This is a good piece, but it looks strikingly like a piece from Stella Im Hultberg. The face, and body are almost dead on.

Its the same with your other two pieces as well.
If they are inspired by her work, give her credit and say that.

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Creep Machine: alternative art webzine

They are inspired by a contemporary style that is popular with lots of artists and visible in almost all advertising media out now. They also hearken back to a style I used to do a lot when I was younger. I wasn't aware of Stella's name, but now that I've seen her work, it is very similar to this style and hers are some of the works I remember seeing and admiring here and there. I'd say it's more the big hair that does it because human bodies and faces tend to look similar through a lot of artists' work. Thanks for providing her name. If I could remember any of the other artists that paint in similar ways I would list them as well, but you see the line has to be drawn somewhere. Someone likened one of the other pieces to Jessica Galbreth for example, though I don't see a direct comparison.

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Art and Collectible Gifts of Fairies and Fantasy
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Understandable. I see in your gallery that you have talent, I'm not saying you traced her work. But the face on these pieces are too close for comfort really.

Someone very familiar with art could list 10 artists this piece is like, and theres nothing wrong with that. That is how styles are defined, influences enter everyones work. I wouldn't have it any other way. In art faces are like signatures. Each artist has a way of drawing/painting the human face. Even if it is just subtle things. Ive looked through your archive, and your website and see you have a signature way of doing faces, and this doesn't look like yours. It looks like Stella's

Ive seen Jessica Galbreth art, and I see that less here than Stella. I think it's the face, hair, random staining like in the hair and of course the ink staining over the whole piece. If just one of those features was here, I wouldn't have commented. But three very powerful trademarks of Stella's work are here.

I like your work a lot, please don't take this as me ripping into you. Your art has a unique voice, I just don't see it anymore in these three pieces. I see someone else's voice.

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Creep Machine: alternative art webzine

That's fair enough and of course, you are entitled to your opinion. I can't say I agree with you about the faces, seeing as I still feel like I'm settling into a signature style myself and haven't really done enough yet (particularly as none are really quite of the same generic style) to portray how I "do" faces or anything else for that matter. Looking at Stella's work (which seems a lot like Audrey Kawasaki), I don't think my faces are anything like hers. And again, the ink staining, hair and any other features have of course been used by many artists, and by myself on many occasions, so when combined, I don't necessarily think require comparison with any singular artist. It is always interesting to hear opinions of my work though from strangers so I thank you for your detailed comments.

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Art and Collectible Gifts of Fairies and Fantasy
~*~* www .kirstinmills. com ~*~

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Oh I love the artwork in this one! (Interesting comments from *lythron but I can see definite differences, just similarity in the oriental feel to the images. I think you do have your own style!

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Anna

My Photography Account *Annaphotix

Member of
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Thankyou so much for that! It means a very great deal to hear you say it! I was a bit rocked by that comment as I definitely did not intentionally base the artwork on anyone else's style...it was just inspired by a general contemporary style in general. I appreciate your words!

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Art and Collectible Gifts of Fairies and Fantasy
~*~* www .kirstinmills. com ~*~

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Sometimes when people are wondering whether someone has copied someone else's style, it can seem as though they're accusing you of actually using their work per se. I felt the way it was worded wasn't discreet! Never mind, I could definitely see huge differences to know that your work was your own, and let's face it, we all emulate someone's style at some time or another, whether knowing it or not!

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Anna

My Photography Account *Annaphotix

Member of
*FractalDreams

Im if I rocked you, please read the reply I left for AnnaKirsen below.

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Creep Machine: alternative art webzine

I apologize if it came off as I was accusing, the truth is it doesn't affect me one way or another.

I do not believe that Kirstin "copied" the work, she has skills, unlike many artists on DA that copy work blatantly. I simply stated that the face, staining and hair were too close to Stella's work.

I'm also taking this from a "fine art" gallery style perspective. I work with many artists and many galleries, and I have seen the way they work. If Kirstin were to submit this piece to a gallery that was familiar with Stella Im Hultbergs work, they would deny it, and be far more rude than anything I have ever written. Now if she submits this piece to a gallery that ISNT aware of Stella's work, then there is no problem.

I was just concerned, because there is an art world outside of Deviantart, and in this current art scene, Stella Im Hultberg is one of the prominent figures. Looking at Kirstin's earlier work, I can't name many artists at all that I see in galleries making that kind of work, so I think if she wanted to show in galleries, she should advance with those. Not this style.

I only took the time to comment, because I love art and I love the talent that many people have. The art world is very harsh, and I have noticed not many people on DA can take criticism. A gallery owner or agent will not criticize, they will rip into you. They see your work as money and thats it. You think Simon Cowell on American Idol is bad, he's nothing compared to some of the people I have met. I dont want to be like any of them, so I tried to state that this piece was too close for comfort. I'm sorry if it was taken wrong. I just wanted to ward off any potentiality that someone WOULD call Kirstin a rip off artist. Because trust me, there is a gallery owner, other artist or agent that is just dying to tear into someone.

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Creep Machine: alternative art webzine