Art can be practical... in ancient times, it usually was (from pots to fountains, etc.) My Jeep, which is hevily customized and even decorated, is considered art to me, even though I couldn't cast a single piston, let alone build/design the rest of the engine or body. The orient has always had an interesting take on others' work and art... some oriental cultures consider using others' work in their own to be a form of flattery and praise towards the original artist (so long as due credit is strictly maintained, of course.) In many Japanese art venues, restrictions on further use would be anathema to the very concept of art. A sensory experience that invokes emotion, be it for good or ill. The stronger the emotional reaction, the better the artwork is. So what if it was more assembled than carved from raw block? That in and of itself is part of the appreciation: An original image built entirely from scratch (character model, structure, backgrounds, etc.) gets a far stronger sense of appreciation from me than one whose artist parks 'Vicki in a Temple', slaps on a couple of clothing items, and doesn't even bother to pose the character uniquely, set the lighting, set overall color, or anything else. Art, being subjective, is all a matter of degree with me. /P