Thoughts and Finals
Jun. 4th, 2002 04:08 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
elfie_chanWell, I finally finished that ghost story I was working on and sent it off to my fellow short-story editors for class. I'm still not entirely happy with it, but I can edit it some more after I get feedback. Now, I just have to work on some art projects and editing/making comments on my fellow students' stories...ergh. There's just too much to do, and I should be doing that instead of updating my LJ. But I need a break.
And now, some interesting thoughts.
Interesting Thought #1: Copyright.
I got semi-involved in a strange internet argument on Monday. The argument was about copyright, or, more specifically, using other people's artwork for your own purposes without permission. My contribution to the entire thing was a calm comment that, in general, it is considered good manners to ask someone's permission before using their artwork as your icon on a chatroom board, etc. The trouble is this: with the internet being so prevalent and easy to use, it is easy to access artwork. The problem in this case was that the person in question was using a picture from his icon that he got off someone's page, mistakenly thinking it was free domain. Unfortunately, it wasn't. It wasn't his fault: he got it from a friend of his. This friend was the one who probably downloaded it and posted it without copyright information, which is WRONG. You are not allowed to do this.
Folks, this is what happens when you post other people's stuff without permission or copyright information: They could lose it, permanently. It's wrong, but it happens all the time, and it's a long, costly process to regain the copyright that is rightfully the artist's. I have no problem with pictures from anime, etc. being posted on webpages with copyright information, as long as people aren't selling it. Sometimes, it's near-impossible to get contact information for a big-name anime producer or whatever, so it's really hard to get permission to use an image on your informational webpage or whatever. However, the least one can do is mention that one didn't draw this image and the characters are copyrighted to someone else. It's common courtesy, as well as being ethical and honest.
Also, most artists have contact information on their webpages. For heaven's sake, before taking something from their webpages and using it yourself, ASK! It only takes a few seconds, and they usually say yes. If they don't, they have a good reason--RESPECT IT. Gah. It drives me crazy when people steal, just because they can.
Interesting Thought #2: Fanart
Okay. This is related to Interesting Thought #1, obviously, but it was brought up in the same art argument I mentioned. Fanart is a whole different issue. Just because you don't own a character doesn't mean you can't draw fanart, and it doesn't mean that the fanart itself doesn't belong to you. When you draw a picture of another person's character, the artwork itself belongs to you: but the character itself DOES NOT. When doing fanart, be sure to mention who the character belongs to.
And here's an opinion of mine that may make me a little unpopular: I believe that selling fanart is wrong. Drawing pictures of some else's character for your own amusement is fine and dandy, and I have no problem with anyone displaying such with copyright information, but selling it? It seems to me that that takes away from the original creator, and it's wrong. The only exception that I can think of would be if the original creator gave express permission for the sale of fanart of his/her character. This may seem a little hard-nosed of me, but really! Would you like someone else selling fanart of YOUR character without talking to you? Probably not.
Copyright is a hard issue to deal with. I have many more thoughts, and I could argue about it for hours. Basic, bottom-line: If you want to use somebody else's stuff, ask. It never hurts.
This discussion also made me realize why many 'net artists who sell their stuff put HUGE copyright notices across their images that are up for display...they don't want people stealing their images and selling them.
Tips to avoid getting your artwork stolen!
Please note that these are mainly for people who plan to sell their artwork and aren't just displaying it on the 'net, though these tips could help the latter people as well.
1. There's a bit of HTML coding that you can use to stop people from using the right-click function on your graphics. I got it from someone in the art discussion who decided to help us artists. Check this out for more info: No right click!
2. Display your artwork at a low resolution, at a size that only takes up about half the screen. Graphics can still look nice at a lower resolution, and this ensures that, even if someone DOES right-click and take your stuff, they're going to get a graphic that they can look at on their computer, but won't look good if they try to print it out and sell it.
3. When putting your graphics up on the 'net, edit them first by putting copyright information in BIG letters across the picture. I've seen this used to great effectiveness in several different places. When you print the graphic for sale, make the copyright information smaller and make sure that it doesn't cover up your graphic. Make sense?
Gah...this whole thing has made me all paranoid. It's a scary world out there for artists who are trying to make a living through their work, and there are a lot of us out there. Just because we don't have time to make free stuff doesn't give anyone an excuse to rip us off. *growls*
Hrrrm...as I reread this, I realize that many people will find things to argue with me about. I welcome this! Please, please let me know if you feel that I'm not making valid points or you can think of something that I haven't thought of. I'm always open to discussion and so on, and I promise not to flame. ^_^v
Well, gotta go work on art stuff for class. Ja ne!
And now, some interesting thoughts.
Interesting Thought #1: Copyright.
I got semi-involved in a strange internet argument on Monday. The argument was about copyright, or, more specifically, using other people's artwork for your own purposes without permission. My contribution to the entire thing was a calm comment that, in general, it is considered good manners to ask someone's permission before using their artwork as your icon on a chatroom board, etc. The trouble is this: with the internet being so prevalent and easy to use, it is easy to access artwork. The problem in this case was that the person in question was using a picture from his icon that he got off someone's page, mistakenly thinking it was free domain. Unfortunately, it wasn't. It wasn't his fault: he got it from a friend of his. This friend was the one who probably downloaded it and posted it without copyright information, which is WRONG. You are not allowed to do this.
Folks, this is what happens when you post other people's stuff without permission or copyright information: They could lose it, permanently. It's wrong, but it happens all the time, and it's a long, costly process to regain the copyright that is rightfully the artist's. I have no problem with pictures from anime, etc. being posted on webpages with copyright information, as long as people aren't selling it. Sometimes, it's near-impossible to get contact information for a big-name anime producer or whatever, so it's really hard to get permission to use an image on your informational webpage or whatever. However, the least one can do is mention that one didn't draw this image and the characters are copyrighted to someone else. It's common courtesy, as well as being ethical and honest.
Also, most artists have contact information on their webpages. For heaven's sake, before taking something from their webpages and using it yourself, ASK! It only takes a few seconds, and they usually say yes. If they don't, they have a good reason--RESPECT IT. Gah. It drives me crazy when people steal, just because they can.
Interesting Thought #2: Fanart
Okay. This is related to Interesting Thought #1, obviously, but it was brought up in the same art argument I mentioned. Fanart is a whole different issue. Just because you don't own a character doesn't mean you can't draw fanart, and it doesn't mean that the fanart itself doesn't belong to you. When you draw a picture of another person's character, the artwork itself belongs to you: but the character itself DOES NOT. When doing fanart, be sure to mention who the character belongs to.
And here's an opinion of mine that may make me a little unpopular: I believe that selling fanart is wrong. Drawing pictures of some else's character for your own amusement is fine and dandy, and I have no problem with anyone displaying such with copyright information, but selling it? It seems to me that that takes away from the original creator, and it's wrong. The only exception that I can think of would be if the original creator gave express permission for the sale of fanart of his/her character. This may seem a little hard-nosed of me, but really! Would you like someone else selling fanart of YOUR character without talking to you? Probably not.
Copyright is a hard issue to deal with. I have many more thoughts, and I could argue about it for hours. Basic, bottom-line: If you want to use somebody else's stuff, ask. It never hurts.
This discussion also made me realize why many 'net artists who sell their stuff put HUGE copyright notices across their images that are up for display...they don't want people stealing their images and selling them.
Tips to avoid getting your artwork stolen!
Please note that these are mainly for people who plan to sell their artwork and aren't just displaying it on the 'net, though these tips could help the latter people as well.
1. There's a bit of HTML coding that you can use to stop people from using the right-click function on your graphics. I got it from someone in the art discussion who decided to help us artists. Check this out for more info: No right click!
2. Display your artwork at a low resolution, at a size that only takes up about half the screen. Graphics can still look nice at a lower resolution, and this ensures that, even if someone DOES right-click and take your stuff, they're going to get a graphic that they can look at on their computer, but won't look good if they try to print it out and sell it.
3. When putting your graphics up on the 'net, edit them first by putting copyright information in BIG letters across the picture. I've seen this used to great effectiveness in several different places. When you print the graphic for sale, make the copyright information smaller and make sure that it doesn't cover up your graphic. Make sense?
Gah...this whole thing has made me all paranoid. It's a scary world out there for artists who are trying to make a living through their work, and there are a lot of us out there. Just because we don't have time to make free stuff doesn't give anyone an excuse to rip us off. *growls*
Hrrrm...as I reread this, I realize that many people will find things to argue with me about. I welcome this! Please, please let me know if you feel that I'm not making valid points or you can think of something that I haven't thought of. I'm always open to discussion and so on, and I promise not to flame. ^_^v
Well, gotta go work on art stuff for class. Ja ne!
