Fanart is the purest form of appreciation for artists

Art should be made with intention... not attention.

As a huge fan, admirer, and someone greatly influenced by Hayao Miyazaki (especially his watercolor arts), I couldn’t possibly stay quiet with the sudden “ turn your photos and memes into Ghibli using AI” that’s been spreading everywhere lately… or as some like to call, the ongoing AI nightmare.

The timing couldn’t be more birdfect (yes, pun and sarcasm intended) because I’m currently working on Ghibli X Bird theme art prints for my Patreon peeps this year.

Some quick previews below:

I am drawing some of my favorite Ghibli movies in chronological order.

January-March prints already shipped!

For those who didn’t bother with the link, I’m doing this to celebrate Studio Ghibli’s 40th Anniversary. Their movies have influenced much of my Webtoon series, A Budgie’s Life, to the point where I ended the comic with a Castle in the Sky parody. My grey budgie was even named after Sophie from Howl’s Moving Castle!

But besides the point,

I remember the first AI-generated Ghibli image I saw was on Pinterest years ago, and it was appalling to see. Sadly, it was only a matter of time before more Ghibli-related AI trend was going to explode and attract the mass.

And it did.

However, I’m glad all this Ghibli AI slop is receiving huge backlash in the art community and perhaps raising more awareness. I even read a post from one user who said they’re going back to drawing Ghibli fanart instead of using the generator because they just realized how insulting it was to the creator. They must have been a HUGE fan to only now realize that… 🙄

What struck me was that this person could draw (they mentioned it as a hobby), but ever since all these AI prompt machines took off, they stopped making their own art.

And that’s exactly it.

People are giving up and losing their confidence in their own creativity.

(Insert whiny voice) B-But! Letting OpenAI do all the drawing for me is so much easier!

And lazier, I’ll give you that. Laziness prevents room for growth and learning.

If you truly love an artist’s work, don’t mimic it through shortcuts that are basically tracing. Express it through fanart.

Fanart is the purest form of appreciation because the effort actually shows. Even if you’ve never picked up a pencil in your life, here’s an advice: drawing what you love is the fastest way to improve. Just ask all the well-known artists out there. I’m pretty sure many of them started out with drawing their favorite characters, movies, or stories, before developing their own style. I know I did.

I still remember my very first form of fanart: a drawing of my beagle, whom I grew up with during childhood. I loved her so much, I would make little comics about her. I don’t think I’d be where I am today (still drawing comics) if it weren’t for those early attempts.

That’s what fanart is. It’s not about skill or drawing everything perfectly the same, it’s about connection.

We need more fanart, not sham-art.

And as a huge fan of Hayao Miyazaki, studying his particular watercolor style and drawing fanarts was how I brainstormed and practiced with my own art style. Because when you take the time to understand an artist you admire, you begin to understand you, yourself as an artist.

My Howl’s Moving Castle fanart over the years since 2022

I know, I drew an unhealthy amount of “Howl” fanart (I have more, but I’ll spare you my old drawings). He was like my dose of inspiration whenever I felt an art block coming.

Back then, 80% of my insta posts were fanarts, and the rest were original pieces and comics. Now, I lean more into creating original art (even if it means losing some followers) because I learned to enjoy sharing my own work.

I believe in creating art with intention, not just for attention.

AI images? Yeah, they’ll grab your attention for a while, but not forever, because there’s no soul in them, it feels like a “puppet”. It moves, it dances, it even mimics emotions, but only because someone pulled the strings.

And just like a puppet, AI art depends entirely on someone else’s creativity to exist. But once you cut the strings, the performance ends and the puppet is discarded.

In the same way, people who abandon their own creativity to generate images will likely toss out their “art” without a second thought. After all, it’s easier to abandon something you never put any work into.

But the art we draw by hand, even if it’s rough, even if it’s a silly fanart? Those art we tend to keep close.

They stay with you because you poured love into it.

It means something and it shows.

That’s what honors the heart of the original creator.

Ghibli fanart from 2022-2024. From top left: Fujimoto & Ponyo, Nausicaa, the bakers reimagined as teens from Kiki’s Delivery Service, Spirited Away, and Fujimoto & Granmammare reimagined as teens.

These days, I still occasionally make fanart. Sometimes to honor a new artist I’ve discovered, other times just to reconnect with a character or story I love. Because that act of appreciation still matters.

And that’s what makes it all the more special when the roles are reversed, when someone creates fanart of your original stories and characters.

There’s something very moving about that… knowing someone took the time, care, and heart to bring your world to life through their own hands. It’s like sending a quiet message that says, “I see what you’ve created, and it inspired me to try it too.”

It’s warm.

It’s real.

And those feelings stay with you.

I drew this Castle in the Sky fanart on Hayao Miyazaki’s b-day which is the same day as National Bird day. So I got to draw my two favorite things!

So here’s my fanart philosophy:

You draw what you love until you love what you draw.

Don’t let anyone or anything stop you from doing that.