COPYRIGHT INFORMATION
| Respect copyrights! |
Not everything you find on the internet is free for use!
It is not allowed to use other artist's artwork or photos without their expressed permission. It is also illegal to alter/edit copyrighted artwork or change it in any way (unless permission is given). Each creation (artwork, photo) is automatically copyrighted to its creator, no matter if it includes copyright info / signature or not (of course, it's easier to find out who is the author if it includes a copyright)."Protecting" artwork by adding huge copyright watermarks covering most of the image sucks, as the fans who liked to view your art cannot enjoy it any more. Art thieves will copy and upload your art anyways, no matter what you write on it. It is good and useful to add some decent copyright information (or watermarking), just be aware that this will not protect your art from being copied.
If you are treating people with respect and respect their copyrights, they will be cooperative regarding permissions. Always ask if you are unsure about something.
| Generally, it's forbidden to... |
- Use artwork/material that does not belong to you for any commercial use!
- Alter / Edit / Recolor artwork of other artists as well as
claiming it as your own work afterwards - Upload artwork of others under your name and claim it would be yours
- Remove / Edit / Crop the copyright information or signature
- Use artwork of others for your galleries like neopets, orkut, IMVU, etc.
- Trace outlines and pretend they are your creation (without giving credit)
- Pretend to be another person (identity theft)
- Abuse copyrighted characters that belong to other people
(for roleplay, as avatar, for "representing" your own characters, ...)
| Copyrighted Characters |
... why can't you use any artwork I did?
Most of my pictures feature copyrighted characters - creations that belong to other people (or myself, like Savoy, Tani, WeuUkoo Wolves). Although I drew the artwork, I cannot give permission to use pictures that show characters of other people, because it is not my right to do so. Especially artwork other people paid for (commissions) is strictly forbidden to use.
| The Bane of Image Galleries |
Why is it such a bad thing if people are uploading artwork that does not belong to them to image galleries like MySpace, Imageshack, Photobucket, IMVU, etc.?
Because some of those galleries include "buy print" options, or allow free use of the uploaded contents of those sites (links for sharing, etc.) - no matter what the original artist says. Of course their policies say it is not allowed to upload copyrighted material - but nobody will control the millions of uploaded pictures.
People find pictures on those sites - and think it's OK to use them. In the end - nobody even knows who the original artist was, cause everybody thinks it's free stuff. Please DO NOT upload artwork that does not belong to you to other websites or galleries!!
There is usually a possibility to report copyright abuse (DMCA complaint), but it's not always that easy to get your art removed. Contacting the users directly is almost impossible, as there is often no contact information or the thieves switch their profiles to "private".
| Stay polite! |
If you notice copyright abuse, please feel free to drop me a note, I appreciate people who are paying attention to art theft.
If you want to take action yourself and send the thief a note about the copyright abuse, that's OK - but PLEASE be friendly and polite. Do NOT start fighting or even bashing other people for me or something! It is my job to handle such problems.
[Copyright infos] ["May I use your art?"] [My Art Permissions (Do/Don't)]