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Fan art

arts Maturity 7-9 Next article →

Fan art is a special kind of art made by fans. These artists create pieces about things they love. They might draw a character from a book or a movie. They may also show events from a famous story. This art is often called fan labor. This means the original creators did not ask for it. They did not pay for it or endorse it either.

Fans use many different ways to make their art. Some people use traditional paints or pencils for drawings. Other artists use computers to make digital art. You might see sculptures or even video art. Some fans make web banners or small avatars. They can even make posters or photo collages.

There is a long history for this kind of work. In science fiction, fan art has a very old meaning. It refers to original art made by fans of fantasy stories. This art often appeared in small magazines called fanzines. These were not high-paying jobs for the artists. Since 1967, the Hugo Award has honored great fan artists.

The way fans make art has changed a lot. A producer named Bryan Konietzko noticed this change. In 2005, fans sent simple crayon drawings in envelopes. Now, fans use phones and computers to do amazing things. They can take a screenshot and turn it into a GIF. A GIF is a short moving image. They can even make characters look like they are talking.

There are also laws about fan art in America. The law says the first creator owns the original work. Fan art can be a derivative work. This means it is based on something else. Sometimes, fans use a rule called fair use. This rule lets people show art for education. It also looks at if the art is for money. Some fan art is also a parody. A parody is a way to make fun of something.

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