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Wasted $120 on a preset pack that was just stolen from DeviantArt artists
I bought this big bundle of brushes and textures from a guy on Gumroad, thought it was a good deal. Turned out he just ripped off 3 different artists' work from DeviantArt and bundled it up. I contacted the original creators and they confirmed it. Has anyone else gotten burned by these reseller packs?
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carr.abby1d ago
Wait, did you check if the Gumroad seller had any of their own original work or a portfolio that actually proves they made those brushes? That's such a classic red flag I wish I knew about before I got scammed myself. The worst part is these resellers know the brush packs will sell because artists are always looking for a shortcut, but they're literally stealing from people who actually put in the hours. I've started reverse image searching any brush or texture samples before I buy, and if the seller doesn't show step by step process shots or a clear deviantart/artstation account, I'm out. The whole "curated bundle" thing is almost always a scam unless it's from a creator you already trust. You should name and shame the seller if you can, even if it's just in a DM to the original artists so they know to look out for it.
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robinp8922h ago
Reverse image search has saved me more times than I can count. I also look at the seller's social media history - if they only post about selling stuff and never show their own art, that's a huge red flag. Another tip is to check the file names in the brush pack before you buy. If they look like they were renamed in bulk or have random numbers, it's probably stolen from a free pack. I've started only buying from creators who post their process on YouTube or Twitch so I can see they actually know how to make these things. The curated bundle thing is such a common scam these days that I just skip any listing that uses that exact phrase.
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Yeah exactly what @carr.abby said about reverse image searching - I actually did that with mine and found the exact same brushes in a free DA folder from 2019. The guy just renamed them and slapped a "pro artist bundle" label on it. Total joke.
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