Copyright holders are already protected from (I.e. can legally prohibit) distribution of obvious copies, or clearly derivative works.
Regardless of how they were produced by hand, copy machine, Photoshop or with a model.
The new problem is that artists styles are being “stolen” by incorporating their copyrighted work into models without their permission.
And that problem can easily be solved if using copyrighted material to create models is declared NOT fair use.
Artists could still allow models to be built from their work, but on their terms. If they wish to do that.
A famous artist, that doesn’t mind being commercial, could sell their own unique model to let fans create art in that artist’s style, while not having their style “ripped” by others.
Or just keep their style to themselves, for their own work, as artists have done for centuries.
(Of course, with greater effort, their style could still be recreated - styles are not protected unless they are trademarked - but the recreation would have to be done without using the artist’s copyrighted works.)
This is probably a somewhat unpopular opinion on HN, but it is where many of the artists I work with are generally trying to get to. Consent, compensation, and credit.
Copyright holders are already protected from (I.e. can legally prohibit) distribution of obvious copies, or clearly derivative works.
Regardless of how they were produced by hand, copy machine, Photoshop or with a model.
The new problem is that artists styles are being “stolen” by incorporating their copyrighted work into models without their permission.
And that problem can easily be solved if using copyrighted material to create models is declared NOT fair use.
Artists could still allow models to be built from their work, but on their terms. If they wish to do that.
A famous artist, that doesn’t mind being commercial, could sell their own unique model to let fans create art in that artist’s style, while not having their style “ripped” by others.
Or just keep their style to themselves, for their own work, as artists have done for centuries.
(Of course, with greater effort, their style could still be recreated - styles are not protected unless they are trademarked - but the recreation would have to be done without using the artist’s copyrighted works.)