Last week I was at the Wizardcon in Philadelphia promoting a comic that I worked on. While at the booth I was signing 11X17 prints and comics. After a few hours two older ladies came over to the booth and were looking at my prints. After about 10 minutes of looking at one of the prints one of the women said "This is not your art...I've seen this somewhere else". Now, if someone had said this to me in private I wouldn't have cared becasue I know that I didn't steal the image, but what made me upset was that the other comic artists, writer, publisher, and editor who were at the booth with  me suddenly turned around and looked at me. All I replied with was "Im sorry maam but you are mistaken. This is entirely my art which I created just a week ago." The lasy then replied "I have been a long time fan of Sci-Fi and Fantasy books and I have seen this image somehwere else.....Give me some time and I'll figure it out." Then she walked away.

As far back as I can remember there are two rules I grew up with regarding art.

 1- I  have never stolen, or ever will steal someone elses artwork. I may be inspired by others work but I will never plagiarize it.

2 - I never trace artwork....Not that there's anything wrong with it but I just feel like Im not really doing anything aside from following the lines.

Anyhow, what do you say to someone who accuses you of this?

PR

No doubt long time fans of Sci-Fi and Fantasy books will have seen countless images in their time and the chances of one or two being vaguely similar are quite high (not that this is the case, mind you). I think you did all you could have done in politely assuring her that your work was your own.

Had my curiousity got the better of me, I might have challenged her to produce the artwork she had in mind, giving her an address, maybe, to send the information to, especially as she made her accusation so public - without evidence.  Again, politely drawing her attention to the fact that making a serious accusation without evidence might be considered rude to say the least.

But she's gone now so stuff it.

Wow, that was beyond rude, especially since she did it so publicly.  I agree with joeparis.  If one artist paints a red dragon, odds are at least five others will paint a similar red dragon in a similar pose.  Nothing is really "new" when it comes to fantasy or Sci-Fi anymore.

I'll bet she never came back with that proof, either. 

Well, I guess there's really nothing you can do in such a situation. Just keep your cool I guess.....And no, she never returned.

PR

Fantasy art tends to be derivative by it's nature, so don't take it to heart. She probably forgot all about you as soon as she went away.

If she was really the long time fantasy art fan that she claimed to be, she should have either:

a) been able to come up with some idea of where she supposedly had seen the image

b) known that fantasy art does recycle themes and styles, and so similarities are going to happen

or

c) just shut her face

Just out of interest, do you remember the particular picture that the accusation was levelled at? Perhaps if you posted it here, someone might know of another image that it bears some vague resemblence to.

Aye thats a good idea Em, if we saw the pic it might trigger 'Oh aye,t hat looks like the elf from the whatsit' etc.

Post it up for us hun?

Elves eat Wotsits? I was not aware of that fact - beef, tomato or original cheesy flavour?

What do orcs like - Monster Munch?

I think I heard somewhere that dragons are partial to a Cadbury's Creme Egg and a can of Tizer every once in a while.

em...:

I think I heard somewhere that dragons are partial to a Cadbury's Creme Egg and a can of Tizer every once in a while.

How civilised, to breathe like a dragon though requires 10 lagers and a kebab.  

Well here's the image -

PR

Wolverine & Sabertooth: http://www.marvelpics.co.uk/image/Wolverine-Fighting-Sabertooth_85850.jpg

I like the pic, it certainly looks like wolverine, has that hair and mad look. Doesn't ring any bells with me other than that at the moment.