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kianamai — Multiracial Identity
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Published: 2017-03-23 04:43:08 +0000 UTC; Views: 59309; Favourites: 2488; Downloads: 76
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Description
EDIT: Hey! I made a kind of extension of this comic on tumblr using a little dog cat named Puppittykianamaiart.tumblr.com/post/16…
Being mixed race is an interesting experience and the experience definitely shapes who you think you are. Because I arguably look more black, despite being 50/50, and it's easier for people to categorize me as such (African American), I just kinda accepted that over time. I started identifying myself as just African American. But that's not who I am. I'm mixed. Both of these things at the same time. Also I'm not even African. I'm Jamaican/Afro-Caribbean. NOT ALL BLACK PEOPLE ARE AFRICAN AMERICAN FYI.
But even when I tried accepting that identity, it didn't feel right. I grew up in Hawaii with primarily Japanese traditions and a Japanese American way of life. So I always thought I identified with being Japanese more than anything. But because I didn't look the part, it was never really okay with other people. Same thing on the other side. I don't "sound black" or have black features other than my hair and skin tone (which is also debatable).
The world is so set on being black and white and people having to fit into specific categories. Apparently, it wasn't until 2000 Census that multiracial people could fill in more than one category for race. I remember that always being stressful during SAT tests. Having to either pick Asian or Black. Anyways, I think it's important that you don't have these black and white stereotypes of people and how they're supposed to be whether it comes to race or gender or sexuality or occupation or anything. All people are different. Yes certain stereotypes exist for a reason but don't be surprised when people don't fit them.
Also just... like don't tell multiracial people the kind of things mentioned in the comic^^^ One, it perpetuates a lot of racially charged stereotypes. And two, it just fucks with us lol. It messes with our sense of belonging and identity and for the most part we'll just take it because it happens all the time and what are we gonna do, y'know? Don't try to categorize us. We just are what we are and that's all we can be
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Comments: 653
you could like..just ignore them.
or correct them.
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it isn't that easy, people are stubborn when it comes to race :/
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its actually is. but wut eves.
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If we ignore people, that only allows the issue to grow
Correcting people isn't that easy (granted there are people who do take the time to listen and understand). If it were, we wouldn't have a lot of the issues we have today.
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I don't think someone being ignorant and stubborn about you being Jamaican or Japanese is really an issue, and its not like we are talking about some life changing thing, this is something that if you just ignore, its not a problem.
you could also just grow thicker skin.
don't get me wrong, i think people who deny obvious things are assholes and stupid, but its not some terrible issue.
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It's the little issues like these that need to be addressed to combat the bigger issue of racism that we have
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OK.
firstly no. like I said, it's not an issue, if someone thinks that you are lying about being Jamaican/Japanese, who cares? let them lead a life of self-indulged ignorance, and there isn't any combat going on that I know of, unless they are like attacking you when saying you aren't Jamaican/Japanese.
sure, racism sucks. but in America (which I assume you live in, if you don't then correct me.) there are no laws going against ANY race or gender. so racism is only on a personal level at this point, it's a minority in America, so sure, you can hate people that are racists, I think they are stupid to, but you can't make it illegal to be racist (no, that doesn't mean a business can be racist, that would be bad and is illegal.)
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Just because there are no laws against it does not mean it doesn't happen. Racism did not end in the 60s like people like to think it did. We're still living in an age of hate crimes, an age of people being denied employment because of religion, gender and race and an age where people are most definitely treated differently based on the color of their skin.
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i never said that. but kk.
and yeah sure, there are racists, and guess what, if you are denied employment because of gender and or race, THATS ILLEGAL
which means, you can ya know........REPORT THAT PERSON. and again, there are no laws going against any race, gender, or religion.
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You can report it but it's not very often that you'll have evidence in such a case. But it is evident in studies done on race and employment. Again, like I said, just because there are no laws against these things, it's easy to see that there are marginalized people and people treated poorly as a whole for these things
And unrelated, please don't trace my work
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i think you are making a world up that doesn't exist. sorry, but its true.
also, what do you mean by that? please explain. (the last sentence)
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I think you're living in a bubble if you don't se these issues
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I properly gave you credit in the description of the ones that were traced, though there are ones where the style is simply replicated. :/
...
thats kinda how artists practice a style bruh.
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I don't allow bases. It's really important that you ask artists for permission before doing that sort of thing
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thanks for the advice, but again a lot of those where original drawings simply imitating your style, which I've gotten semi good at in terms of ponies, i did that because i wasn't very good at drawing reg. ponies on pencil and traced one called "dragon" (full body) but all other traditional drawings are done by me. though all the digital ones are traced.
sorry for the inconvenience.
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Heavy reference and tracing is not okay if it's not okay with the artist. Always ask for permission if you're going to post the images
I'd appreciate if you removed these
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well sorry, if its my artwork, not yours, then you have no rights to it.
lol.
I will redraw (not trace) the ones that were traced so they are also my original artwork. I feel I have made enough differences especially in the detail of fur and clothing to where its different enough from your drawings.
so this weekend I will take down the traced ones and replace them with redone original drawings.
and heavy reference is okay, I doubt my friend decided to copy your on, turn him blue and into a dragon hybrid, then ask me to draw it.
:/
I will not remove my original drawings, as said this weekend when I have time I'll replace the already said "traced" ones with redrawn original art.
thanks.
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It's unfair to those who I've told to remove traced work.
Heavy referencing is not okay if it's not okay with the artist. It's proper etiquette
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Its my original artwork, drawn by me, done by me, with my hands, my pencil, my mind, my time and my detail.
I already told you I'd replace the traced drawings with original redraws.
that's whats going to happen, like it or not.
It is not unfair, here I'll give a simplified version of the issue we are having here.
here is bob and joe, bob is drawing a picture and joe like his picture.
Bob: *draws circle* look at my circle joe!
Joe: wow bob, that's really cool, let me draw one to! *draws circle with extra detail like shading and background*
Bob: that's not fair, I drew a circle so you can't draw any resemblance to it!
do you see why you are being silly?
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There's a difference between a circle and a full blown drawing
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i think you miss the point...
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I could look at someone's essay and retype it on my own computer and change a couple words. It's still plagiarism
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thats not drawing, thats not a proper analogy.
thats like me saying this animation:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=egPR5M…
is plagiarism of "randy cunningham: 9th-grade ninja" because they use the same animation style.
Please stop bothering me, i have things to do and i don't need some girl telling me i'm plagiarising her artwork.
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I'm just saying there's a difference between emulating a style and copying a drawing my dude. A lot of artists are not cool with that sort of thing and it's important that you understand this to avoid trouble in the future
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holy shit, are you serious? you took down original artworks by ME!
just because i use the same style isn't copying you asshole!
how DARE you say you own my art.
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You're refusing to see it as an issue. DeviantART's terms and conditions clearly did not work in your favor. That's how it is. You ALWAYS need the original artist's consent.
If you continue to do this, you could easily lose your account like I've seen in the past. It's important as a young artist that you learn how distinguish tracing, using reference, heavily referencing and emulating a style.
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you know what fine, I would have been annoyed if you only reported the ones actually traced, but no, you report and claim to own drawings you haven't drawn, that weren't traced, and where simply using a style that you use.
I do not need to ask permission to use a style, if that's how it worked then someone would have to ask Marilyn Manson if they could scream in music.
your being silly. I reposted them on twitter. I reposted the ones that were clearly my original artwork. if you continue to false copyright my work i will report you to deviant art considering your not allowed to do that.
thanks
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Look
As someone who has gone through this and has ignorantly "referenced" something and faced the consequences, I'm telling you that you need to learn sooner rather than later that you need to ask for permission, and also not upload something if it is referenced without said permission.
Tracing and referencing is fine for learning. We all start somewhere. But it's another thing to post it without consent from the original artist. Also keep in mind there's a difference that there's a difference between referencing someone's art and something from life.
Breaking out of heavily referencing and trying new things will ultimately help you grow and I think you have the talent to do so. Don't limit yourself
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literally at the point of my busts that I did (the head ones) there were amounts of detail and lines that could be loosely tied to your art, I already did that, I changed the style up as a mix of the style you use and the style I use, yet you reported that you owned it, which you didn't. referencing is fine, I don't need your consent to draw a goddamn pony, have you gotten the consent to draw mlp characters? have you gotten the consent to draw characters from steven universe? I try to make Marilyn Manson etc paintings, do I need his consent to do that?
No. I don't. you are being incredibly ignorant of what you are doing. like I said, last night I would redraw the "traced" drawings and post them this weekend, but it seems you would rather mass flag some art that wasn't yours at all.
you need to grow up, you obviously don't know how referencing works. talk to me when you get to reality and escape from whatever fiction you live in.
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Again you're not realizing the difference between emulating a style and heavy referencing
I'm trying to help you out here because doing what you're doing will ultimately dig you into a hole of copyright issues and accusations like this.
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Alright dears, I think we've had enough arguing on here about all this copyright mess. I've read through you two's argument on here and each of you are equally right and wrong. To start with, yes, I've seen both of you two's deviations and here's what I see going on. We have a budding artist who found someone theyreally enjoys the style of, so Kilalaaa, take this as a compliment to your style and what you draw. I know you feel cheated because your personal style has been infringed upon in ways you feel are very wrong, but BlazingCrystal has a point on that's just how some people learn. I was the same way. Before I found DeviantArt, I'd trace anything to try and teach myself the flow of certain points on bodies and faces that I found aesthetically pleasing to me, and even after, I'd look at other artists' work and copy it right down. I knew eventually I had to learn to do it on my own, but at that time, I couldn't do it was well as I wanted. I took a leap soon after that and now all I do when I need reference is scrounge Pinterest for different poses and piece them together as I need! Don't scorn them because they use what you do as their strict reference, encourage them to branch out and find the courage to make their own art from their mental libraries of information! Here, we want to be supportive of our fellow artists and help them grow. You speak of DeviantArt's terms and practices, and that is one of them....
Now, BlazingCrystal, as I pointed out above, I know this is how alot of people learn to draw. I did the same, as I said, but it may be time for you to try and take a step toward developing your own style. I know there are MANY other MLP artists on here, so if you need more mental images to go off of, try and mix in some of theirs as well, that way in a short time you'll have developed your own style! For a while, copying another's style is okay, but eventually you need to move onto making your own impact on everyone's senses that screams "I've done this for me and I want to spread it in my own light for all to see!" There's no need for calling anyone crazy or cruel, or anything like that. Things like this don't need to be publicized either. If anyone has arguments like this, this is exactly why dA has a private messaging system, that way no one needs to bear witness to two or more artists trying to rip each other's throats out, and also where you can ask people if you could make use of a few pieces of their style, that way they can support and help you on your artistic journey!
Please, the both of you, come to a peaceful understanding about this. Kilalaaa, your style isn't in danger of being stolen nor are your rights as an artists being infringed upon, and BlazingCrystal, find more artists whose styles please your eye so you piece together your own way of expressing your ponies and dragons. I'm sorry for intruding, but I just hate it when people fight on here.... it's not right. We're all artists, doing what makes us happy - creating! For some to learn to run with an ink pen, they must toddle by example in pencil!
Again, sorry for intruding, I just thought I could bring some light in on the subject.
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thanks, i think thats the most sensible thing i've heard today. i haven't posted a new drawing in a while, as those are from December to January. so the style has become something a lot of different and hopefully i can post to show that soon (like this weekend lol)
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I get where you're coming from. The issue isn't the copying itself because you're right, that's how we learn. I did it too like I said. The issue is the posting itself, lack of credit and the "implied consent" that other people gather from seeing art referenced from my own. Permission to post from the original artist is important.
For many reasons. I've been in the situation where I'd just let my artwork be traced and people often wouldn't credit. And when they did, it allowed consent for those to do the same and they would often not credit. Where it got really messy was people were tracing my art or making art "inspired" by mine, and making a profit from it. I think you can see where the issue is.
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And I understand that completely. Making profit from someone else's work is wrong, there's no doubt in my mind about that. I just can see an easy agreement for you both in this matter so you two don't end up being harmed and end a potentially constructive relationship! If you can agree to let BlazingCrystal off with a warning this time, and to maybe help them find their own style by locating a few other pony accounts on here, that would better support them instead of putting DMCA takedowns on their account tally.
Also for you BlazingCrystal, when you see this, can you agree to not directly trace anyone(pony teehee /) ) else's artwork so that you can better grow as your own artist?
If that's so, I'd like to see you both move this conversation to the Notes that way no one else has to bear any further witness to this strife and you two can go about this more peacefully. And also, if you want me CC'd in so I can chime up every once in a while if things get tense, I wouldn't mind a bit!
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Yes. if you can just hold up a day kilalaaa by tomorrow or at least early saturday the traced ones will be fully replaced, is that okay?
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I appreciate your help, but this is my comment section and I'm fine with this conversation taking place here.
I would absolutely be willing to help this artist grow, but they first need to respect my work and be open to what I'm saying which they've shown they are not interested in.
I'm ready to just drop the issue all together. But I'm just trying to help him avoid issues similar to this in the future. Which he will surely come across if he continues this.
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Alrighty. I'm sure they actually get that though, but I think right now it would be best if things just simmered down.
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thats all it is, accusations, i've done clearly nothing wrong, i changed the style and at this point merely emulate it, i add mountains of more detail to it, you just seem to not like people using that style. get over it or leave me alone, i don't need crazy people lying about people stealing art.
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also, i do know the "dragon head" looks like a trace, i will admit that might of been to much of a close resemblance, but my friends OC (which i drew that for him) happens to have a very similar mane style xD. so i could see where you got confused.
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I can definitely relate with this post because I am mixed also; Caucasian, Hispanic and African American.
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You're a decent person and a great artist. Nuff Said.
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I love this because both of my parents are African American. I've recently wanted to ask my friend what is was like to be biracial. Can you get away with certain things? Blend in and stick out intentionally and unintentionally? Do people give you grief over your racial? I don't know because I look as I am identified most of the time (minus my eye shape), but this is a really informative and thank you for sharing it with us. <3
PS THE PERSON IN THE SECOND PANEL LOOKS JUST LIKE KIKI FROM STEVEN UNIVERSE AAHHHH
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I'm multiracial too, Chinese and white, but I think I've been pretty lucky in regards to how people treat me (maybe because of the white part). I have gotten plenty of questions about it when I first meet people, but it doesn't really bother me, and most of the people I know don't really care. I'm sorry that you have been told things that have made you uncertain of your identity, and I'm sure it's incredibly annoying to deal with, but just try to remember that how other people see you doesn't define who you are and that the people who really matter in your life will accept you no matter what!
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I have a friend in school who people call Hispanic, but he's a Portuguese-American.
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I'm Black/White and got many questions about it as well as different treatment. Ended up straightening my hair and stopped answering the question of "What are you mixed with?"
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I know how that feels.... I'm multiracial too. I'm Portuguese and Spanish, tho those two countries border each other...The traditions are different. We have different languages...And I still have a hard time identifying myself...I don't identify myself as just one "race" because I have two and grew up surrounded by many others...What really still bothers me is that as an immigrant in Luxembourg (You Can Look that up) ...People always say that I don't look Spanish nor Portuguese because... I'm snow-white... I'm white, not tanned like the stereotypes however I speak Portuguese fluently and understand Spanish . I speak other languages too but...Being told that I don't look...Well "Latino" enough sucks.
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ho ho isn't it always just SO. FUN. I always get "There's no way you're mexican, you're too.... white." Thank you for letting me know! I had no idea what I looked like! people suck.
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...you are a being of absolute magnificence. Thank you for making this.
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