Ok, its time to talk about inspiration and copying

Here's why Im making this journal:

This person I watch is fairly popular and also has a species they made up and their art is very good, but because a lot of followers they had a few times where they had people stealing their art and tracing it, which is understandable, but recently they have been going a bit overboard over their artwork being 'stolen'. For the past few weeks, they have been blaming people for copying their fursona and their species, which would have been ok if they weren't being unreasonable. In the most recent situation, they complained that a certain person, who is no where near as popular as she is, that they were 'copying' them because the other persons OC has the same piercings (which were pretty common for a fursona and a human) and the 'same' tail and leg markings and then said a few hurtful things about the artists drawing in the comments and gave out their username, it was this btw:

I know this is my opinion and I somewhat can see a few similarities, but from I can see its nothing to get angry about enough to block someone and make fun of their art and this was not the first time they have done something like this over 'similarities'. Because they mention the other artists username in past situations like this, some of the people that follow artist go the the other artists instagram or DA and comment on how they stole that persons character and I'm sure also said a few hurtful things and the orginal artist finds it just fine and doesn't do anything. 

 In the artist world, people are inspired and sometimes reference other peoples are for theirs its what a lot of people do to get better and improve with their own art, it has happened for centuries so its not new. If something looks 'similar' to something you drew by someone else, this doesn't not mean you can't be concerned, but you shouldn't react as badly or not responsd, getting angry over something like that makes you look a immature kindergartener. In copyright laws if someone makes something 'similar' to your character or art style, its not enough, or worth it financially, to pursue a lawsuit because you 'think' that person stealing your artwork, it will be considered a derivative work which is allowable and cannot not get that other person fined or jail time over 'similarities' in others artwork. I've had my work referenced before or have seen something that looks close to my art and coloring style, but I don't let it bother me or considered it stealing/copying because of that, so its not worth my time to huff and puff and and get angry over nothing.

If your art isn't being blatantly copied, like reposting your art and recoloring and claiming its theirs or tracing, that means that it should not be worth your time, the only time you can be concerned is that their artwork is started to imitate yours more than just once or their entire gallery is starting to look like yours. If someone is stealing your artwork, handle it privately, and not only calmy, FIRST and after a certain amount of time if the person isn't responding well or doesn't take down your work, thats when you can ask for help or be public about your situation. Just last week someone told me about someone on instagram reposted my art and I handled it personally and things went smoothly when I handled it privately and calmy (I wont say who it is because its over and have no need to).

I understand that the artist I watch is frustrated and I also understand what its like to have my work stolen, but getting worked up over a supposed 'similarity' in another person's art and then make fun of them is unprofessional and, no matter how popular they are, it should NEVER BE DONE. 

As I end this journal and sort of a TL;DR, this is my advice to everyone that watches me:

If someone is not reposting, altering, or tracing your artwork, it is not stealing and cant be considering copying. DO NOT let 'similarities' or supposed look alikes get to you. DeviantArt and Copyright laws cannot do anything for you because you 'think' it looks like yours, if they did do that then a LOT of people would be arrested and fined by now, even yourself so you will have to get used to that. Just let it roll off you like water off a ducks back and you will be less paranoid and have happier days