Artwork Submission Rules and Guidelines

1. The Rules

Works that match the following descriptions may not be submitted to GFXartist and are subject to moderation. Moderators will inform you about their concerns through private channels and will not persist unless new facts surface that contradict you.

1.1 Works that violate copyright.




1.2 Works depicting horrific, offensive, tasteless or pornographic scenes.

1.3 Rough drafts, bad scans, renders of third party 3D models, over compressed images and low resolution images.


Works that match the following descriptions require the author to take specific steps when submitting the work and are subject to moderation.

1.4 Works that include nudity or graphic violence must be marked as explicit content.

1.5 Works that are reproductions (2.4) require the original image to be presented with the artwork. The artist must have permission to reproduce the original.

2 The Guidelines

The following guidelines should help you avoid uncomfortable situations and help you understand what types of work are considered controversial at this site. Moderators may privately ask you once more to follow our advice for your best interest.

2.1 Submission Limit
What: At GFXartist you can submit no more than 6 works per month.
Advice: We have installed the limit to avoid flooding and to motivate the artist to submit only his finest work. Submit your work at intervals. If you publish 6 artworks in a row, viewers will most likely only view one or two of them.

2.2 Originality
What: Something that sets your work apart from the countless of other works.
Advice: The people at GFXartist have seen a lot of artwork and most likely create artwork of their own. Make sure your creation is more than just a pretty picture, unless of course you did create an amazingly pretty picture. Never take the concept or the message you send lightly, but also make sure your skills allow you to properly visualize it.

2.3 Intellectual property
What: Works that incorporate, or are based on, intellectual property of others. This may include trademarked names, characters, logos, symbols or designs.
Advice: Certain use of intellectual property may be tolerated by its owners, typically when it comes to fan art. Make sure you do not use intellectual property in ways that are disallowed by the owner of the property. Always acknowledge the people or parties that created the foundation on which your work is based. Add the appropriate credits to your artwork's description.

2.4 Reproductions
What: Work that is similar to another image in its entirety in such a fashion that one could be mistaken for the other. Not to be confused with referenced works (2.5).
Advice: Don't submit these works if you do not have permission to use the source material, you are violating copyright. Present the image as a reproduction and include the original image. This avoids confusion, allows viewers to get a clear picture of your added value and should avoid insinuations. If your added value is minimal, do not submit the artwork to GFXartist.

2.5 Reference
What: Works in which the artist uses images as guides to achieve likeness or realism for certain parts of the otherwise independently created scene.
Advice: If prominent parts of your work bear a striking resemblance to the reference material, link to the original images from your artwork's description or downloads list. This allows viewers to get a clear picture of your added value. If your added value is minimal, do not submit the artwork to GFXartist.

2.6 Tutorial results
What: Artworks created by following the directions of an artist that has publicly illustrated his creation process.
Advice: Add your own twist. If you have only followed the directions given you aren't showing us anything that we haven't seen before. See the 'originality' guideline. If your added value is minimal, do not submit the artwork to GFXartist.

2.7 Snapshots
What: Photographs that have little to no artistic value and that would be taken by any amateur that can point a camera and press a button.
Advice: Be selective when you submit work to GFXartist, a photograph of something nice is not per definition a work of art. Would you spend 50 bucks for a quality print and hang it in your living room? If the answer is no, do not submit the work to GFXartist.

2.8 Collages
What: A somewhat basic composition of various (stock) photographs.
Advice: If you do not have permission to use the source material, you are violating copyright. Do not submit the work if the value of the whole does not exceed its parts. If it does, provide links to the photographs used. This allows viewers to get a clear picture of your added value.

2.9 Jokes
What: Work with little artistic merit posted just for light entertainment.
Advice: We all like a good laugh, but make sure your presence at GFXartist doesn't solely revolve around silliness. Ultimately the forums are the most appropriate spot for some light entertainment.