Defenders of orginality.
Heroes of our people.

Art Crusaders.

I can't help but notice the complete lack of morals nowadays - no don't worry, I didn't see you pick your nose and scratch your "you-know what"s just now.

I'm talking about art thieves.

The popularity of taking someone else's time and effort and making it your own has grown over the past few years - months, even.

Here, at AC, we believe in +faving to show our appreciation. We believe that art thievery is not a form of flattery.

Want to defend your fellow artists as an Art Crusader? Here's how to join:

Send us a note or a journal comment, stating why you wish to join - personal stories, if you have any, would be appreciated for future reference.

Put our icon in your journal or signature - your joining the forces of a very gallant community. Show your pride!

Wait for us to get back to you - we'll be checking your info and gallery to make sure you, yourself, are completely original.

+Watch us after you've been accepted - or before, if you're eager to know about recent catches and members.

Be a hero and catch some thieves!

How to catch a thief.

Look for signs.
More skilled art thieves can usually cover their tracks quite well, but new thieves can leave the door wide open.

What's he saying?
A common phrase is "I did this in my spare time" or variations of that. Check for lack of explanation, or overuse of explanation.

Look at artist info.
Chances are, if they've been caught before, there's next to none. If they haven't been caught yet, look for suspicious name, age, favourite artist, and +faves/watches. Be sure to keep the page with the picture on it open. Also, look at their gallery - are there sudden changes in style? Technique? Skill? Though this isn't the absolute best way to determine if the suspect is a thief, it is a good hint.

Do an art search.
Keeping the page with the suspected stolen art open, do an art search, using as many tags you can think of that may be connected to the picture. If you found one similar to or exactly like the one you found earlier, check these things:
Details on the drawing. Was anything removed or added? Watermarks, signatures, and colour changes are common.
Has the media been changed? It's not uncommon for art thieves to trace or colour in the original, especially experienced ones.
Check the date of posting. This is an obvious one - whoever posted first is the original artist, since DA posts with Internet time.

Inform original artist and Art Crusaders.
Whether you found the original artist or not, let AC (and the original artist) know about your find before you send the report. You need second opinions!

All finds will be posted in the monthly update, along with date, name of crusader, and name of thief. However, AC will only recognize you if you're a member, and if the art thief was caught.

May courage be with you!
~ArtCrusaders