You miss the point the the split forms are supposed to be recognizable as the same pokemon because they ARE the same pokemon. I know the art you are talking about, and that strays too far what split forms are supposed to be. What you're looking for should be a different evolution entirely.
Yes, supposed to be recognizable, so yes
I do get the point actually. However, what people don't want, is to have carbon copies. Really, you think people are going to be happy more if Litten3's form was just on four legs and that was it, as how your art shows? I highly doubt they would go with that. That would be way too boring, and I can predict people would still hate it. Also, the Split Forms, if true, would likely still be Version exclusive, meaning, they will surely be similar, but also be different. If so, it only makes more sense to make these forms distinct, yet familiar and unique to their version. People can still train, breed and trade their exclusive evolutions. Whether they want to do this or not, is up to them, but its not something unobtainable.
More, for all we know, the Evolution difference could kick in at the first stage, rather than the first stage. The typings can also change because of these forms. Just because Rockruff kept its Type throughout both its evolutionary forms, doesn't automatically mean the starters will do so the same, seeing as they and Rockruff
do not share the secret as it was said. Of course, the secret itself can still be the same in a general manner, but be different for the starters this time ahead. The outrage about the Final Evos for the starters, mainly for Litten, is because a lot of people don't want to see
Fire/Fighting anymore after getting the type combo 3 gens in a row. Can you blame them for looking at Litten for the first time and coming out with negative responses? I sure can't blame them. Of course, it doesn't help that Fighting emphasizes a lot with humanoid fighters, seeing as Fighting type can also work for Quad bodied PKMN.
Seeing as Litten3's Final Evo Form is
Fire/Dark, this makes Litten's evo atleast somewhat different, for me anyways, as I'm still going to choose him if there is no other form to pick, because I mainly have a bias for felines. That or Popplio, whose final evo looking dang majestic and unique.
For the rest, concerning the art on DA, I was just giving a example of how some Quad evos of Litten can still work and still look great, simple and nice. I never once said "
that is what the split evos should be or are going to be". Even I am not that delusional to think that way. Of course, its to note that I'm pointing out specific examples, not the idiotic moronic art pieces.