Hmm, I think thats a bit rash. There is nothing wrong with drawing fanart from time to time, just as long as you don't make it a frequent occurance. I'm sure that drawing like this must also have helped your art improve, even if it was only slight. I don't really understand what is was that caused this change of heart in you, but it must have been something big. To be honest, I can't actually remember you drawing sonic before, at least I've never seen any of that art.

I felt the same way a few years ago. It just wasn't worth the time, really. D: After all, who is going to admit a person into college who draws nothing but Sonic characters? I mean, I can still draw them very well, but hell. I like where my talent is headed.

Sometimes its just best to put the past behind us, and move on to an even greater calling. Though, I do find it amusing when I do draw Sonic and my old characters every now and then. xD I bet I could make some kick ass fan art now ...

- cough - I still have that ZtH Chao on my SA2B game. >> << ~ I've been playing it a lot recently. xDD lol.

Zach, Zach, Zach... Why did you ever get started on this in the first place? Sometimes you do things that you really ought not to, but then, where do I stand that I can say such things?

Now that you ditched the fancharacters, what are you on to now?

--
So zetta slow!

D8

honestly...there really IS nothing wrong with drawing Sonic characters. Think about it. People who draw Sonic fan characters are inspired by the blue hedgehog to create their own character. They use their own imagination and creativity to design a fan character based off the blue hedgehog. Yes, I'll admit, those who take a Sonic and just paint bucket red paint on Sonic and then naming him Ronic or something isn't really creative or original. I always thought ZTH was original though and I always saw a bit of you in ZTH which is why I watched you in the first place. And of course because I adore your style.

I don't think you should be to harsh on him and fan characters. YOU were in that position once too. I mean, you created ZTH because you were inspired by the blue hedgie. And isn't Sonic one of the biggest reasons to get you into art in the first place? I understand that there are a lot of Sonic fans who have been disappointed in recent games and that maybe that's a big reason why some fans are drifting away from Sonic, but you can't ever forget that Sonic is that one reason to get you into art. That's one of the main reasons why I still love Sonic today, despite his recent games being...bleeeh...

And besides...if you really despised fan characters, then why is it that you still devwatch me?? I draw a ton of fan art! And you even commented that one little doodle I did of Knuckles and you said he's your favorite character.

However, yes I do agree with you on drawing other things other than Sonic. Yes people probably won't be making careers by just drawing Sonic and friends and yes people should try other varieties of art forms. Now, I'm not dissing Sonic fans here either, but you're right about how people should attempt different types of art. I'll admit I have recently gotten into photography and realism as well as a little pop art . And yes I do want to improve and learn more about it. But that doesn't mean I'm going to stop drawing my fan characters either. Isn't the whole idea of you creating ZTH off of Sonic an inspiration for you to create original characters for yourself? Like...what I mean there is...you created your own original character, ZTH, off of Sonic which has now lead you to creating even more original characters such as Regina and Kanasta and Chaz and stuff. RIGHHHHT???? >> So it's kind of like...in a way...when you first drew ZTH...it's lead to want to create even more characters for yourself...

I don't think you should give up on ZTH...I still love him from the first time I laid eyes on him on your gallery. He's so adorable with his little bush of hair and goggles/glasses and this sketch just reminds me of so much back in '03 (except for the "Im dead" ;; I don't like that...) And today...i'm only faving this not because this is a public announcement...but because ZTH will always remain as Zach Mansfield in my heart...

Hm, I think you deserve alot of respect for your descision. True you have closed one door of your artistry, but at the same time you've let another be able to open. I know alot of Sonic fans will probably freak, but choosing your own artistic path is I think the point of art. To go against what may be popular or unpopular, and doing what you really want to do. (To a certian point of course, but you know what I mean.)

Good luck in whatever artistic venture you persue mate. ^__^

--
Of course it's sticky. It's lemonade.

I'll admit, I have to agree with you that you'll likely go nowhere if you plan to make it big by using fancharacters, that's like trying to be a big-shot Nascar driver but having someone else do the driving for you or something.

As I said before, I'll miss this guy since he holds a lot of memories of when we first met and all, but I suppose your decision may've been for the best, fancharacters can only do so much since the designs, story ideas and stuff were based on someone else's established ideas, really uncreative for an artist.

But I was in that same position somewhat, my character Fox was practically a fancharacter of Little Dog from 2 Stupid Dogs back then, but modified here and there. Then later he evolved to how he looks now, so I guess fancharacters are ok to pave the way for your own creative juices if you don't rely too much on the already-established setting, characters and items.

It's just as I told you last night, while I've given up on that whole storyline and its characters, I did have time to think about how ideas could be developed. And that was when I was restricted to pre-existing ideas. Now, though, I'm able to work with something fresh and new, something of my own, and I've been granted new freedoms. I can now do as I please. I know I'm taking a turn in the right direction. I'm glad you can understand where I'm coming from.

--
"Short people have long faces, and long people have short faces. Big people have little humor, and little people have no humor at all."

- Donald O'Connor as Cosmo Brown, Singin' in the Rain

Thank you so much for being so understanding! You're absolutely correct, following your own path rather than the path someone else has already taken is the point of all of this. I'm sick of following in the footsteps of someone who already worked so hard to get their work recognized. It's not only wrong of me to take advantage of that, but wrong of me to work off of something that I don't even fully understand. I feel better knowing that I've put this behind me, and I sincerely appreciate that you can respect my decision.

--
"Short people have long faces, and long people have short faces. Big people have little humor, and little people have no humor at all."

- Donald O'Connor as Cosmo Brown, Singin' in the Rain

i would say "wish i could relate" but i don't.

i'm a bunch of things but not a one of those is a liar.


so.


i guess all i really have to say (that will come out as a coherent sentence) is this:

i hope to never see a fanartist become more respected than one who does his or her own work. from their own head.

--

_{now its the funeral, i become the serial killer of us both}

Prianka. I understand my words weren't thought out fully, and they are also very easily misunderstood. You're the reason I drew this, and I want you to know why.

This was drawn to be ZtH's "last hurrah". This is why he's been drawn as detailed as he is without me going as far as to maim him or something. Why? Because I still respect the series, and I still respect fanart. I'm not in any way bashing fanartists. My last picture before this was fanart for Ace Attorney, was it not? The point here is that many artists and friends continue to associate *chaosstriker89 to Zach the Hedgehog. I'm through with that.

I'd spent well over five years writing up a story for ZtH and his friends, intricate and complex, so that it would slip neatly into the canon that had already been set by the Sonic Adventure games. I honestly believed I would take SEGA by storm and bring Sonic back. But looking at it, it's absolutely ridiculous. An utter waste of my time. I thought I was creating something meaningful and worthwhile, but I really can't even begin to imagine why I thought it would be so easy. I realize now that my hopes at the time were nothing but impossibilities, and I regret that I didn't do something better with my time. I'm not a hedgehog. I never was. Zach the Hedgehog was never a part of me.

I'm sorry, Prianka, I know that's harsh to tell you, but you're the person that needs to hear this. ZtH was really me trying to be something I'm not. This in itself is insulting to me. I spent over five years trying to be something other than myself? I was crazy to think that way! Self-insertions are one thing, trying to put yourself into their shoes as though you really are that character is just silly.

My decision to drop the character has nothing to do with recent Sonic games or bashing fanartists. I respect a lot of artists for doing what they want to do, but many do things for all the wrong reasons, and I was one of these artists. When I was still using ZtH a great deal, my perception of art was "anything you put down on paper". If you drew a line, you were an artist. It required no effort. I was horribly off my mark. Being an artist is about embracing your inner self and coming to understand what makes you up, and taking advantage of that. This is also the entire reason that my ~Chaz-the-Weasel account exists; it was a side of me that remained hidden, because I felt ashamed of it, and I didn't like it that way. Letting it out gave me a little of that freedom I was looking for.

I am still a fan of Sonic. I still adore the characters and the old games. I'm just ready to say that I'm done pretending to be something I'm not. Please understand, dear. You're the one person I want to respect my decision the most.

--
"Short people have long faces, and long people have short faces. Big people have little humor, and little people have no humor at all."

- Donald O'Connor as Cosmo Brown, Singin' in the Rain