What Is YCH Furry Art?

Introduction

Being part of the furry community can be fun and exciting in many ways. Getting an OC (Original Character) is one of the joys of being a furry. It’s a unique representation of your personality in your choice of setting, pose, and expression.

But what if you’re not an art person? How will you get your own fursona? That’s when YCH auctions can be your true calling. At these events, you buy an unfinished fursona artwork from an artist, sit with them, and decide how you want it to look when it’s finished.

All you have to do is just add your personality traits to make the fursona your exact representation. Let’s dig deeper to learn more about the YCH furry art and how to make it yours.

What Is YCH?

YCH or Your Character Here is a term used for unfinished artwork. The artist draws a particular scenario or picture but leaves it incomplete. Just enough to add your character to the scene (for a fee, of course.)

You can work on deciding the pose and expression for the picture with the artist.

However, remember, different artists often have their requirements or limitations for the auction. So, you must act according to them to work with your favorite artist.

YCH Furry Art On Etsy

Image via Etsy

YCH Auctions: What Are They All About?

YCH or prepose auctions provide a platform for furries or commissioners to meet and bid on rough sketches. These auctions are often called TCBY or This Could Be You. YCH Commission is another name for the auctions.

You can choose the most incredible artwork at the best prices at these auctions. These events display unfinished art, so the buyer has to ask the artist to insert their fursonas in the artwork to make them personalized. You can also determine the area you want to show in the YCH, such as the fursona’s mood, style, and pose. 

These sketches are typically drawn on paper, electronic media, and other forms per the artists’ expertise and skill. Then, they are presented to the auction attendees as a single humanoid which is later personified for the winning furry.

The artist may also sell pre-drawn poses, scenes, or settings where characters can interact with each other. It’s a rough sketch, line art, or base, which is refined once the artwork is purchased and details of the character are shared with the artist.

YCH art can include body shots and full-body artwork and sometimes even feature an animation.

Some artists offer greater flexibility and let commissioners suggest changes in expression, theme, etc. 

Their limitations and allowances are all mentioned before the auction so the commissioners know what they get for the price they’ll offer or bid.

Character Auction

Some auctions feature the artwork of the fursonas or characters and are termed ‘character auctions.’ The artist showcases the character, their expressions, and their pose at these events. 

They may also provide the theme, background, and other artwork associated with the image, but that’s not entirely binding on them.

How Can You Buy Artwork at a YCH Auction?

You can not simply walk into an auction and bid or buy the artwork. You must understand and adhere to the bidding requirements and look at the characters’ availability.

While most of these rules and requirements are pretty general, some artists may have different restrictions or requirements for the characters at times. Knowing about these requirements and understanding the artists’ limitations beforehand can help avoid confusion and unrealistic expectations later.

The artist or the host of the YCH auction has a special section for people to place the bids, often referred to or mentioned as ‘place bids here.’ This is where you will raise the bids.

If you’re lucky, you may even get a chance to bid privately, directly to the artist, aka ‘silent bid.’ No one else can see your bid, so the chances of anyone else outbidding your favorite artwork are low.

YCH Rules

Unlike conventional art, YCH has an entirely different set of rulings and terminologies.

However, the auction process is the same as any other. Multiple buyers gather around the auction (physical or online) and place their bids to get a chance to have their character featured in the artwork.

Sometimes there’s also a buy-it-now slot, so they can immediately purchase the artwork they choose easily.

YCH Art Available On Twitter

Image via Twitter

YCH Auction Acronyms

Nobody wants to look confused or lost amid an auction. Not knowing what to do or feeling alienated by the extensive vocab, especially acronyms spoken around them, can be debilitating.

Here are a few acronyms you should familiarize yourself with before you end up feeling lost and alone in an auction:

SB or Starting Bid

Starting bid is the first bid that sets the tone and minimal prices.

MB or Minimum Bid

The minimum bid is the minimum amount to bid above the previous one. You must know about the MB before placing your bid; else, that could result in embarrassment. The concept keeps people from making absurd bids or prolonging the process.

MI or Minimum Increment

Minimum Increment is just another term for the Minimum Bid.

AB or Auto Buy

‘Auto Buy’  is the posted amount for the artwork. If you want the artist and their artwork to make your YCH, you can choose ‘Auto Buy.’ The Auto Buy option ends the auction and declares the bidder the uncontested winner.

Cute Furry Art (Nothing To Do With YCH)

Image via Tumblr

YCH Auctions: Bidding Requirements

You cannot simply be part of an auction without the two fundamental elements:

• The funds
• A visual image of the character you want to be drawn

However, suppose you need guidance about the character you want. In that case, you can contact the artist before the bidding begins and discuss if they’ll be willing to accept a detailed proposal for the execution.

Remember, the artists, too, may have certain reservations about the artwork or written requirements, which will be shared at the YCH auction before the bidding begins as part of their TOS.

The artist’s requirements or limitations regarding the artwork include the following:

• Gender
• Color
• Body features
• Pose
• Species
• Payment methods
• Theme
• Special charges or fee
• Size
• Expressions

If you place a bid and win the auction, and the artist refuses your proposed artwork, the onus would be on you for not reading through the artist’s requirements.  

There may be simple or heavy requirements, like payment schedules, alterations, etc. Some artists have special payment requirements, like accepting full or partial payments before they begin work.

Knowing about all these requirements is a must. That way, your bid will go smoothly.

YCH Artwork Types

You’ll be surprised to see hundreds of types of artwork and YCH commissions available today. Furry artists keep thriving to make their artwork unique and inspiring for the fandom. 

Standing out amongst the rest enables them to get the best prices and win uncontested at auctions.

While there are many types of artwork, three are believed to be the most popular among the furry community.

Unlimited and Limited Templates

These templates are available for many people to buy at one time. So the same scene setting or pose can be brought by more than one person. The artist finishes each template per the client’s required character or pose. 

So it’s a win-win for everyone.

However, since many people can buy these, they are usually low-priced and simple-looking drawings. The templates also aren’t displayed in the general auction settings.

How many people can buy the template? That’s solely at the artists’ discretion.

However, these auctions usually work like this

1. The commissioner pays the fee 
2. They discuss the colors, features, and other requirements with the artist
3. The artist creates the artwork.

One-of-a-Kind

Most YCHs run via auctions and display only one-of-a-kind artwork that can only be purchased by a single individual.

So the person with the highest bid always wins. The artwork, too, is unique and hence not simple. The artwork may feature unique props, backgrounds, or effects that make it attractive and detailed enough to draw the highest bids.

These are the most sought-after YCHs by commissioners. Since they pay for exclusivity and personalization, the results are always stunning and a piece of art they can display proudly.

Multi-Character

There are also many multi-character YCH auctions. As the name suggests, these allow two or more characters to be drawn together in one artwork.

The YCH auction format is the same as the single-character auctions. However, bidding is done separately for each character in the artwork.

However, a downside is that there is no promise of the result. You may end up with a picture with two completely different characters drawn together. That’s why bidding or buying multiple slots and getting your favorite characters drawn together in the artwork is better.

YCH Furry Art With Examples

Image via Amino Apps

Difference Between YCH Commissions and Regular Commissions

Although YCH auctions work more or less on a similar pattern to the standard auctions (with their own set of rulings), you’ll find them unique and much different from the regular auctions. Here are a few key differences between a standard auction and a YCH commission:

• YCH is less expensive than regular commissions
• Everything is predefined with all the details mentioned beforehand to avoid unwanted surprises at the end.
• The commissions showcase the ideas and artworks of many aspiring artists.

Commissioners can place bids and get a chance to name their price for the art.  

YCH Furry Art With Prices

Image via Twitter

What Is the Best Place to Buy YCH Artwork?

If you’re interested in buying YCH artwork, you can easily find and connect with different art communities today. You can look up communities or gatherings like DeviantArt and FurAffinity etc.

Since these are online listings, it’s easy to find all active lists in these places. You can also apply different filters to find your choice of artwork easily.

Then there are social media platforms like Twitter and Instagram, where artists share their work and mention the venues or links for you to place your bids.

Example Of Limited Slots For YCH Furry Art

Image via Reddit

Benefits of YCH Art Auctions

YCH artwork has a lot of fan following but, at the same time, also attracts many people who dislike the art.

Here are some key benefits of YCH auctions and their importance:

Artistic Freedom

The platform gives artists complete freedom of expression. They can be who they want without any influences or expectations, mainly from the commissioners.

Moreover, these artworks also give commissioners a visual of their characters. 

Once they view the frame and initial sketch, they can easily imagine their fursonas inside it. That way, deciding which background and detail goes best with their character is easier.

Affordable

Auctions provide an excellent way for buyers and sellers to meet at a price point with mutual understanding. You can quickly get the artwork at the best deal if it has no demand. This way, there are no hard feelings between you and the artist, and you can get the artwork at the most affordable rates.

If multiple commissioners relate to the artwork and want to purchase it, bidding can get competitive.

A Way to Engage

Most artwork today is displayed on social media and other online platforms. The displayed images’ viewership is prioritized based on a particular algorithm. 

That gives an edge to the artist as they can reach a greater audience. The engagement with potential clients increases, and many budding artists get discovered this way.

A Platform for Artists to Sell the Original Idea

Artists often get interesting and unique ideas about the artwork they want to create. But owing to raw material prices and other costs, it’s hard for them to make the masterpiece without getting anything in return while they are at it.

YCH allows the artists to sell the partial article and complete it upon request and payment.

Minimal Instructions Required

Another advantage is you don’t have to give the complete picture to the artist. Just giving them a character reference can do the trick.  

Drawbacks of YCH Auctions

While YCH art brings many opportunities to try out new artwork and boast your OC, many people oppose having their characters drawn via these artists. Here’s why:

Lack Originality

People believe these designs lack creativity and originality. There are no copyrights; you only own your copy and nothing else. 

So, anyone can buy the same artwork with their character, of course, from the same artist. That leads to duplication. However, on the bright side, that makes it affordable too!

Spam

Watching the artwork of multiple artists on your browsers or looking at many YCH auctions can spam your feed. Unwanted notifications and reminders become an annoyance.

Lacks the Surprise Element

Great artwork catches you unguarded. However, that’s not the case with the artwork displayed at the YCH auctions. Since you’ve already seen part of it at the auction, you know what the final result will look like. 

You know your character and pose as well. It can make the artwork less than expected, but there are far fewer chances of it exceeding your expectations. But again, many people find this point debatable. It’s all part of the fun and enjoyment of being a furry. 

Furries still love this artwork, customized and made according to their preferred style, starring their favorite character.

Chibi YCH Furry Art

Image via Pinterest

Conclusion

YCH auctions give furries a chance to get their individualized fursonas at affordable rates in a fun and exciting way. The auction allows commissioners to meet and view the artwork of not just one but a host of different artists, each boasting different and unique styles and creativity.

If you want your favorite character or fursona drawn, these auctions are a must-check out!