Where to begin,

About a year ago I started getting commissions of a character I created as a child, I drew her myself well enough to give my commissioners the idea of what I was looking for, created a world, a place to escape inside my head - I can not stress enough how important this character is to me. I stressed to the people I commissioned to keep the pictures private, so only myself and them would ever see them.

Someone just out of the blue e-mails me, he has a feline-based character too and he proceeds to tell me all about her. I should have been concerned right there but I kept talking to him. We talked and talked, it's been over a year and a half, we've gone so far as to get each other gifts for our birthdays and Christmas, told one another things we don't usually share with others.

Next thing I know he sends me a picture, I felt sick, cold chills, you name it. He told me it was the new design for his character, she was My Character!! I told him so, how upset I was, their similarities. He defended himself, claiming that 'they just look similar because they are feline based'.

His character is my character just with a different pelt, tattoos and shorter hair. I am so angry I can't see straight. It gets weirder - everyone I was commissioning, he commissioned up until a few months ago. I went to the site to report it but their isn't something to report this type of theft. I don't know what to do. We haven't talked in a few days, sense the 'argument'. I never wanted my pictures posted, I feel stupid for ever getting a commission in the first place, worse for never going back and checking. Was he just using me somehow? To follow after the artists I was getting the pictures from? I don't see how because I never shared anything about her or my species with him.

Does anyone have any advice?

Thank you ~Kit

"His character is my character just with a different pelt, tattoos and shorter hair" I'm not familiar with feline-based characters, but, to me at least, that sounds like that the characters are rather different. Some more information, such as the similarities would be nice, as to asses the situation better.

When you anthropomorphize any animal you are going to have similarities no matter what. I'm not disputing that in any way, there is no way to. As I was getting more serious about creating my character I started scouring the web for what were/was the most common traits and I went the other way. Her face is highly unique, ears and tail are as well. I have never seen them done the way I have done them (it certainly does not mean though that someone else out there does not have these individual ideas, weather it was before me or after me, I do not know nor had I ever seen and I'm well aware artists/writers build off of inspiration from others. That being said, these traits have never been together to my knowledge) & he has them, the build of his character is just like mine too, slight with strong legs and paws.

I can post a comparison image but after everything and how I'm feeling I'd rather not throw my character out there anymore than I have already, it feels painful.

I think posting comparison pictures would help. I highly doubt the people of Subeta would steal someone's character. I've had art drawn based on other art I've seen, but I modify or try to combine ideas.

It probably would and I tried for 10 minuets and I couldn't post it, my anxiety shot through the roof, my chest was hurting. If someone posting wants to see I can mail it to them (I think)

Even if a community as a whole is kind there are still those that just take. I'm not trying to be a downer, just realistic. As long as someone has something that someone else wants (or pieces) there is nothing (at least as far as the internet) to stop them from just taking it.

its a bit weird that this person who you never spoke to contacts you out of the blue and then comes up with a character similar or just like yours basically, maybe I am reading a bit more into it but I think this person had a motive. Like maybe it was someone you commissioned trolling you because you told them how important your character was and not to show anyone your character. Sorry lol I don't really know but my brother tells me I should stop thinking crazy. Whoever this person is they are a bit odd though.

Don't post it if you're not comfortable doing it. May I suggest blocking this person after reporting him and watermarking all your work?

No, you are completely right and I have had three people now tell me similar especially now that after confronting him he hasn't talked to me. At all. We talked nearly every other day if not every.

On a different note I went digging into both our favorite folders on the art site and went back to the dates the images were posted - I have over a year and a half start time on his images

Eh, if that were an option for me I would but sadly what happened is the person(s) I commissioned at the time did not understand (or maybe respect, not sure) that I did not want my character posted. Tho I have the full scale/quality images the ones they uploaded are without watermarks - just something in the description saying it was a private commission and the character/species was copyright myself Blocking him is a thought though and I've been considering it. Everything just seems so awkward now =/

I think maybe one of the artists you commissioned might have been lazy and reused aspects of the design they used for yours. It wouldn't explain all the weirdness but why wait so long to mess with someone's head if this was all a trolling attempt?

That's weird, I'm sorry it came down to that but as you said, it could just be similarities and just that.

That is a point I gave thought to for like, an instant when I first realized all the goings on but after seeing it written down it is worth more thought. It simply could have started out as a trolling thing that got away from them or it's like you said. The thing that eats at me with that is that it is his latest commissions that are so much like my character are from someone I have never, well, heard of before to be fair and even more how he refuses to talk to me.

I appreciate it. I wish it was just that (I really would, it would take all of this anxiety out of my life) - I've shown his latest commissions to the two people that know her (and all my other characters about as well as I do), my friend that has been in this with me sense we were kids, she said she looked just like my character and then I showed my Husband (who is a little behind the curve but he knows) asked when my character had a daughter (thus the coloring difference and the hair), so, yes.

I hope it all works out and it really is just similarities or something like this person drew inspiration from your design.