Copied art works

sunfire · Joined: 01 Mar 2008 Posts: 1430 Location: Toodyay

Thanks for that Tango, hope a lot of people read this, as there seems to be a lot of people out there setting themselves up to be SUED. Very Happy

& I hope whoever does the suing, does it with a lot of publicity.

"Appropriation" seems to be just a fancy word for stealing by someone who can't do anything themselves.
A thief is a thief, no matter what fancy words are used.

pugwash · Joined: 04 Jul 2007 Posts: 1380 Location: Perth

Thanks everyone. That's very clear.

Cea Breize · Joined: 07 Jul 2009 Posts: 157 Location: Bundaberg

Thank you everyone for discussing this topic with me. I have gained much knowledge. I did go an see the store owner. (reminded them that breach of copyright brings a fine of up to $250,000 for the individual and if they are selling illegal artworks for financial gain then they could also be liable for prosecution.)Thanks Dug. She said she would talk with the artist. I checked on the store yesterday, only to discover the paintings are infact still hanging in the shop. On another note, I am pleased to anounce that I am putting together my very first web site! yay! I have posted a thread on this topic asking if anyone knows of the best things to include, About the artist, Gallery, etc. Any other tips or examples of good web sites please leave your tips here too. And on a seperate note again, I am almost finished the mural, and can't wait to show it to you all. I took two of the 7 boards (1m each) over to the owners to show them the progress, and they were so pleased with my work. They are organising an "anveiling"? for the mural, along with the presance of the Mayor.

They asked me to do the mural, after seeing only one of my paintings. What a huge risk for them, and boy what an exciting oportunity for me! It's been a long process, fitting it in between all the kids, some very late nights! I am really pleased with how its coming together. Pretty amazing to think one of my paintings will be around for many years to come, maybe even my grandchildren will see this one day.....

I have learned so much along the way, I recomend doing a mural to any artist out there. Not only is it a showcase of your work for all to see, but an experience in its own right. Since starting the mural, I have had a newspaper do an article on me, a local resident commission work from me, and a gallery approch me asking to showcase my work, and perhaps the mayor be there to witness the mural when its finished.

ok thats me all updated! I kinda did hijack my own thread huh!
Thanks Cea Smile

Stefan Maguran · Posted: Thu Nov 05, 2009 6:56 am Post subject: Re - Copied art works

All that is very good news! I wish you luck with your "anveiling" and I hope the Mayor buys some of your work. I'd love to see your website when ready. Don't worry about hijacking threads - it's pretty common.

thecatsgrin · Joined: 18 Apr 2009 Posts: 2181 Location: Gippsland

Congratulations on a few things...one all the hard work is paying off!! Laughing

And two... you had the courage to speak up about something that stinks!!
I havent even got the courage to go into the shop that is selling their own copies of my designs.... I dont know what i am waiting for...!! Shocked

Good luck!!

Stefan Maguran · Posted: Thu Nov 05, 2009 8:21 am Post subject: Re - Copied art works

On a related matter, this mob is using my artwork without permission. What should I do?
http://kashkin.wordpress.com/2009/08/05/the-politics/

Devilbiss · Joined: 06 Jul 2007 Posts: 3214

thecatsgrin · Joined: 18 Apr 2009 Posts: 2181 Location: Gippsland

And the price if you are selling it!!

Stefan Maguran · Posted: Thu Nov 05, 2009 11:44 am Post subject: Re - Copied art works

Good advice, Daniel - especially regarding the title.
I did tell him that, I might have to go to Pakistan to enforce it.

Devilbiss · Joined: 06 Jul 2007 Posts: 3214

Garry · Joined: 15 Apr 2007 Posts: 42 Location: Toowoomba

What if I wanted to do a painting of the Harbour Bridge (for example) and I used a couple of photos taken by other people as reference material i.e. painted the bridge but the end result was different in a number of ways from the photos that I used and had actually combined aspects from several photos, is this ethical. Bearing in mind that person with the rights to the 'image of the Harbour Bridge' is probably the guy that designed it and not necessarily anyboby that feels like taking a photo of it or creating a painting from it??

Stefan Maguran · Posted: Wed Nov 11, 2009 1:24 pm Post subject: Re - Copied art works

It's just a moral issue for you, if you significantly change your source material. Ideally, you would acknowledge and ask permission, this, in fact, may bring you some good (people you copy from feel good about being asked and they get to know your work - a win-win situation).

AvG · Joined: 17 Sep 2005 Posts: 1912

Garry it's not a problem at all, morally, ethically, legally. Multiple images used as reference rather than painting a direct copy of a sinlge is really common.

Go forth and create Very Happy

thecatsgrin · Joined: 18 Apr 2009 Posts: 2181 Location: Gippsland

Garry · Joined: 15 Apr 2007 Posts: 42 Location: Toowoomba

Thanks for the replies. I suspected as much but the more you think about all of the possible angles that this topic can throw up, the more cloudy and confusing it seems to become.

I have also heard that images greater than 70 years old lose their copyright status. This means that you can legally do a copy of a great masters work from the 1800s and beside the ethical considerations, there is no legal consequense. Can anyone confirm this?

The reason that I ask this is that I have a couple of fantastic old B&W photos fromn the late 1800s that I would love to paint on a canvas, adding my interpretation of colour, light and even formatting. This would be a copy in a sense but in my choice of colour, etc.