/ic/ - Artwork/Critique

>>2676079
>The matter that should be discussed is not whether or not it is legal to draw and sell fan-art, but whether or not is is ethical to draw fan-art and sell fan-art

Drawing fan-art for free is ethical. Selling fan-art and merch using fan-art isn't. Basically, fan-art should always be FREE. If you want to monetize your shit, make something original. Otherwise, you're just making money off someone else's hard work like a leech. Who cares how well someone can draw? Drawing is a skill anyone can learn in 3 years. It takes that and MORE to make a successful IP. A lot more time, money, and hardwork was spent on giving that IP they are drawing and profiting from the popular reputation it has. The only time drawing and selling fan-art/fan-art merch would be ethical is if that artist is licensed to do it by the IP holders themselves. Otherwise, it should be free.

There is still the issue of artists who only draw fan-art of popular/trending stuff because they are attention whores but that's never going to stop. The most you can do is stop them from actually making real money off it.