Attached Link: stock.xchng

Colouring in flower scans from Dover's out-of-copyright designs would be fine and I can't imagine you'd get your work pulled for doing this, as you'd be working with sanctioned sources. jbeauvais on the other hand has been trying to use other people's non-sanctioned works, permission was neither sought nor given, regardless of him giving acknowledgement. There are plenty of people around who provide free stock material (www.sxc.hu and www.deviantart.com are two fine examples, thousands of images to be found there and in high resolution!) so why use copyrighted works when there are so many legitimate alternatives? If speaking in favour of protecting artists' intellectual property is considered elitism then it's become a pretty sad state of affairs. I agree with crrunchyfrog that an artist has a great emotional connection with their output and to see someone else appropriate it (especially after being asked not to - how respectful is that?) could be most distressing and frustrating. I cast my mind back to an incident where someone I know here made a drawing based closely on a photo by a professional photographer. He sought permission *after* posting it, and even though his intention was basically one of flattery the photographer felt insulted at not being asked first and came down on him like a ton of bricks, demanding that he delete the post or there would be legal action. This is the way of things. You have to see it from the side of the artist as well, creative people are typically sensitive about the fruits of their labour.

Message edited on: 02/26/2005 11:54