Fan art
A crayon drawing stuffed in an envelope arrived at the office of Bryan Konietzko during the run of Avatar: The Last Airbender between 2005 and 2008. That simple piece of paper represented a specific type of fan labor that was not created, commissioned, nor endorsed by the creators of the work. Today, that same artist receives complex digital animations where characters blink and talk inside a GIF file. Fan art takes many forms beyond traditional paintings or drawings. Artists create conceptual works, sculptures, video art, and livestreams. Web banners, avatars, graphic designs, and posters also fall under this broad category. Photo collages and web-based animations allow fans to depict events from pre-existing characters in new contexts. These creations exist outside the official scope of the original work while still depicting its core elements.
The typical fanart received during the Avatar days appeared as a charming, childish crayon drawing. A producer named Bryan Konietzko recalled how times changed when he began working on Korra between 2012 and 2014. He would take a skewed screenshot with his phone and post it online. Shortly thereafter, someone un-skewed the image, cropped it, and separated the character levels. They cloned the background and applied a multilevel slide effect known as Ken Burns animation. The final result became an animated GIF showing characters blinking and talking. Broad availability of digital image processing tools greatly increased the scope of these creations. Text-to-image generators now expand the potential reach even further. Internet distribution allows these images to travel instantly across the globe compared to physical mail delivery.
A different meaning of the term exists within science fiction fandom where fan art traditionally describes original artwork rather than derivative pieces. Fan artists create works that appear in low- or non-paying publications such as semiprozines or fanzines. These pieces also show up in the art shows of science fiction conventions. The Hugo Award for Best Fan Artist has been given each year since 1967 to individuals who create such works. This traditional definition sometimes confuses people because it differs from the more recent usage describing derivative works based on existing media. The distinction lies in whether the piece is original creation by fans or a reinterpretation of established characters and settings. Some observers note that this older tradition remains active despite the dominance of modern derivative practices.
United States copyright law controls the right to reproduce and display pieces of artwork under section 106 of title 17 U.S.C. A fan using settings and characters from a previously created work could be considered a derivative work. Display and distribution of such fan art would be unlawful without permission from the owner of the original work. American copyright law allows production, display, and distribution if they fall under a fair use exemption found in section 107. Courts evaluate the amount and substantiality of the original appropriated material during these cases. They consider the transformative nature of the derivative work and whether it was done for educational or non-commercial use. Economic effects on the copyright holder's ability to exploit their own works also factor into the decision. None of these factors alone determines the outcome of a legal dispute regarding fan creations.
Fan art can serve as cultural commentary or criticism by presenting established characters in new situations. These contexts never appear within the official canon of the source material. Artists explore deeper meanings about their favorite media through these alternate narrative possibilities. Fan theories often emerge alongside these visual interpretations to challenge existing storylines. Rule 34 represents an idea that everything is represented in internet pornography which commonly takes the form of erotic fan art. This specific subset demonstrates how fans utilize creations to offer social critique or subvert expectations. The broad availability of digital tools allows these critical perspectives to reach wider audiences than ever before.
DeviantArt calls itself the world's largest online social community for artists and art enthusiasts. This platform hosts many fan artists and their artwork for public viewing. Newgrounds serves another major function by facilitating fan art sharing among users. FanArt.TV provides a website with many different types of fan art for TV shows and music artists. Game-Art-Hq.Com specializes in video game related fan art collections. These websites allow creators to bypass traditional gatekeepers and distribute work directly to global audiences. The Internet has enabled this shift from physical correspondence to instant digital distribution across multiple platforms simultaneously.
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Common questions
What is fan art and how does it differ from official work?
Fan art refers to artwork featuring aspects of a work of fiction created by a fan that was not created, commissioned, nor endorsed by the creators. These creations exist outside the official scope of the original work while still depicting its core elements.
When did Bryan Konietzko receive fan art during Avatar: The Last Airbender run?
A crayon drawing stuffed in an envelope arrived at the office of Bryan Konietzko during the run of Avatar: The Last Airbender between 2005 and 2008. That simple piece of paper represented a specific type of fan labor that was not created, commissioned, nor endorsed by the creators of the work.
How has digital technology changed the creation of fan art since 2012?
Broad availability of digital image processing tools greatly increased the scope of these creations starting when Bryan Konietzko began working on Korra between 2012 and 2014. Text-to-image generators now expand the potential reach even further compared to physical mail delivery.
Who receives the Hugo Award for Best Fan Artist each year since 1967?
The Hugo Award for Best Fan Artist has been given each year since 1967 to individuals who create such works within science fiction fandom. This traditional definition describes original artwork rather than derivative pieces found in semiprozines or fanzines.
Under which section of United States copyright law is fan art considered unlawful without permission?
United States copyright law controls the right to reproduce and display pieces of artwork under section 106 of title 17 U.S.C. A fan using settings and characters from a previously created work could be considered a derivative work requiring permission from the owner of the original work.