[quote=@ethanjory]
Again, it's not stealing, since it's still the work of the artist, unless I were to lie and say I was the one who created it, which would actually be a "shitty" thing to do. You're just using it in a way to supplement your writing. Asking for permission is irrelevant, since the use of the art is not taking away anything from the artist, nor is it belittling the work that they put into it, or causing any kind of damage. 
[/quote]

if you need to steal someone's art to "supplement" your writing, you're probably not a good writer.

asking for permission does help, because then the artist can be like "yes, go forth, do this thing." at this point, stealing art or using art that does not belong to you is nothing but laziness. why not just. write a description. make your own art. you don't have to use someone elses art. and taking someones art without permission and using it and, very likely not crediting it or crediting it to the wrong source because one was too lazy to go back and see who belongs to does take away from the effort they put into it, because you are taking something that someone created and using it in a way that it was not intended to be used.

the artists opinion is the only opinion that really matters, even if you don't think its stealing/takes anything way, because they created the fucking thing.

[@Valor]

its wrong if you didn't ask permission/they specifically said no to others using it