I've been wanting something like this from the very moment I started using stock images... Years ago. So here is a mutually beneficial way to give and receive credit for works that influence other works in any sort of way.

it if you like it! My website: Illustrious Author Wannabe

Some notes:

You may have noticed I have a deviant in my example of things that could be tagged as influences. This is because I think you ought to be able to give credit to specific people or groups, too - perhaps because their journal, contest, or entire gallery inspired you.
Naturally, there would be instances where some folks would try to abuse the system, just like anything else - that is why works that are tagged could be edited to check or uncheck works you want displayed in the "influenced" section, perhaps to remove an offensive or unrelated piece.
The above feature could have unforseen benefits, such as a stocker saying, "I will only display the BEST five deviations that used this stock in the 'influenced' section," inspiring some healthy competition.
There would be a limit on how many deviations could be tagged as an influence, since to give proper credit, they would need to all be displayed - I'd suggest 20 or 25.
Conversely, there would be no limit on how many deviations could tag a particular image - but similar to the "more from" section, they would be randomized after a certain amount.
As ^shelldevil mentioned, this could lead to new widgets for your profile page, like a "Work I've Influenced" box.

The benefits:

Would use existing drag & drop technology.
A uniform way to give credit to stockers.
Crediting stocker, linking back to the deviation, and notifying the stocker would become streamlined into one simple step.
Reinforces ing of stock used in your work!
It's not just for stock! Every kind of art has influences! (I can already see it being used for all kinds of things I hadn't originally thought of - Memes, coloring lineart, art trades & character commissions...)
Enriches the community by encouraging folks to pay homage to fellow deviants that inspired their work - from linking to a deviation that inspired the colors, to the poem that inspired the concept.
People can glance back and forth from the influence thumbnails to the deviation to understand techniques used.
Increase deviantArt's impact on the art world by giving people a way to discover trends in art in a unique, visual way.
Just another fun way to get your deviantArt fix other than browsing categories - get immersed in a complex web of influences, akin to getting sucked into a long string of Wikipedia articles.

Feedback wanted!

Do you like this? Do you think you would use it?
Does anything about this confuse you? Do you understand how it would work?
Do you hate it? Why?
Are there any little tweaks I could do to improve the suggestion?

Your concerns, answered:

"People will abuse the system to get undeserved attention."

• Attention whores will be attention whores. No matter what features get added or taken away from deviantArt, this standard will hold true until the end of time. And knowing that is the very reason I emphasized the feature of being able to automatically or manually add deviation thumbnails to YOUR work when your work is tagged. This way, people who naturally don't mind their work being tagged, like stock accounts, may leave it automated, while people with art accounts can scrutinize and pick and choose which works they want to display - or completely ignore the system and never link back to anything. It's up to the individual user.

"This would lead to copyright infringement in that people would think it's okay to grab anything from dA, use it, and then tag it as a resource."

• Wouldn't you LOVE it if a thief left a sticky note on your door stating their name, address, phone number, and a "thank you for having such nice stuff in your house"? I sure would. The point is, if people were to abuse the system in this way, it would be a GOOD thing in that people would automatically be notified when their stuff is used inappropriately, leading to a more expediated violation report.
  
  The only type of person who would use the system in this way would be a) ignorant/innocent mistakes by people who do not understand the concept of art ownership (and I hate to tell you - this ALREADY happens) and b) idiots. Why idiots? Because only an idiot would know it was wrong to begin with and still announce their thieving by leaving a message in your inbox. Most people who already know it is wrong would not use this system to avoid getting caught.

"I want more than an automated tick in my inbox when my stock or resource is used/more than just a thumbnail when my resource is credited."

• This system certainly does not change the way you may ask people to give you credit or notify you. It merely gives you another option. There's already a whole cornucopia of methods people prefer to get notified or get credited already. Perhaps you'll want a link AND a tag AND a note in your inbox. This will still be up to the individual.

"You are supposed to acquire permission before making an image."

• Indeed. But this system does not interfere with people following proper protocol. It is only a way for people to notify and credit the owners of their resources and inspirations in a streamlined, professional-looking sort of way. (And besides - most owners of deviations that are straight-up stock and resources have already given permission - they merely want to be credited and notified.)

"I want to give credit to people, but I do not want to add their work to my favorites just because I used their resource/were inspired by their work."

• All right, I get where you're coming from - you want to maintain a ship-shape fascist order to your favorites because damn it you like things to be neat and tidy and have a certain theme. I hear you. But I do want to point out that again, this system would not be mandatory, but optional, and also, think about this:
  
  What if someone USED your WORK to create an image? What if someone MADE a new image BECAUSE of your WORK? I don't know about you, but I would appreciate that person giving me the courtesy of a little ol' to show their appreciation. And besides - there are many ways to maintain order to your favorites already implimented here on dA, like collection folders and the ability to customize what appears on your profile page.

"I still do not think I should have to favorite anything in order to use such a system because of ___ reason."

• The simple fact of the matter is we're never going to see eye-to-eye about this particular subject. Frankly, from a programmer's perspective, I think it would be best for practical and aesthetic reasons, since the only place you can currently drag and drop a deviation without the "collections" dropbox coming down is your favorites. It is also something I simply think you should do - but some don't agree. If you're one of them, take a deep breath and try to accept this. As *Tsitra360 said (in the same breath of offering such criticism), "Of course this is a concept, and if DA seriously will implement this I'm sure there will be some additional changes."

Blah, blah, blah, about that favorites thing, I still think I shouldn't have to do it, and I'm going to continue to nag you about it.

• Well I can't please everybody... Oh wait. I can.
  
  Introducing an alternate method of "tagging" a deviation.
  
  
  1. A new button would be located directly beneath the "Add to Favorites" button in the right hand column of every deviation.
  
  
  2. A pop-up window would appear similar to the "Contribute Art" functionality currently used in dA Groups - this window would contain only your own work.
  
  
  3. From this window you could rummage through your deviations and click which ones you want to associate someone else's work to. You could even click multiple works at once, in the case of something having inspired a series, or you used that particular texture in multiple photomanipulations, etc.
  
  
  4. The "tag" button could also be located on groups & deviants' individual profile pages, next to the existing +Watch button, for the purpose of tagging individuals, too!
  
  
  ARE YOU HAPPY NOW?

"I do not want my work to be tagged, ever, for any reason/I want to pick and choose which of my deviations may be tagged."

• I can see why some people would want to opt out of the system altogether - especially those people who have stock & resources on the SAME account as their own personal artwork. `Thiefoworld suggested that if such a system were implemented, we should be able to click a checkbox to include or remove our work from the system entirely in the "edit" page of your deviation, and I agree. So get to it, dA.

Obligatory old clunky credits:

Texture 11 by =night-fate-stock
Blue and Green Fur Texture by ^FantasyStock
Grey Horse Fur by ~EumyCookie
Autumn by *Mechanical-Penguin
Watch Me Go by *Krakjen
Banana Charm by *MiyukiAyase
Industrial Revolution by *Skyefan112
Walking the Dog by ~CatsBetweenTheStars
Good Girl Gone Bad by `suzaku009
Emma Watson Wallpaper by ~saygreenday
Rocking Horse by *Viscious-Speed
Rock Bird by ~Onceuponatime13
Ann by ~baluktot
Against the Wind by ~etherealism

Edit about the DD:

Holy crippity-crap. You know, a lot of people say they are surprised when they get a DD - I was only surprised it happened so fast, damn. That's how confident I was that this would really be a great addition to dA. So thank you so much for you confidence in this =PirateLotus-Stock, =oblivion00, =Silver-MoonNight, and ^wdwparksgal for some kind words in my inbox, but especially ^FantasyStock for pumping me up and pimping this out so well!!

I'd also like to mention how totally freaking spooky-awesome it is that a friend of mine I suggested like a month ago got featured on the exact same day as me. Weird right?!?! I like to think it is good karma. Please go check him out too (after you get done lavishing me with affection of course .)

I will be taking the time to answer (in completely random order) all of you who have commented, especially those that have concerns about this suggestion, which I will add to a new section above called Your concerns, answered.