stunad jr.

A word to the wise before posting "show your work"

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WATERMARK your images.  Make your name very visible across the whole dam picture.  Make it difficult for someone to steal and use for their own.

Its a shitty feeling seeing your hard work on someone's website. 

Believe me, if your work looks good..... Someone is gonna steal it.  Let them make their own!!!!!!! 

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Guest fivestar

Yup.....That's why you don't see me "show my work" anymore.  That and every time you post something someone ALWAYS wants the file.

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+1

I got to see some of my work rolling down the street on the back of a car the other day, that was great!

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ya.  and dont forget.... US Cutter has a fine link on their ebay page for thousands to look at called "Look at What we can do".......

Keep that in the back of you mind.  Not only are the members of this forum looking at your work, EVERYONE IS. 

I HAVE ONE SUGGESTION.......

Even though you are proud of your work, KEEP IT FOR YOUR OWN PORTFOLIO or WEBSITE. 

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Holy cow.  Looks like someone got burnt.  I feel for ya man.  But keep in mind all the hard work that you do is in some way, some how is gonna get recreated in some form.  I mean really. How many of you out there have at one time or another cut a calvin pissing on something, a tinkerbell, any cookie cutter decal?  That's someones work.  It's like everyone is bitching about people taking their work and recreating it. No one that is in this business is totally inocent.

There is a bunch of times that I have taken the time and effort to create a drawing, tattoo flash, mural, or web graphic, and seen it in other places.  Hell I take that as a compliment. Please don't take this reply in the wrong way. I really mean no disrespect, but if you strongly feel that way. Maybe your in the wrong business.

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I agree with the last post, I find this forum very useful and at times inspiring. I haven't copied any of the work, but I have been inspired to do something different by seeing the possibilities posted here.

I don't feel sensitive about the possibility of people copying my work or methods here. The more we share the more we all improve, and we please a customer (or ourselves) at the end of the day.

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Original work carries the copyright of the artist. Just because it's posted doesn't mean one can use or sell it without the permission of the artist. Those caught violating copyrights put themselves at risk...especially if someone is blatant enough to steal art from another member of this board. Harley Davidson or Disney may be rich and busy with other things...but the odd artist is gonna take it a lot more personally if his/her work is ripped-off.

As a Photoshop expert, there's little that could stop me if I *really* wanted to rip off someone's work...I mean, a watermark is easily dealt with in a few minutes, but I'm a Photoshop pro and others may not be comfortable editing images at all with everything in between.

I am still looking for a good way to show work without risking theft except from a determined yet unethical Photoshop pro....so far the best way I think is distorting the image with some kind of perspective. The brain can figure it out, but it won't vector properly if the image is simply cleaned up. There are perspective tools in Photoshop but then you'd have issues with up-rezzing and removing the distortion which would take some design-work to fix. Either way, it's probably a little more daunting than a simple watermark.

The best bet is for people to just hire artists when they want original work they can sell as their own, but make sure it's work for hire so you own it when it's delivered and paid for. I sold some original art to a member of this forum and we're both happy. He has a really nice, unique piece of art he can cut into decals and I got paid for my art and time...and I didn't even charge that much since I do enjoy the process. A college-kid or something might be dirt-cheap and will probably generate some nice stuff (if one has issues finding relevant clip-art).

Not to mention, I would bet the admins on this forum might not take too kindly to someone who has been proven to be a thief. They might even ban the person if it were clear what happened. Just saying..it's just not worth it.  

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Well downloading an image is something we can't prevent, should expect and won't even know about. What I was talking about was copyright protection from people using that image in some illegal way, like vectorizing and selling it as their own or something.

There are two different issues here. Downloading an image? Who cares. Selling it as your own? Bad mojo.

The trick is to make it more difficult for the vectorizing hack to steal work...and I'm thinking perspective distortion might be more discouraging than a simple, easy-to-circumvent watermark. After-all, the thief most likely has little in the way of art skills so you'd want to discourage them by making them do more design than simple watermark-cleanup. 

Anything that I do personally, as an entirely self-composed image or vector; one that put on here, or up in any internet herald, I guess I just know I'm opening the door to let the flies in!  Sure.  Steal my work!  That is one of the things about sharing.  Don't steal mine tho, then say it's yours, and try to bury me with it..that'd be SO uncool.  But yeah, shit.  You can have anything I put up here.  

Watermarks are even easy for me to get around, and I'm NOT professional anything!  I sometimes practice on some really hard images - just for the practice on tracing live photos.  

I don't think there is any way around someone stealing your images.  Some websites have Java popups that are active with right-clickies when you try to save, but a screen capture thwarts that.. If it's that important, I'd say don't show it.  I like to share, and see it as a compliment if other people want it.  Flattery.  Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery(which, ironically,  is also a quote by Charles Caleb Colton..in which case, I'm "stealing" it..??) Stealing images is the sincerest form of flattery?  Emulating images is the sincerest.. etc..

 

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How do you guys that are so paranoid about people stealing your work intend to sell it online?

It's pretty obvious that stealing is wrong, and it's much easier in the digital age.  There is always going to be someone that steals it.  Perspective distortion, watermarks, whatever.  If you don't like it, paint oil on canvas.

I have never really thought that the link from all the ebay auctions was very cool to us members, though.  You are definitely increasing your odds of getting art stolen with all the drive-by viewings from fleabay.

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The moment you sell or post your work it's out there.  The only time you'll know if it' stolen, is when you catch someone, and then take the appropriate action.

Joe

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I'm just starting out, so I don't know I am not a rich corporation like Harley Davidson...I am still trying to protect my assets...especially since I don't have an army of lawyers at my beck and call either.

Preventive measures against theft are just deterrents....I just don't wanna make it easy. I figure most thieves are lazy and aren't artists. ;)

It's like a car I guess...if it's stolen you claim it on insurance if it's not recovered. With stolen art you have the legal system.

How do you guys that are so paranoid about people stealing your work intend to sell it online?

There is always going to be someone that steals it.  Perspective distortion, watermarks, whatever.  

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solution: If it's that important DON'T Post it.  If not........u know what to do.....I'm all in favor of posting stuff....but if it means a lot to you then you shouldn't....and if you do.....and you see it somewhere else....well, I told ya so......

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bkoke - you said it brother, all these newbies so worried about there "art" being STOLEN, well simple enough DON'T POST IT.

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I love this forum for many reasons and the sharing is included in that. I thought it was so cool that people were willing to share. I have done my fair share of sharing and love doing it. Seems to me ever since Ken left there has been a dramatic change in the additudes here. People complaining about others asking for help in vectorizing or complaining of others asking for files. I have downloaded my work in the form of finished product as well as in eps. When I check it there will be 20-50 downloads. There will be maybe 2 thank you's. I'm guessing people are downloading it and not wanting others to know they actually downloaded it so they do it on the sly. The people downloading are more than likely not even members as anyone can come right on in here without joining and download to thier hears content. Thats the only part of this forum I would change. Make it so you have to join in order to be able to access certain areas.

I dont ever worry about people stealing my work, I mean that can be done in your own town! I get many ideas from people right here in my town as well as from this forum. People all over wear the shirts you design, or see the signs you designed or the glass you etched. If its good and they like it, they either think ohhh where did you get that or they think wow I can make one of those...lol.  If you dont want to post your work for fear of someone stealing it then dont show, dont sell it, lock it up in a closet somewhere and never let anyone see it! LOL!! On the same note, dont download someone elses work, because thats being a hypicrit. ( bad spelling) I'm willing to bet it does happen! Dont know that for sure as the forum doesnt let you know who is taking your file unless you THANK the person you are taking from! Personally I have taken and I have also contributed and will continue to do so!

Renee

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worrying and paranoia will make you miserable and send you to an early grave. If you worry too much about people stealing your work, then you literally have boxed yourself into walled garden where nobody can see your work but you. Thieves will always steal, and anything you can do to prevent it,someone will always figure out a way around. A simple watermark will usually stop the people who are honest..nothing will stop those who are not.

As the old saying goes..'locks just keep honest people honest'.

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well put, Thor. "thank you" are the two most important words anyone can ever learn. They sure go a long way with me,and the lack of them has caused more than one person from contributing here.

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Thank you all (now that I have your attention LOL)

Thats the only part of this forum I would change. Make it so you have to join in order to be able to access certain areas.

My metal detecting forums are set up this way you can go on and read posts etc. but if you want to see photos of the finds rings etc. you have to join and become a member,, it is a good idea that I agree with

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Lots of lucky getting any changes here. I've been trying for months to get something as simple as new members having to be approved..to keep out spammers and porn posters..with no success whatsoever.

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Guest fivestar

Well this thread has went WAY OFF TOPIC, but I will add US Cutter don't want to change anything because they are a company and they use this forum as a HUGE SALES TOOL.  They link this forum directly in their ebay ads and that allows anyone to come here and see how active and support there is here.

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I volunteered to do it. But I honestly believe that my dog pays more attention to what I say these days.

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I volunteered to do it. But I honestly believe that my dog pays more attention to what I say these days.

That's not all bad, sometimes I like their attention better ;D

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Not wanting your art stolen doesn't make you a 'newbie' and posting an image of art doesn't change copyright law. Like I said, downloading is no big deal. Using it as your own for profit is totally different. I sincerely hope people don't confuse the two.

Disney has their images everywhere, but people who steal their art and sell it might just hear from one of their lawyers, and the law would be on Disney's side if there's a copyright violation.

That said, I am not gonna lose sleep worrying about car-theft, bike-theft, art-theft...but I won't necessarily make it any easier for people than I have to.

bkoke - you said it brother, all these newbies so worried about there "art" being STOLEN, well simple enough DON'T POST IT.

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To totally change the subject here.  I've been seeing all kinds of replies on this thread, but the one person that really has a bitch about it all is not saying a damn thing.  I'm starting to think that this guy may just be bitter and trying to cause problems in here.  Now I know that all of us get along pretty well from reading posts throughout the forum.  But really where is stunad jr.?  I think he should chime in on this topic that he has created.

Just my opinion.  And you know how the saying goes.  Everyone's got one.  ;D

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