Who wants a portrait site to be hosted?

[RudeDawg]

The problem with other people using images without permission is not about lost revenue from YOU, the individual.

If an artist decided to enforce his copyright because a company is using a likeness in an ad (and thereby profitting from it), the corporate lawyers can point to those individuals using the images on the 'Net, and claim it is now in the public domain. Copyright cannot be selectively enforced. If the artist would like to EVER be compensated for the work, they must keep the copyright enforced at ALL times. Even from fans.

Most art can be used by an individual, but not posted for download.

Again, just ask for permission. And, check on the amatuer sites... You can find gold in the most unlikely places ....

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The RudeDawg
Known in these Forgotten Realms as Perin LightEyes
and my girlfriends, Pamila and Pfil

[Memnoch]

Originally posted by Visceris: Exactly my point. That is why technically LN site was legal along with Iago's. It wasn't till someone I won't mention *ahem* made trouble and harassed them to no end. I'm just glad that LN's site is backup now.

I haven't read up on the laws on these so I'll stay out of it until I'm better informed, but I just wanted to say hi to Visceris. Glad to see the controversy didn't keep you away.

Carry on - but keep it civil, please.

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[DarkPiper]

The artists care because it's their property. (Or not theirs, if it's work-for-hire.) Blowing off their opinions and their wishes is rude and unethical, and despite what others may say and believe, can be illegal.

Dark Piper

[AzureWolf]

Originally posted by DarkPiper: The artists care because it's their property. (Or not theirs, if it's work-for-hire.) Blowing off their opinions and their wishes is rude and unethical, and despite what others may say and believe, can be illegal. Dark Piper

Yes and thats what i mean though. Its not as if people do not acknowledge that it is the artists work they celebrate that infact and praise the artist for doing such good work. It is not blowing off their opinions but raising the opinions of others in regard to the artists.

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"I was born of darkness. My fathers eyes closed before mine opened. I am not of this world or the other, and I have the right to be what I am..."

[Visceris]

I THRIVE of controversy, but I do try to be civil (keyword here is "try", tee hee). As long no one degrades to insults, flaming, trolling, and etc. SO far I am having a quite enjoyable debate withthe people here. Its a lot better than PBG.

I am not talking about opinions here, just laws. Under the Fair Use clause of the copyright laws such portrait sites are legal. More legal than Napster I would say. As long credit is given when credit is due and the webmaster of the portrait site doesn't claim any work that isn't his or hers its all legal and ethical. It is not stealing under the definition of the law.

I happen to agree with Azurewolf as well.

[DarkPiper]

Not necessarily in the artist's eyes. As I posted earlier in this thread, there are a load of reasons why an artist may not want his/her art displayed without permission.

As for the "helping to promote the artist" idea, you're not doing them a favor if they don't want it done.

Dark Piper

[DarkPiper]

The definition of fair use is pretty narrow in the US.

The opinions of the artists matter. Why? Because, as with so many other things, if you ignore the common courtesy of listening to those opinions, common courtesy can be turned into law.

Dark Piper

[Visceris]

The law is the law though, and until that is changed sites like Iago's and LN's will remain legal. What we need though is a large database of all the portraits that have been made on Iago's, LN's, Havok's, Ironwork's, Rimmer's, and so forth sites, then post it on site. Still give credit where credit is due, of course. But with a large collaboration effort like that, we might be able to end this argument someday.

[AzureWolf]

One thing I just thought Id add is that I am glad that this debate has managed to be argued out without flaming makes it much better for both sides and keeps the board free of problems

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"I was born of darkness. My fathers eyes closed before mine opened. I am not of this world or the other, and I have the right to be what I am..."

[Visceris]

Hear you on FM on that one, Azurewolf. Don't get me wrong, opinions do matter, but at the core of it we are dealing with the law. Yes the Fair Use law is very narrow and that is a good thing, otherwise things would be far worse now than it already is. Think about make portraits sites pay on demand and none of the money going to the artists (shudder).