freehand

In standard usage, the term "freehand" has connotations of a drawing made "without the aid of tracing or drafting devices" (i.e. the artist sees -- or imagines -- something, and puts it down to their "canvas" impulsively, without measuring it or ensuring that it conforms accurately to a real-life reference.) In the underground computer artscene, its meaning was slightly different: we used it similarly to how demosceners would assert no copy status on their original creations.

In an artscene whose standard practice was the regular minting of comic rip scrollers, "freehand" art was quite novel (at least, outside the realm of underground typography.) Most underground ANSI art illustrations were as-faithful-as-possible adaptations of comic book covers and panels, but if someone felt they really understood the character design of [The Maxx] and drew an ANSI screen portraying him in a pose or scenario that had never before appeared in print, that would be considered a freehand illustration. Doing something similar with an [original character] (a rarity in the scene, but [Eerie] and [Lord Jazz] tried!) would absolutely be considered freehand work. I rather many expect "[toon]"- and graffiti-style doodlers and artists with powerful personal styles (I'm thinking of [Chromatik] of Blade here) were more likely to be quietly freehanding their way through the scene. Some proponents of freehand work offered abbreviations for a wordy practice they felt we ought to be engaging in more frequently: one regrettable attempt was to combine "freehand art" into "FART". Others suggested abbreviating "freehand ANSI" as "[FANSI]", but ultimately that would prove to be something else entirely.