[BestGuess]

>but it is still fundamentally just copying, pasting, and then deforming lines together

That's called "photobashing", very common to see used by concept artists. Also, it's fair use.

So now you've got a bigger problem in that almost all concept artists are engaged in theft I suppose? Since they are "only" copying, pasting, and then deforming things together?

[wredue]

Funny how you declare photo bashing as “fair use” but a cursory glance at the actual legality shows that you’re lying and that it is also in a somewhat ambiguous grey area at the moment, with lawsuits pending.

It is also massively frowned upon in art sharing circles.

[BestGuess]

>but a cursory glance at the actual legality shows that you’re lying

[[citation needed]]

>a somewhat ambiguous grey area at the moment

That's a funny way of admitting I'm right.

>It is also massively frowned upon in art sharing circles.

Who gives a shit? What part of "commonly used in concept art", and among professionals in drafting and conceptual stages in general, do you deliberately seek to not understand?

You mentally unwell or are you just an internet troll?