Art Theft Explosion: Protect Your Art, Guys!

[isami]

I'm sure this has been said before, but due to a recent upswing of fanart theft, I thought I'd bring it up again.


*edit* Here's a more general thread on the topic that I missed. Same deal, mine's just a little more "how to"
http://www.fanart-central.net/forums/index...hp?showtopic=26


As I mentioned, there has been an large amount of art theft going around lately and, as I have been warned to do by some of my peers, I'm extending the warning to everyone here.

Most accounts are not *that* serious. People tend to use other people's fanart for website layouts, online journal layouts, etc. and don't extend credit to the original artist. There are some cases of people with fanart collections simply posting the art without permission, sometimes giving credit. The worst situations are people claiming to have been the artist when they're not. While these cases are not too common, they're still around and on the incline.

SO

[b]Start putting signitures on your art!!![/b]

Either real or digital, whichever. For stuff you've already drawn, simply make a pretty and simple little tag with your name/alias and stick it on. Put it in a spot that's not intrusive of your image but still can't be easily cut out or covered without messing it up. Hard to explain, I'll try later.

FAC doesn't have a feature to allow you to re-upload pictures hosted on the site. However, when you go to the EDIT option, it does allow you to change the "URL".

My suggestion would be to use a free image server or website service that allows DIRECT or HOT LINKING and changing the URL to your copyrighted image.
http://www.photobucket.com
http://www.villagephotos.com

If there's enough of a demand, the site admin MAY add the feature, but we don't want to give him more work if it's unessisary.

Anyway, if you guys have any questions or comments, or would like me to make you or give instructions on how to make yourself a sig in photoshop and slap it on to your stuff, let me know! I may also do a quick little blurb on good places to put a signiture later if you want.


<3 Isa

[OMNI-X]

The edit feature would be a great addition. It would certainly help curb, if not, minimze stolen artwork.

I already had 3 of my artworks stolen in the past. Someone edited them, and posted them on a HENTAI site... B@stards!!!!!!!

It really sucks!

If it aint too much to ask, I'd vote for the idea of an editing feature.

[isami]

Yeah, I agree. Most sites do have that option. We'd need to get a few more poeple who agree to say so, though. ^^

So, a HENTAI site? Damn... that sucks.

I'm wondering if my stuff was ever stolen. Not to be egotistical, but some of my CG's are pretty good and I can see someone swiping them. ;;;

That'd suck so bad.

[Stratadrake]

I, too, would like to see a re-upload feature, for this and other reasons.

Recently, I took a sroll through my entire gallery and noticed that one of my old uploads was being shown at a much smaller size than I needed to. I uploaded a new version of the drawing as a larger (50% larger!) scale re-post, but what I really wanted to do was simply change the picture itself.

It wouldn't have to be anything complex. How about:

1 - Instead of a URL field on the "edit" form, there'd be a "Upload New Picture" button on the field.
2 - Click it and it basically repeats the submission process all over again. You select the new image, have the option of updating the title/description of it, and submit.
3 - The drawing gets a short dunk back in the queue, for somebody on the Approval Panel to check it and approve/reject the new image, [i]compared to[/i] the original version (e.g., a side-by-side comparison of old and new)
4 - If rejected, the new image is thrown away and the old one stays. If approved, the new image replaces the old one.
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[Diathene]

I'd love the option to re-upload an image too, I've started putting my web address as well as my sig on images cause of art thieves and I'd like to update my work here without having to delete and re-submit a whole pile of em <_<


But anyway, here's a random anti-thief measure...

How to turn signature into a photoshop brush:

Take your sig/tag and either scan it or draw it digitally, whatever works, but black and white is best. Crop it down so it fits in the smallest square possible.

Go to edit > define brush

Type in what you want to call it, click OK.

Your signature will now be available in the drop down brush menu, and you can change the size and colour to suit your image.

Nice and easy, and looks professional when you have a consistent tag :)

[isami]

Strata:
you really thought that out! I think with everything you mentioned, you've got a good standing. Shall we present it?

my only complaint is with replacing the URL edit for an Upload. This is because the majority of my art is linked from my site. helps me keep a little more control as well as helps save bandwith for the site.
should I ever have to change the address, people like me need that! XD

Diathene:
Wow, good point! I never even thought about using the defining brush technique. We just learned that in visual computing.
That's a really good idea. I was going to just have a random file with a sig that you alter via blending options. But yeah, that is MUCH easier.
You should do a tutorial on it. I think a lot of people would find that useful!

-isa

[OMNI-X]

[quote="isami (Isa-chan)"] Yeah, I agree. Most sites do have that option. We'd need to get a few more poeple who agree to say so, though. ^^

So, a HENTAI site? Damn... that sucks.

I'm wondering if my stuff was ever stolen. Not to be egotistical, but some of my CG's are pretty good and I can see someone swiping them. ;;;

That'd suck so bad. [/quote]
I was posting some requested Macross fanart on another BBS.

One of my pics (not posted in my Gallery yet), was a "wet look" fanart. Some artistically challenged crack head copied and pasted it, [i]photo-chopped[/i] it, and posted on a Hentai site, one that I go to none-the-less!!!!

Good thing I correspond with the owner of the site regularly, and he immediately removed the pic, and banned the schmuck's IP Address.

[Thirteen_Black_Roses]

Diathene, thanks so much for the great idea! That said, I also think it would be great to have an edit function.

If anyone wants to make a sig brush on PSP, one you've drawn/scanned your sig, in the brush tip menu there is a button that says 'make brush from selection.' Hit that, title it whatever you want and hit ok.

I am having waaay to much fun playing with my little stamp....

[cstdenis]

Reupload has been on my feature list for a long time and will eventually get done.

If I do add it I would leave the URL feild there too for offsite linking.

In the mean time, upload your art somewhere where it won't break (photobucket for example) and link it off there.
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