Attached Link: http://www.msnusers.com/mypicture?user=4263~4AAAAAANAC6lGSfIUVZXt5pL!6SG4wKjsfFtAvFiBfxrD!9tFwHc7Ua

~groans~ ok here we go again folks. This is from a profile pic ..msn nick name vMI know I have told this woman a few times the work she has had on her profile is not hers and is copyrighted and she ignores it. I am trying to get her latest addy. I am posting the pic because the profile is listed as adult which means unless you have a msn registered passport you wont be able to see it I dont think. does anyone recognize it?

Hmmm.. I have an msn passport, and all I see is a little squatty msn figure...:(

Attached Link: http://sc.groups.msn.com/themes/pby/img/PA/TNGeneric.gif

And this is the url I was presented with...

~beats her head on the desk~ sorry Ill just post it

if shes not selling it or claiming it has her own whats wrong with her using it as her profile pic. if nothing else it gets people exposed to the artwork.

Attached Link: brycek

Recognized this work right away, the image belongs to brycek, original image is here.

seeing as how she removed his name from the image i retract my last post.

well, if SilverMoon has asked brycek for permission to do so, it would be ok. Also people only get exposed to who the artist is, if credit is given as brycek's image ;)

posted before your response, brandonc. :)

Brandon, even if the person intends no harm and isn't using it for profit (and had left the signature in), they are still taking away the creator's right to control the distribution over what they make. There are any number of reasons why the artist might not want a work spread around, and that's their right. You have to ask first.

The problem is that they aren't generally just using for a profile pic either. They create and distribute the images in "tags", blinkies, stationary, themes etc. Many of these people claim "fair use" but fair use means the images are being used for review or educating AND under fair use laws they must still credit the creator. These types of groups have spent years twisting the Fair Use Act to mean "if I don't charge for it I'm doing nothing wrong" so that when others come along they see that and then they begin doing it as well - a bit like a plague. By the time they find out they are wrong many of them refuse to give up their "fans" or the accolades from their friends and stop. The term "bored mommy's group" is often, I'm sad to say, appropriate. Making these little things is their apparantly their greatest pleasure and where they get attention. Often times people will praise them for how beautiful something is - usually they mean the image and not the tacky frames or lettering that are used on them. Those who don't create these things don't often realize that the art they are praising is stolen from an artist (especially if the artist does as SilverMoon - I've seen her around for awhile, and uses less familiar artwork) and that the "creator" can't draw a straight line or coordinate colours.

Oh and as for Fyrespirit's comment - controlling distribution can be very important. I have images that are released on a limited edition basis so distributing worked over versions of them can lower my sales.

Attached Link: http://www.renderosity.com/viewed.ez?galleryid=430109&Start=37&Artist=brycek&ByArtist=Yes

Yes, This is my render. It was named Jungle Ruins and I posted it on 6/24/03. I didn't give anyone named Silver Moon the right to repost. I noticed even my signature has been cut off the bottom left corner. Not Happy! Here is the link to my original post: http://www.renderosity.com/viewed.ez?galleryid=430109&Start=37&Artist=brycek&ByArtist=Yes

I am trying to track down the addy for ""silvermoon"" when I do I will post it here. and I agree LadySilverMage, they do make sigs...blinkies..etc etc even bgs with images. and they take the signatures off that right there shows they know it is wrong. fair usage at no time states it is ok to defame the original artwork. or remove the sig of the creator.

ok....if you contact jkweston@microsoft.com he can also do something if you have the profile link for the illegaly used picture. the link for silvermoons is http://members.msn.com/?mpp=4263~4AA7AAAAACyMeQI7hnRdtiDPfV2vuKh5G6ngT07Oyhy5Og6jwg6DGeCQ$$~4AA8AAAAAEpZJyjNujkMVEbYWhu8!qMCkccbH3gRcaJWs$ since I cant find her addy or track it.. this way you can get the work removed and something done about it.

Note there are special characters in her MSN member name: vM

Oh, and she last updated her account on July 17.