because of art reposting; when something is posted enough times without credit, there is no longer any way of confirming who the original artist is, and art portfolios require your own content.
The sad thing is, very few sites actually crack down heavily on art reposters, so it falls on the artists themselves or those who realize it’s wrong. Instagram, Pinterest, and Zerochan are huge offenders of reposting without credit, directing traffic away from the original posts. Do your part—whenever someone posts art without credit or permission, reverse google search it and link to the original artist and remind the reposter that reposting is wrong and harmful to artists.
To my fellow artists, always remember to sign your work. Labels with do not repost are extremely helpful. Make sure your artwork stays yours. It shouldn’t have to be a necessity but it is, and you should keep you and your work safe.