Art Thieves!

[ShutupJimbo!]

So, it may sound like I'm being naive, but when I found out about this I couldn't believe it until I came across one! I mean the first thing was how they think they could get away with it, but even worse, they were bashing some of the artists in which they have stolen work from!

So instead of this just being a rant about copyright infringement, I wanted to ask everyone. What do you think would drive a erson to steal something that is so unique that there is no way they could pass it off as their own?

[LikkleMel]

Oh I remember a "artist" who was selling at events years ago who would just copy and trace other people's art and then sell them. This person applied for tables at cons and then when people found out they were doing this obviously they got kicked from the cons then proceeded to claim "it is my artwork"...let's just say this person was a drama whore but they haven't drawn since which is good.

@Ferefire do you remember the stink they gave you and the Ops team, I believe you were one of the first to kick them off the traders' list (can't remember as it was so long ago now)

[LilMissLarBear]

I think the only person that can answer such question are the guilty folk, im afraid. I guess perhaps its the sheer value of the works that would play a big factor. But yeah it is awful and is something that never fails to blow my mind that someone would be willing to do such thing

[ShutupJimbo!]

Honestly, I was so gobsmacked, and the worst thing is, because of all the negative attention they get. Their pages get bumped up to the top of the boards. I honestly feel for every artist that goes through this. It's hard enough gaining recognition for your work.

Oh I remember a "artist" who was selling at events years ago who would just copy and trace other people's art and then sell them. This person applied for tables at cons and then when people found out they were doing this obviously they got kicked from the cons then proceeded to claim "it is my artwork"...let's just say this person was a drama whore but they haven't drawn since which is good.

@Ferefire do you remember the stink they gave you and the Ops team, I believe you were one of the first to kick them off the traders' list (can't remember as it was so long ago now)

Honestly, that is taken brazen and crass to a whole new level, they actually sold plagirised art!

I think the only person that can answer such question are the guilty folk, im afraid. I guess perhaps its the sheer value of the works that would play a big factor. But yeah it is awful and is something that never fails to blow my mind that someone would be willing to do such thing

Aye you're right there.

[Vypernk]

So, it may sound like I'm being naive, but when I found out about this I couldn't believe it until I came across one! I mean the first thing was how they think they could get away with it, but even worse, they were bashing some of the artists in which they have stolen work from!

So instead of this just being a rant about copyright infringement, I wanted to ask everyone. What do you think would drive a erson to steal something that is so unique that there is no way they could pass it off as their own?

I mean... have you ever been to Youtube or Instagram ? People "steal" stuff all the time. They repost stuff from other people or create these pages that "collect" a bunch of different photos / videos / etc from other people and just repost it.

Some probably do it to see numbers on their accounts. Others probably think they're gonna make money out of it... Or whatever... I guess. Maybe through ad revenue ? 

It's sad, either way.

[ShutupJimbo!]

So, it may sound like I'm being naive, but when I found out about this I couldn't believe it until I came across one! I mean the first thing was how they think they could get away with it, but even worse, they were bashing some of the artists in which they have stolen work from!

So instead of this just being a rant about copyright infringement, I wanted to ask everyone. What do you think would drive a erson to steal something that is so unique that there is no way they could pass it off as their own?

I mean... have you ever been to Youtube or Instagram ? People "steal" stuff all the time. They repost stuff from other people or create these pages that "collect" a bunch of different photos / videos / etc from other people and just repost it.

Some probably do it to see numbers on their accounts. Others probably think they're gonna make money out of it... Or whatever... I guess. Maybe through ad revenue ?

It's sad, either way.

To an extent, I can understand collector accounts and to my knowledge, they do shout out the artist, and while it may not bring the desired attention to the artist, at least they have the decency to do that.

The on I saw this morning was literally stealing art, passing it off as theirs with extremely poor cropping, and to make it worse had different levels of artwork to try and fool everyone, saying they had progressed so much! I just couldn't believe the audacity of it!

[PharaohAtem]

I dont understand sometimes why people do the things they do. Just for a time in the light until someone catches them and they just dint care. Not to mention when they say there innocent and try t8 lie about it. *sigh*

[ShutupJimbo!]

It baffles me. They must know they're gonna get caught out, so why even do it in the first place?

[PharaohAtem]

It baffles me. They must know they're gonna get caught out, so why even do it in the first place?

Maybe for the thrill because they do get away with it. Who knows what goes through these people's minds really.

[Expendable]

The people who are passing off other people's work as their own are doing so because they think they'll not be caught. A few I'm sure didn't realize they were stealing the art. Every so often, I'll do google searches for my own art to see who's sharing it. So far, nobody's felt the urge to pass off my work as their own, but I know others who aren't so lucky. I've let a guy I know that his art was inserted into someone else's though.

[Vypernk]

So, it may sound like I'm being naive, but when I found out about this I couldn't believe it until I came across one! I mean the first thing was how they think they could get away with it, but even worse, they were bashing some of the artists in which they have stolen work from!

So instead of this just being a rant about copyright infringement, I wanted to ask everyone. What do you think would drive a erson to steal something that is so unique that there is no way they could pass it off as their own?

I mean... have you ever been to Youtube or Instagram ? People "steal" stuff all the time. They repost stuff from other people or create these pages that "collect" a bunch of different photos / videos / etc from other people and just repost it.

Some probably do it to see numbers on their accounts. Others probably think they're gonna make money out of it... Or whatever... I guess. Maybe through ad revenue ?

It's sad, either way. 

To an extent, I can understand collector accounts and to my knowledge, they do shout out the artist, and while it may not bring the desired attention to the artist, at least they have the decency to do that.

The on I saw this morning was literally stealing art, passing it off as theirs with extremely poor cropping, and to make it worse had different levels of artwork to try and fool everyone, saying they had progressed so much! I just couldn't believe the audacity of it! 

Nah... That's the thing, they repost without giving credits.. when they actually tag the artist and give the " @ " , then I'd agree.... I'd be like.. "ok, they at least mentioned the real artist", but a lot of them just repost it as if it were their own.
Which is not.

But anyway, as a I debated a long time ago about free market with a friend.. I believe "fate" is gonna solve by itself... because how are you gonna "impersonate" someone ? If the Instagram, or whatever it is, you just reposted belongs to that person... let's say you get a contact for a photoshoot, a con, etc.... you can't fake being that person.... it's pretty obvious...................

So, Fuck. It.
 

[LilMissLarBear]

Yeah in any given situation just give credit to the original artist if you are going to use your stuff or even better ask if its ok to do that. But not giving credit where its due and literally just claiming that its your work when it isnt are two slightly different scenarios. While the former still makes you look a little bit of a tit if you are not crediting knowing full well you should, the latter is just disgusting, borderline criminal (assuming it isnt, maybe it is idk). Its ease of access as well, there are a lot of open resources and things that people dont really think to bother to ask for pernission of use or credit what they are using.

[Expendable]

Under the Berne Convention, anything you write or create is protected by copyright for fifty years after the death of the creator. If you don't know the owner of the work, it's fifty years from its creation unless the creator becomes known.

You should always ask permission from the artist or writer if you wish to use their work. Dungeons and Dragons once mentioned hobbits, only to get sued by the Tolkien estate - while dwarves, elves, orcs, and goblins are in the public domain, Hobbits are a unique creation by J.R.R. Tolkien and therefore copyrighted to him. D&D had to call them "halflings" instead.

[ShutupJimbo!]

These are all very interesting to read, great view points on the subject. So how about watermarks? Do you reckon they work?

[LilMissLarBear]

Well... To be fair I often assiciate wartermarks with something that gets placed on art piece which is then uploaded on a free-for-all site. So basically anyone can still take it and use it but it says who it belongs to originally. I guess if you have a watermark it saves asking for permission in a way because we can already see who is the original artist... But arent there methods of removing watermarks or something? Could be talking rubbish but I thought there are editing software out there that can remove watermarks. This is going off the idea that folk might not want to use an image because of the watermark.