Please Respect Artist Copyrights

[Suite]

<div><font color="#ffcccc"></font><p><font color="#ffcccc">This is just a general service announcement for signature makers who are new to making sigs. When I first originally started making sigs, I didn't pay any attention to whether the art I was using was copyrighted or not. Eventually a graphics artist pointed me in the direction of Norrath's Studios, where they have some very good rules about using art here:</font></p><font color="#ffcccc"><p><a target="_blank" href="http://www.norrathsstudio.com/phpBB4ns/viewtopic.php?t=15136">http://www.norrathsstudio.com/phpBB4ns/viewtopic.php?t=15136</a></p></font><p><font color="#ffcccc">Using art without permission is just like plagiarizing or downloading music you don't pay for: it's against the law.</font></p><p><font color="#ffcccc">Now I stick to using the EQ2 avatars, for the most part, for my EQ2 sigs or I make sure that I have the written permission of the artist to use his or her work. While using only EQ2 avatars or backgrounds may seem boring to some, it is a guaranteed way of producing good, copyright-friendly gaming signatures. I urge other EQ2 signature makers to do likewise, because I've noticed that a couple of signature artists are using art that is easily recognized as the copyrighted work of well-known fantasy artists or are lifting art from other games.</font></p><p><font color="#ffcccc">I think the Norrath's Studios guide is a good one for signature artists to use. I've worked toward replacing any signatures I've made in the last year that might violate an artist's copyright and hope other sig makers on the forums will do likewise.</font></p><p><font color="#ffcccc">The U.S. government page on copyright registration of visual art is here:</font></p><p><a target="_blank" href="http://www.copyright.gov/circs/circ40.html#works">http://www.copyright.gov/circs/circ40.html#works</a></p><p><font color="#ffcccc">/public service announcement OFF :smileyvery-happy:</font></p><p><font color="#ffcccc">Suite</font></p></div>

[your savior]

Just from a legal aspect; it's only against the law if the image is copyrighted and the copyrighted image must show some link to copyright.  That's why you get the (tm) or little (c). Also, if people want to copyright their art; the simplest and cheapest way to do it is mail a copy of the art to you.  The time stamp on the letter is an indicator of the date of creation.  If you decide to copyright art, you must show it with all copies of the image.Just thought I'd add this incase some people were attacked by angry artists threatening to sue.  Would be less than pleasant to have some punk throw legal issues at you for using some art for a sig.<div></div>

[odellp]

<span>Thats good to know. So far I have stuck to EQ2 screenshots for my character SIGs, all my backgrounds , characters etc are directly from ingame screenshots.  My artistic skills for drawing my own artwork is very limited so my next step would have been sources found on the internet.   If and when I do this I will keep this thread in mind.Thanks.</span><div></div>

[TwoFour]

<div></div>Seems some one complained about me using an old wallpaper, now I must use a new sig... go figure, hope I am not breaking any TM's with the one I just made... 

[FelthLightbring]

<div></div><div>I often use backgrounds that are not EQ or EQ2 related. I have been a member of Deviantart for a while, and that is where I get a lot of my inspiration / backgrounds. I do PM the person I want to borrow from to get permission, plus I know quite a few of them so I don't run in to too many problems.</div><div>If someone wants me to make a sig for them, and they send me art work to include then I just use it. I am not going to refuse to use the artwork or try to track down the original artist, most of the time I don't know who the original artist is anyway. </div><div> </div><div>I don't see this as being a really big problem honestly. This is a forum setting, it's not something that the mass majority of the world will ever view or see. We are not using artwork to make a profit for ourselves and I don't think anyone is claiming that the art they use is their own.</div><div> </div><div>Getting an artist's permission is sometimes tough if not impossible. Let's say I want to use a background that Ralph McQuarrie painted, chances are i'm not going to be able to get his permission to use it, if i were to try to contact him I would either get no repsonse, or would have to wait months for a reply. </div><div> </div><div>I agree that we need to respect the artist's work. If you use something don't claim it as your own, not that any of us do that anyway.  :smileyhappy:</div><div> </div><p>Message Edited by FelthLightbringer on <span class="date_text">01-19-2006</span><span class="time_text">08:58 AM</span></p>

[Rynn19]

<div></div><p>Thanks Suite, this is a great post and well needed too.  I believe many people do not realise that they can't just take any art they see online and use it to create a signature or whatever.  I sign all my work before I put it online, but that doesn't prevend thieves from stealing it without asking permission to use it.  I can say that it ain't fun to have your art stolen. </p><p>To Your savior: many of the art you see online is copyrighted by their creator, so if you are not sure it's best not to use it, or send a mail to the creator to ask his/her permission.  You do give a useful tip for artists, mailing to yourself is always a good way to make sure you are standing strong in case someone steals your work.  Because I do digital art I always keep a few of the test renders I do along the way while building a scene.  That way I can show completely how the scene was created from the start.</p><p>To odellp: if you want to use someones art for non commercial reasons (you won't make money from it) then there are several artists who would give you permission if you ask for it.  They might ask that you credit them, but that ain't bad.  It ofcourse depends on the artist and how popular he/she is.</p><p>I do think that it would be sad if someone would get troubles for using someones art in their sig.  If you don't make any profit from it or claim that you created it I am not sure if there should be any legal action.  I am not sure what I personaly would do if I would find someone using my art, but I doubt I would make a lawsuit from it.  Luckily my work isn't that popular that I bump into such a problem often. <img src="/smilies/283a16da79f3aa23fe1025c96295f04f.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /></p>

[Feaw]

<div></div><blockquote><hr>your savior wrote:Just from a legal aspect; it's only against the law if the image is copyrighted and the copyrighted image must show some link to copyright.  That's why you get the (tm) or little (c). Also, if people want to copyright their art; the simplest and cheapest way to do it is mail a copy of the art to you.  The time stamp on the letter is an indicator of the date of creation.  If you decide to copyright art, you must show it with all copies of the image.Just thought I'd add this incase some people were attacked by angry artists threatening to sue.  Would be less than pleasant to have some punk throw legal issues at you for using some art for a sig.<div></div><hr></blockquote><p> </p><p>On the mail a copy to your self part it needs to be certified mail and leave it sealed.   The US postal service does work as a ligitmate witness to dates that way.</p>