People do "to specification" artwork for free, all the time, for many reasons. I don't see why there's anything wrong with that. I am having someone draw me a very elaborate scene and he is doing it for free because he wants to practice drawing the subjects and the "topics" explored in the scene are interesting to that person.
It's fairly common for furry artists to draw a popular fursuiter, with the (probably false) hope that they will become more popular themselves. However, that was the artist's decision to do this in the first place. The artist has nobody but himself/herself to blame for agreeing to draw free art that doesn't provide him or her any real benefit. Again, if you are stupid (or ignorant or desperate) enough to give away free work for no good reason, you have nobody buy yourself to blame.
I could say "draw my fursona exactly how I like him to look and whoever draws the picture I like the most wins $20" and that is completely fair contest. Sure, I'm an ass, I will admit that, but it IS a fair contest. It's fair because everyone who participates knows exactly what they stand to gain, exactly what they stand to lose and exactly how the winner will be chosen. If you don't like that sort of thing, tough cookies, don't participate.
People do "to specification" artwork for free, all the time, for many reasons. I don't see why there's anything wrong with that. I am having someone draw me a very elaborate scene and he is doing it for free because he wants to practice drawing the subjects and the "topics" explored in the scene are interesting to that person.
It's fairly common for furry artists to draw a popular fursuiter, with the (probably false) hope that they will become more popular themselves. However, that was the artist's decision to do this in the first place. The artist has nobody but himself/herself to blame for agreeing to draw free art that doesn't provide him or her any real benefit. Again, if you are stupid (or ignorant or desperate) enough to give away free work for no good reason, you have nobody buy yourself to blame.
I could say "draw my fursona exactly how I like him to look and whoever draws the picture I like the most wins $20" and that is completely fair contest. Sure, I'm an ass, I will admit that, but it IS a fair contest. It's fair because everyone who participates knows exactly what they stand to gain, exactly what they stand to lose and exactly how the winner will be chosen. If you don't like that sort of thing, tough cookies, don't participate.