Sooner or later, every creator gets the message: “Can you make one of…?” Sometimes it is delightful — your character at the beach, in the red dress, holding a birthday cake with their name on it. Sometimes it is impossible in the other direction: a real person, a celebrity, someone’s ex, or a character who is clearly meant to be underage. Both kinds deserve an answer. One deserves a yes; the other deserves a no that is kind, brief and absolutely final.
The yes pile
Requests about your fictional character are the lifeblood of a happy page: new outfits, new places, seasonal sets, a pose someone loved and wants again. These are safe because nobody real is involved — your character’s consent is yours to give. Keep a little list of fulfilled requests; fans who see their idea made feel like co-authors, and they stay.
The no pile — and why it is not personal
The line sits exactly where a real person’s permission would be needed. Turning a real adult into imagery they never agreed to — however famous, however much a fan insists it is “just a tribute” — is non-consensual imagery, and it is banned here, full stop. Anything suggesting a minor is beyond a ban: it closes accounts. And “she looks 25, honestly” is not a loophole when the request itself describes a school uniform.
A script you can steal
Warm, short, no debate invited: “Hey, thank you for the idea! I only make pictures of my own invented character — I can’t create real people, and I can’t do anything underage, ever. But if you’d like to see her at the beach / in the red dress / with the birthday cake, that I can absolutely do.” Then change the subject to the lovely version. Most fans accept instantly; the ones who push were never really asking about art.
Keep your own paperwork tidy
If you ever collaborate with a real adult — a shared shoot, a swapped face between two consenting creators — get the yes in writing before the first job, keep it with the set, and treat a later “actually, take it down” as binding. Kindness in this corner of the internet is mostly just good filing.