Black Magician Girl

Lately, I’ve been reflecting on the state of the art community and how we, as creators, sometimes lose sight of what really matters. Art isn’t just about the followers or the fame—at least, it shouldn’t be. But there’s this growing trend that’s becoming impossible to ignore: Tracing, stealing, and essentially leeching off the hard work of others.

This person (revheadarts on Deviantart and revhead_fanarts on Instagram) is out here tracing over original art just to make it look more “popular” and likeable.

Honestly, love, tracing isn’t art. You’re literally stealing someone else’s hard work and slapping your name on it to get likes. That’s not talent, that’s manipulation. 🙃

And don’t even get me started on how they’re only drawing ideas from free bases they find online. There’s absolutely no originality here. They can’t even be bothered to come up with something fresh or unique—it’s all just recycled rubbish! I find it funny they call themselves „scrap junkie“. Sooo relatable.

We’ve all been inspired by something or someone, but there’s a big difference between drawing inspiration and copying. Artists build on ideas, sure, but we also need to respect the originality of others and be mindful of copyrights and creative ownership. ✨

What’s worse? Their characters are literally blends of already existing canon characters. Like, we’re talking about direct rip-offs, people. This isn't "inspiration," this is straight-up copyright infringement. You can’t just mash up a bunch of well-known characters and call it your own. That’s not how art works.

This person’s all about the likes, the fame, and the attention—just look at their social media. It’s all about the numbers; no heart, no soul. If they don’t care enough to put in the effort to be original or even respect other creators, why should we support them?

If you need more proof to believe me, just check the difference in their style. The change happened so fast, my brain just sent out a ‘404 Error: Unable to Process’ message.

Not to mention how their "fame" changed overnight once they started tracing the original artwork:

Revhead_fanarts has been known for tracing ever since their existence and this community is not the only one he has been deceiving. This is just one example among many (traced art on the left and a movie scene on the right):

It’s unfair to real artists when tracing is seen as equally valid or praised because it undermines the dedication and time they pour into their craft. While Revhead can produce content in minutes by tracing (noticeable in how frequent they post, which is every day); true artists face hours of practice, learning, and refining their technique, often without the immediate recognition they deserve.

Tracing might create fast results, but it skips the growth process that shapes an artist's unique voice. It’s disheartening when the effort and skill required for original work are overshadowed by shortcuts that don’t reflect the real work that goes into creating art from scratch.

In the world of online art communities, art trades are a popular and often enjoyable way for creators to collaborate and support one another. Unfortunately, not all individuals involved in these exchanges have good intentions. There are scam artists who exploit these opportunities, taking advantage of trusting artists and leaving them with nothing in return.

One such scam artist on Instagram (jessikominty / x.miss_yuki) (deleted _strawberrycakexalso) and Deviantart (xjessikominty) has recently come to light for their deceptive behaviour. They keep asking for art trades but never delivering their part, using excuses such as other commissions or being stuck with sketches only. Many people have been deceived this way (inluding bellatrixetaoyama and kiasimo) both from Deviantart! Not only that but the said "artist" has been caught tracing poses and canon characters to appear more skilled and appealing to the other fellow Yugioh community members. When confronted, they often delete or deactivate their accounts, making it difficult to track their actions.

These individuals prey on the goodwill of others, collecting free artwork without ever fulfilling their promises. Their methods are subtle, but with time, their pattern becomes obvious. They take advantage of the trust built within the art community, undermining the integrity of creative spaces.

As artists, it's important to stay vigilant when considering art trades. Here are some warning signs to be mindful of:

Accounts that are frequently deleted or deactivated.

Constantly offering trades but never delivering on their end.

Art that appears to be low effort or clearly traced.

Art style that changes drastically from piece to piece.

A lack of communication once the trade is agreed upon.

If you encounter a scam artist, speak out, warn others, and report their activity to the platform administrators. By supporting one another and raising awareness, we can help protect the integrity of the art community and ensure that creativity thrives in a safe and honest environment.