Artist Rights

READ ME! If you do not support the complete message of this stamp then, I urge you, PLEASE DO NOT add this stamp to your favourites!

Get permission before using any creative work that is not your own. Crediting or disclaiming IS NOT permission.



What's this About?

You don't feel bad using someone else's pretty photo or kawaii anime artwork for your graphic design? Because it's copying, not stealing? Right? But you're not just making a copy of the file! You're leeching off someone else's talent without them knowing!

Artists have the same intellectual property rights online as they do in real life. And just because it's easy to get away with it on the internet, doesn't mean it's ok to do!

IT FEELS GOOD to know people want to use your artwork for a web/graphic design. But it's annoying to have it done without your awareness.

Ask permission! Communicate! Make an artist happy knowing you like their work! Make yourself happy knowing the artist is ok with you've done with their work!



MISCONCEPTIONS

Purchasing a book, game, music or DVD, does not grant you the right to copy its content online. These products come with a license limiting what you can do with them. Often the author states inside the cover they do not want you re-using their work!

Crediting or disclaiming does not equal permission. It doesn't clear you of doing anything wrong.

"Credit to whoever" or "this isn't mine, I found it on the internet", is not the correct source to credit. Also, it doesn't help anyone - you might as well say nothing.

"Credit goes to Google" or "Credit goes to -xyz- scans gallery", is not the correct source to credit.

You are not allowed to put "Copyright (c) Me" on something you upload to the internet if it's mostly made from other people's work.



Getting Permission is Not Difficult

If you can take an hour to create a wallpaper or something, surely you can spend 5 minutes sending an email or letter asking permission.



Thank You All!

I wish to thank all the people who do the right thing. And hope that you set a good example for everyone else.

Subscribers: You have permission to display this stamp in your journal! Everyone else: Feel free to +fav and show this stamp anywhere!



Further Reading

As you can see, copyright and artist rights are important to a lot of people:

10 Big Myths about copyright explained
Copyright: Fair Use and the Most Common Misconceptions of Copyright Law
Copyright Violations
Internet Law (BitLaw)
Copyrights and Wrongs for Typography
Electronic Piracy
RIGHTS
What is Copyright Protection?
Copyright - Wikipedia
Online Fanarts Protection - Not being able to communicate with artists is no excuse to steal!
ChillingEffects.org



deviantART's Submission Policies!

FAQ #8: What are violations of the deviantART copyright policy?
FAQ #157: Can I use things created by other people in my submissions?
FAQ #306: Does "Crediting" let me use whatever I want?
FAQ #257: What sort of permission do I need to use someone else's work?
FAQ #572: What does deviantART consider "Fan Art" to be?
FAQ #578: What does deviantART consider to be a proper desktop screenshot?
FAQ #614: What can I use for music tracks and sound effects in my animation or film?

Feel free to show this stamp in your journal (if you're a subscriber) or anywhere.

Revised on 2/October/2014.