It seems to me that saving a digital image for your own use w/o future public display or attempted profit is no different than if you receive a magazine and cut out the pictures (or articles) for your own use But images in a magazine are 'sold' to the magazine for publishing purposes..the publisher and artist sign a contract and the artist gets a roylty payment for that image..everytime it is displayed in the publishers magazine and that magazine is sold. I've jaunted over to the Paint Shop Pro forum every so often and it seems that one of the challenges/projects they have on an ongoing basis is an image that others are invited to save and modify w/their PSP program and repost it. If a person posts an image and TELLS everyone that they can edit it and do what they want with it,..that is permission given. That is different from a user just going wherever on the net and getting what they like, and editing it.. Several artists make their living doing nothing but selling 'digital artwork'.. its a 'real world' trade these days..nobody in his right mind would take an image like MichaelAngelo's and change it and actually not get into some serious trouble over it..Alot of artists feel just as strongly over their own artwork as some of the more famous ones... As for 'how would I know if my artwork was being taken?' snicker "Vee have vays" ;) Spit: Just because its online does NOT mean the artist has given permission to take it. If someone here on 'Rosity sells textures, mats, maps, and an image is used to advertise it, you cannot legaly click and save it, and use it to make something of your own with it... If an item/or image is 'for sale' then its not free. The artists DO NOT 'have' to say you cannot take it..Just because they DON'T doesn't mean you can have it. Im in the process of working with a publisher, and believe you me, there are contracts/agreements that HAVE to be signed between the parties involved.. Besides that..everyone knows what all {or most} mothers teach their children.."Don't take anything that doesn't belong to you."

~Jani

Renderosity Community Admin
---------------------------------------