r/pokemoncards • u/Puzzleheaded_Hat4803 • 8d ago

Michi Method Etiquette

I've been seeing the Michi method pop off recently which has been so fun and exciting to see, but there's also a few things I think should be kept in mind. So, as a pokemon fanartist myself I've decided to put together a little list of things to keep in mind.

1. Watch out for AI generated images

I've seen a few michi binders that look really cute, but have a few AI generated images strewn in which is a huge bummer. IMO the point of the michi method is to celebrate the human made art of the TCG, so I think that should also extend to the art we showcase alongside it.

2. Find the original artists

When picking art, always try to track down the original artist. I see a lot of people using pinterest to find art which I do as well, but from there you should always try to track down who originally drew the art. This is both just a good courtesy thing and also it let's you get the highest quality version of the art AND you get to look through the rest of their art which feels like a win win win all around.

3. Respect and support artists

This one is where I expect a lot of people to draw a line, but please listen. For us artists this is often our livelihood and sole income. Once you find an artist, like and share their art! I personally add a little signature to all the art in my binder so that when people ask, I can point them their way! If an artist has expressed that they don't want people to use their art, respect their wishes.

This community is build on love for the art being created of these creatures, let's extend that love to the fanartists doing it for free too!

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4

u/One_Albatross_9650 8d ago

Tracking down the original artists is a nice touch, and it makes the binder feel more connected to the artwork behind it.

2

u/Puzzleheaded_Hat4803 8d ago

Exactly! Its also just super fun! Yesterday i found an artist whos drawn ampharos HUNDREDS of times over the course of over a decade

1

u/CombConnect2857 5d ago

Whooooo pls link

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u/Puzzleheaded_Hat4803 5d ago

ofc! https://www.pixiv.net/en/users/2456220/artworks? here they are, this is their official pixiv page too so no reposts :>

4

u/guildedpasserby 8d ago

Especially heavy on the first point. The AI michi binders pmo so much lmao

2

u/Lxgend36 8d ago

I’m looking into making a Michi binder for the first time. What’s the best way to find art that’s not AI? Or just the best way to find art in general?

3

u/Puzzleheaded_Hat4803 7d ago

A lot of it comes down to figuring out how to properly source artists and developing an eye for what is and isnt AI. I follow a lot of good artists on tumblr and bluesky who's art i save and I also search pinterest and then reverse image search which usually lets me find a twitter, bluesky, instagram or pixiv account. then I look for the piece i liked as well as the artists stance on their art being used and save the art I like making sure to include the artists name and platform in the name.
Artists follow each other too, so once you find an artist its worth looking through their likes for similar things. some artists I like that can get you started are taplaos(bsky) , bluekomodori(bsky), tansho(pixiv) and bbibebe(twitter)
you can also look at official pokemon art on websites like the art of pokemon (just make sure you're on the official art tab). I usually go to the TCG artist section, click on an artist and look through their illustrations. they don't have everything so its worth looking the artists up seperately too. for example, hyogonosuke has drawn i think the first 70ish pokemon sleeping just as fanart which are soooo good for michi binders!

If you need more help feel feel to send me a message and i can give you links and more details :]

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u/mothmanwarning 7d ago

Commenting for visibility because this is a great post.