These are some points I've been wanting to make CLEAR:

1.-USING REFERENCE: Using reference for poses (from pictures that don't belong to you) and such is NO big deal, everyone doesn't at some point BUT, respect is a valuable and rare thing. If you give other people's work you like respect, that means you won't rip it, sell it or redo it without their consent or without crediting. If it's bwtween your posibilities to ask the person if you can use a character or image for something, DO IT. People respond mostly nice and sincere so don't chicken out and ask!

2.-NO NEED TO POST YOUR WORK: No need to post your work anywhere, use it as a personal practice. learn to not seek attention in other people you don't even know. Focus on your own work and try to improve for yourself

3.-CREDIT: If you post it because you constructed something new with a reference, then CREDIT. It won't take long and you won't harm anyone and have the feeling you might get caught at some point.

4.-COINCIDENCES: There are coincidences, YES. Have a trained eye to differenciate them. Circustances like dates are a BIG factor to have in mind, the first posting has an 80% chance to be the first one making the original picture, but of course, there's a 20% left

5.-MAKE YOUR OWN REFERENCE WORK: It's better to make your own reference work out of a 3d model you made, taking pictures of a relative or friend, or even pictures of yourself, Also buying articulated figures can help you a lot to develope an anatomy that has sense.

6.-STYLE: everyone has a style that relates other one famous, tht's called influence, tracing IS NOT having influence. You can study someone's style you like but from that, develope your own. So you can get recognized for working in your own style. Doing pictures with other people's style and crediting is something respectful to do.

7.-DENIAL: after getting caught most people get on denial and it gets more and more pathetic and make other people piss. Admit it and you'll even get praised. (it's kind f stupid but people suck socks when they see people regreting with things like that)

8.-SENDING "STRIKERS": Art thefts, copucats, tracers smudgers and ARGHtists in general will do this: Send their collegues and friends, that do the same as them; to defend them

9.-WORK PREASURES: In many places people get forced even to steal other people's work in order to save time, money and when they get the taste of it, for recognition (taken from the original artist of course). Work places do that because workers STARTED doing this and showing their bosses how they can work fast and all. most bosses and people in charge have really little idea bout the art worl and what's right and not so they might not even ralize what they're applauding. People that do this are in lack of hability and it's the people that mostly call themselves "graphic designers" (this DOESN'T MEAN that graphic designers are all thieves so don't whine!!)
Personal experience on this: I'd collegues at MTW studios here in Uruguay stealing disney animations, vector stuff on the net and using downloaded packages of 3d for work, along with googling pics and using them. as you can imagine I worked there like 2 months and left for good. It was REPULSIVE!

10.-HAVE A SELF CRITICISM: Be smart enough to realize when you're improving and when you're not, and when you're not, try to change that, don't sink in the hideous sobbing feeling, please!


That's all I've to say for now.
You can have your own opinion on this, but don't come to me saying "you liar!" and shit and then I go to yor gallery and it's full of traced uncredited work, PLEASE!.
Hate comments will get hidden.

Thanks if you'd the patience to read it all