It’s a common misconception that art styles are copyrighted. In general, copyright law protects specific, original works of art when they are “fixed in a tangible medium,” like a painting on a canvas or a digital illustration. This means the particular arrangement of elements, colors, and forms that make up that individual piece of art is protected. You can’t, for example, directly copy a famous painting without infringing on the artist’s copyright.
However, copyright law typically does not protect broad concepts, ideas, or methods, and this includes general art styles. If one artist were granted exclusive rights to a style like “anime” or “cubism,” it would stifle creativity and limit other artists’ ability to be inspired and build upon existing art movements. The law aims to encourage new creations, not to give a monopoly over a way of drawing or painting.
While a style itself isn’t copyrighted, if another artist creates a work that is “substantially similar” to a specific copyrighted artwork, even if it’s in a similar style, that could potentially be copyright infringement. The line between inspiration and copying can be nuanced. Artists are encouraged to develop their own unique style by drawing from multiple influences, rather than trying to replicate someone else’s distinct body of work.