# Before You Say I Am Stoling This Art, Let Me Explain You A Thing A deviantART disclaimer written in broken English in November 2012 became a mocked catchphrase after a Twitter screenshot spread the awkward wording. Posters copied the exact misspelling of 'stealing' as 'stoling' and the construction 'explain you a thing' onto Tumblr, where it took off. By February 2013, users were writing snowclones like 'Before You Say I Am Stoling This X, Let Me Explain You a Thing' for imagined Louvre heists and World of Warcraft fan art disputes. ## Origin On November 16, 2012, deviantART user Gamer98 uploaded a Lion King fan art piece as an entry in a contest run by user Rinjapine[4]. The description opened with a disclaimer meant to head off accusations of art theft: 'Before you say that i am stoling [sic] this art: I want to explain you a thing, my old acount [sic] was [thelionofdeserts] and i'm reposting this art of TLK here in my new account, [Gamer98].'[6] The old thelionofdeserts account had been deleted by March 2013. - **Platform:** deviantART (source) / Twitter and Tumblr (viral spread) - **Creator:** Gamer98 (deviantART user) - **Date:** 2012 ## Overview Posts using the format lean on the exact broken syntax of the source, especially the word 'stoling' and the construction 'explain you a thing'[4]. A typical riff opens with the full phrase, swaps 'art' for whatever is being hypothetically taken, then follows with a flimsy or absurd excuse. The humor depends on keeping the English as wrong as the original quote[6]. Image macros tagged 'stoling' and 'let me explain you a thing' circulated on Tumblr, applying the wording to pop stars, museum paintings, and cartoon characters[7][8]. Fan art communities picked it up as a running joke about how accused reposters try to defend themselves after being called out online[5]. ## How to Use Writers typically keep the misspelling 'stoling' and the mangled grammar intact, then swap the noun 'art' for whatever is being hypothetically stolen, followed by a ridiculous justification. Common conventions include framing it as a fake confession for stealing famous paintings, celebrities, or in-game items[3]. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### What is Before You Say I Am Stoling This Art, Let Me Explain You A Thing? It is a mocked catchphrase taken from a broken-English disclaimer a deviantART user wrote in 2012 to explain that he was reposting his own old artwork, not stealing it[4]. ### Where did Before You Say I Am Stoling This Art, Let Me Explain You A Thing come from? Gamer98 wrote the line on deviantART on November 16, 2012, in the description of a Lion King fan art contest entry[6]. ### What does Before You Say I Am Stoling This Art, Let Me Explain You A Thing mean? People use it to mock the awkward phrasing and the typo 'stoling' for stealing, often as a fake defense against accusations of art theft or reposting[2]. ### How do you use Before You Say I Am Stoling This Art, Let Me Explain You A Thing? Posters keep the exact broken grammar and misspelling, then swap 'art' for whatever is being hypothetically stolen, like Louvre paintings or video game assets[3]. ### Is Before You Say I Am Stoling This Art, Let Me Explain You A Thing still popular? The snowclone peaked on Tumblr in early 2013 and is best known as a classic deviantART and Tumblr relic rather than an active trend[6]. ## References 1. [https://x.com/i/status/269497266862178304]() 2. [http://wtfstuck.tumblr.com/post/35850685773]() 3. [http://yoshika420.tumblr.com/post/43987541335/breaking-news-all-paintings-held-in-the-louvre]() 4. [https://gamer98.deviantart.com/art/Rinjapine-s-Contest-Entry-What-If-338045470]() 5. [https://eu.battle.net/wow/en/forum/topic/6689310267?page=1#20]() 6. [https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/before-you-say-i-am-stoling-this-art-let-me-explain-you-a-thing]() 7. [https://www.tumblr.com/tagged/stoling]() 8. [https://www.tumblr.com/tagged/let+me+explain+you+a+thing]() --- Source: https://meme.com/memes/before-you-say-i-am-stoling-this-art-let-me-explain-you-a-thing Published by meme.com — The Internet Meme Library