There are two sections

Section A : to the people who are here to learn

Section B : to the absolute clowns who think they can defend themselves

Section A

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Hi, I'm Milo, and I'm going to explain to you this little tricky thing called "resources".

What is a resource? :  a source of supply, support, or aid, especially one that can be readily drawn upon when needed. In graphic design, it is simply the things you need in order to make your graphics, like a png of a snake.

You're probably wondering, what can be classified as a resource, and what can't be ? Where do I draw the line in my resource hunt? How do I know Captain Milo won't fucking come for my ass if I use this resource?

I have the answers beauties. First of all, and there are no and ifs buts or wells, do not use someone's art as a resource. It is not a resource, it will never be a resource, and you can't make it into a resource :)

As an artist, I find it so disheartening how LITTLE graphic designers actually value art and the art community in general. If you valued art you wouldn't be pasting text over it, you wouldn't be changing the colour gradient or "adding things" then claiming you did graphic design. It's honestly just a big "screw you" to the artist that took hours, even DAYS trying to create something by editing over it like it belongs to you.

That fanart? It belongs to someone. That aesthetic art? Someone drew that. That cute icon? It's not yours to edit. Please listen to me, I'm not saying this to discourage you as a graphic designer, I'm saying this because this is a problem that has been rampant in the art community for as long as I remember (art theft, reposts, etc).

Now on to my next rant and this is photography.

Stop using Pinterest to find photographs. Some of these photographs are protected by copyright, meaning they're not meant to be edited over.

The thing with Pinterest is that anyone can find a photo from the internet and post it in their board, therefore putting it in the stream of endless photos for you to see. Just because you see it posted there doesn't mean the artist or photographer was informed or gave consent to have it posted.

There's a difference between a stock image and photography art. For example (and this is an arbitrary one), a picture of a dude smiling will most likely be stock, whereas an artistic photograph of a model with idk, a fish, is photography art and it's not for use. Photography is also a form of art and should be respected as such.

Good places to find free images :

Pexels
Unsplash
Pixelbay
Freepik.com
Deviantart (search background stock)

And if you have an anime book, here are ways you can make the cover :

1. Typography

Y'all are giving Typography dust i swear. Half of professional books are all about that Typography life and you should hop on that bandwagon too.

2. Pictures from the anime itself

Since the anime art is drawn by a company and not by an individual or a little group, everyone will know where the artwork is from. The company has money, recognition, and most are perfectly fine with edits. So screenshotting a pic from the anime, using a manga panel, or finding a render that is from the anime itself will not get you in trouble.

3. Vectors.

Just vectorize the pic from the anime and bon appetit.

4. Object based covers

Slap a good sharingan on that shit.

5. Draw it yourself

Draw it yourself. (Maybe then you'll appreciate the amount of work that goes into fanart 🙃)

SECTION B

Now this is for all the hoes that wanna argue with me

1. "It's normal in graphic design"

You are not a graphic designer.

You. Are. Not. A. Graphic. Designer.

What you have done is THEFT. Slapping a couple of pngs or text on an artwork does NOT and i repeat NOT make you a graphic designer. Every single professional graphic designer can attest to what I am saying–because absolutely no professional graphic designer would actually pick art off the internet, edit it a little, and dare say that they've done graphic design!

The graphic design market's already saturated enough, if you can't make a design without thieving then don't make a design,  you won't be missed 💖

2. If it's on the internet then it's free for use

So since your "graphic" is on the internet, doesn't that mean it's free for use too? 🗿 i mean i can just take that shit clean out the watermark and claim it as mine right?

NO! NO I CAN'T DO THAT AND THE SAME LEVEL OF FUCKING RESPECT SHOULD BE GIVEN TO ARTISTS.

3. I edited over it so it's my graphic

No you dumbass it's art theft.

4. "Everyone on wattpad does it"

Doesn't make it right, wagon hopper.

5. "But it's a render."

How do you know the render isn't stolen? Anyone, and I mean ANYONE, can screenshot art on Instagram and renderize it on any app. Just how legit do you think your renders are? Did it ever occur to you that those renders might have been made without permission?

6. "It's the same as using a kpop edit. Do you give credit for that?"

The fact that you can compare a random picture of a celebrity to an artwork that took time and effort just shows how little you know about art. It's a damn kpop celebrity, no one drew that shit, COMPANIES took pictures of that celebrity. If you wanna credit just go "kpop idol is Jimin" and you're done. It's NOT the same as art and it never will be, the fact that you think so is honestly just so insulting.

7. "But–"

If you are still going "but" after all of this then first of all, I will fight you, and second of all, and this might probably be a hard pill for you to swallow but idgaf :

Graphic design isn't for you.

I don't wanna be a bitch and stop anyone's dreams or hobbies or whatever the fuck but if you cannot respect the basic principles of graphic design then you do not deserve to call yourself a designer.

FIND. ANOTHER. DAMN. HOBBY.