I've come over this subject a LOT since I came onto dA. If you copy or trace something, is it your art?

Jasmine says this. "Tracing isn't real art, but copying is because you're just using a reference!"

She copies pictures she prints off the internet ALL THE TIME, colors it, says she did it, and slaps a frame on it then throws it on the wall of our art classroom saying it's a work of art when really, all she did was do what someone else did. She's NOT improving at all because she's not doing anything herself. When I tell her to draw something by herself, all she can do is a bunch of Kanji and sharingan markings. (from naruto)

And I argue with her all the time about it. I don't think it's art unless you do it BY YOURSELF, yeah maybe a reference from a model or looking at someone else's picture for tips, but not copying the thing line by line and calling it art. It's a load of bullcrap.

What REALLY ticks me off is that my art teacher thinks she's amazing when she's just like a scanner, copying and printing. She gives her ALL THIS CREDIT when real artists like me take the time to come up with our own characters, our own poses, our own colors, our own shading... and we don't nearly get enough credit because omg, we're not as good because we didn't copy the most amazing picture evar!!! No, we came up with something ourselves like real artists!

I can understand if the artist gives you permission and you give them credit. But if you just copy or trace someone's picture and call it your own with NO consideration to the artist whatsoever... That's as bad as fucking taking the real thing and claiming it.

...rantover. >.>

Do tell me your opinions on this.