A question I am often asked is,
could you make a doll like my favourite Disney princess?
My answer is always a "no".
Disney have very stringent copyright licences on all of their characters. I've asked them for a license to make my daughter an Ariel doll before and, even though it wouldn't be for sale, they said no.
But more to the point, copying a Disney character, even if it is in your own style, is lazy.
Let's face it, you could make a beautiful princess art print or doll, put in the research, design it, use your imagination to bring it to life. Or you could copy Disney and make a bit of money off their back instead.
The thing is, copying Disney for your own personal profit is pretty selfish and you are only going to make yourself look like a bit of a thief... and who wants to purchase stolen goods?
Not to mention, any self respect you once had will fly out of the window.
Did you know that proceeds from Tinkerbell go to Great Ormand Street children's hospital, as requested by her original designer. So, if you rip off Tinkerbell, you're also ripping off sick children, which is pretty selfish.
For the record, Disney do not accept labeling a product as "fan art" as an excuse. True fan art isn't created for profit.
So, what can you do to avoid looking like a bit of a meanie?
Don't copy Disney.
Instead, create from the heart. Use your own imagination to build something beautiful and unique. It's a lot more fun and will also garner you a lot more respect as an artist.
Oh, and if you want to check out some of my own creations, from my own noggin.. have a peak below 👇
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