The Artist Career Training Blog - Comments

Robin Sagara comments on Ten Things Every Artist Should Know About Images

Robin Sagara — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 02:42:19 +0000

Hi Zhelian: You make a good point about how there is a lot of theft of paintings on the cheap market in China. I've heard from several artists who have spotted their work, stolen and used as reproductions and as designs on merchandise. I'm not a lawyer, but I do see how difficult it is for them to take legal action, so the best thing to do is to try and protect your work as much as possible before it gets stolen. Of course your original images should be high-resolution, but don't use those on the internet. Use small low-res versions because they don't print well and look terrible if enlarged. Watermark them if you think that will help. Good luck!

Robin Sagara comments on Protecting Your Content & Images From Theft

Robin Sagara — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 02:33:55 +0000

Hi Alyson: Thanks for the info, I had forgotten about FB changing the links and appreciate your mentioning it. I know that watermarking images does deface them, so it can be a difficult line to walk - to watermark or not. I don't always but sometimes the artist requests it and I do think it can help when using higher resolution images. I have one artist (photographer) who has had work stolen, and now she asks me to watermark all her work and hasn't had any problems since. So, I do think it can be helpful.

Hey there Clint: I agree with you and also wonder why more artists don't copyright their work. It's not expensive and if they are keeping an updated inventory of their work (with the type of info the copyright form includes) it can be fast and easy to fill out the forms. You're right about the definition of copyright infringement. The copyright office says: "copyright infringement occurs when a copyrighted work is reproduced, distributed, performed, publicly displayed, or made into a derivative work without the permission of the copyright owner." I use the word theft in a general sense, I think the readers will know what I mean, and appreciate your clarification.

Clint Watson comments on Protecting Your Content & Images From Theft

Clint Watson — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 22:43:09 +0000

#1 takes care of almost everything. If you register a copyright there are (I think) statutory damages that you can seek - you don't have to prove any damages. In fact, registration is the step that let the world know you are "serious" about your copyright (and prior to the 70s was a mandatory step). The thing I don't understand, so many artists don't do it? Why? Isn't the work worth it? It would make any copyright action so much stronger and it's a step almost nobody I know takes. (I'm not a lawyer, btw)

A minor point - while I understand why people use the word "theft", copyright infringement is not theft, it's copyright infringement. Otherwise, you could just prosecute copyright infringement under theft laws. If copyright infringement was theft, then googlebot is "stealing" your images every time it indexes an artist's website and uses those images is google image search.

Alyson Stanfield comments on Protecting Your Content & Images From Theft

Alyson Stanfield — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 17:03:14 +0000

Nice article, Robin. I agree with everything but #3. Not a fan of watermarking - why share at all if you're going to deface the image? I don't, however, mind credit in the lower portion or side of an image - or an add on space below the image (if that makes sense).

One thing to keep in mind is that if images are uploaded into Facebook (perhaps other sites as well), FB renames the file, so your image file name wouldn't be found on Facebook.

Zhenlian comments on Ten Things Every Artist Should Know About Images

Zhenlian — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 02:20:21 +0000

I think that the internet has done a lot of good to artists like me, I don't have the money to exhibit my art in galleries, the only way to exhibit my art is on the internet, but at the same time we are also exposing our works to easy thefts, I have seen a lot of theft paintings on the cheap market here in China, no artist knows about this unless the artist (himself) (herself) sees the works, an unknown artist like me cannot take legat actions even if I know that my work has been stolen, if you are a well-known artist, may be you can take legal actions.

Agatha Gothe comments on Contact Info on Emails - Don't Make People Hunt You Down

Agatha Gothe — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 13:41:27 +0000

It’s always nice when you can not only be informed, but also entertained!
I’m sure you had fun writing this article.

tyrone burrier comments on Art Business Library Tools to Help Artists Make More Money: The Empty Easel

tyrone burrier — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 04:51:40 +0000

What an informational content you have here, especially the one about 9 ways to boost creativity. As an artist, I also use a sort of white or bulletin board to create a mind map. This what helps me come up with new ideas.

Kurt Whitner comments on Keeping Your Skills Sharp

Kurt Whitner — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 01:11:17 +0000

Creative Catalyst Productions is indeed a great resource for quality videos about art. It seems you are just in a live seminar! I'll give you two thumbs up!

Sybil Wieners comments on Keeping Your Skills Sharp

Sybil Wieners — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 01:36:15 +0000

Lynda.com is truly a great resource. I've used it for a couple of times and I must say it helped me more than what I need. Thanks for these insights.

Denis Paxton comments on Keeping Your Skills Sharp

Denis Paxton — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 07:15:38 +0000

Is "My Real Job Is Being An Artist" out yet? Thanks for these invaluable insights. Alloting a regular block of time and the discipline has really helped me keep to being productive but sometimes I find myself needing to refill my wells of inspiration by looking around the web or turning to nature....