In response to the article: [link]

While I agree with tracing being allowed as a training tool, I do not think that it should be put up as a complete artwork. Merely tracing an image, or part of an image and calling it fanart is rediculous. This change in policy for DA is taking 'fair use' in copyright way beyond what I am comfortable with.

As it stands, someone could trace part of my art, change a small bit of it, or the hue or something, and put it as their own art in their own gallery. What if my art was already fanart of something, painstakingly drawn by hand over many hours, then the tracer's image would be seen as fanart of that original fanart, not fanart of MY work, not traced at all.

While I understand that the rules were likely set to help those learning to draw, I think that considering art theft is clearly on the rise, not only by people and companies outside DA but also in DA itself, this change can really only herald a fresh influx of art theft, no matter if the artist puts comments saying 'no copying or tracing' on their art, people will feel the right to copy it anyway because it seems to be backed up by DA policy. *sigh* Not everyone is as 'trusted' as DA would like to believe.

Thankfully my art is not that well known, and so relatively safe from thieves, but I don't want it to become a problem. I used to feel my art was safer on DA, and it was a great place to help encourage my skill and such. I felt that DA policy helped safeguard my work online through its careful use of copyright, but now I am vastly unsure.

Even if the reason behind the changes is to encourage the tools for learning, I think it is putting the safety of artist's work at more risk in an already dangerous situation where copyright of artists work is not being upheld properly.

After serious consideration, I have decided to withdraw most of my art from my gallery, and use my account as more of a place to appreciate other's art, and communicate with other artists.

Not everyone will understand the full intent or meaning behind the fair usage, or of the change in policy, and perhaps I am one of them. But I understand copyright, and I am not comfortable with how DA is allowing my art to be used. In a time when artists are becoming more worried
about their copyright, I don't think this was the right way for DA to go with their policies.

While its legal, its legal because those in the DA community have agreed to abide by the terms and conditions of the site.

Any changes in the terms and conditions that we all agree to by using apply to us, including any changes to how our images can be used under copyright. We agree to changes in the copyright we have on our images so that the site can show off our images in the layouts, in the favourites etc, however it also means that the fundamental copyright we all own has been changes, and if DA then changes the policy, or clarify their policy to include the allowance that anyone can trace our image etc as stated in the news article, then any of our artwork is subject to that, because our fundamental copyright has been changed by our using the terms and conditions.

I am not debating whether or not tracing can be an art form, merely stating that while DA has lawyers and such, that doesn't necissarilly mean that we, the users of DA, are getting the best deal here. It affects us all.