How A Seemingly Harmless Share Can Get You Sued Under Copyright Infringement

Social Media is exploding and so is the increasing popularity of sharing gorgeous photos and artwork. Just take a look at Pinterest, Google Plus, Facebook and Instagram (and that's just naming a few) and you will see virtually a never ending supply of photos and artwork. After all, who doesn't like to see beautiful photos?

But wait, a seemingly innocent click to share something beautiful may have its repercussions under Copyright Law resulting in a Copyright Infringement Lawsuit. This post relates to United States Copyright Law which seems to be in line with the Copyright Laws in the UK. Most countries, but not all have copyright law, but US copyright law does not apply to other countries. See below for information about International Copyright Laws.

So what applies to United States Copyright Law?

1. A work is automatically protected by copyright when it is created.
2. Anyone wishing to use the work of another must have permission from the owner of the copyright holder
3. Buying a piece of art or a print doesn't dismiss copyright.

What About International Copyright?

While according to Copyright.gov, there is no such thing as International Copyright, protection against unauthorized use rather protection depends on that country's laws. Also, most country's offer protection on foreign works under certain conditions by the  two principal International Copyright Treaties: Berne Convention and Universal Copyright Convention (UCC). Clicking on the link above provides much greater detail.

IMPORTANT: 
Copyright Infringement is not excused by

Linking back to the work
Reducing the size
No Profit
Sharing
Including a Disclaimer
Attributing the Creator

With all due respect, these regulations need to be taken more seriously by society. In fact, just imagine, you are an architecht, inventor, salesperson, or any other business person. How would it feel if someone stole your draft, idea, sales strategy, plans, etc... Even worse is if they took it and took the credit for your idea/work. I'd wager that most would be raging mad. After all, the images and works produced by Artists and photographers are their livelihood and often their sole source of income.  

How do you find out if it's okay to use a photo?

1. Ask the Photographer
2. Search for Creative Commons Licensed Work
3. Search for Open Source works


On that note, with proper attribution included, anyone is free to share my photos or artwork on social media.


Below are some useful links. 

Wikipedia on Copyright infringement

Professional Photographers of America on Copyright

Copyright infringement Lawsuit covered by Forbes

http://blog.kenkaminesky.com/photography-copyright-and-the-law/

by Tina A Stoffel

sources: Copyright.gov, Wikipedia, Professional Photographers of America, Clip art provided by Creative Commons Open Clip Art

How To Care For Your Original Oil Painting

Caring for your painting is pretty easy. It has a varnish on it that will help protect it from dust, dirt, sun damage and elements. However, do try to avoid direct exposure to sunlight.

1. Dust your painting as needed with a soft dry cloth. Never use cleaners, furniture polish or any other chemicals on your painting.
   
2. Your painting will take 6 months to 1 year to dry. There are debates that it could take longer, but this is the standard amount of time, so let your painting breathe. Do not cover in plastic.
   
3. If you will be moving or need to store your painting, Loosely cover the painting with release paper. Glassine or wax paper is okay if you are not in a warm, humid climate. Wrap with bubble wrap and store in a box marked fragile. Do not pile heavy objects on top.
   
4. Avoid direct sunlight that can cause cracking and fading.
5. If your original painting is damaged by smoke, fire or water, it could be restored. See a professional art restoration company for an evaluation.
   
6. Protect your painting from water. If it should come in contact with water. Dry immediately with a soft dry cloth.
   

Written by Tina A Stoffel

New Studio

It has been way too long since I've updated my blog. Since taking my family on Spring Break, and taxiing my children to swim team, I've fallen terribly behind on my blog which is something I never intended to do.

The big news is that during this time, I have also fully moved into my art studio. I'm so excited and happy about having a wonderful dedicated space for my art. I'm at complete peace in my studio. I get lost in time while listening to my favorite music and  painting.

BEFORE

AFTER

Speaking of painting, currently, I have 3 commissions that I'm working on. With the exception of one piece that needs some final details, once the commissions are finished, I plan to create some new works. Look for more beach scenes, wildlife, and equestrian coming off of my easel soon.

Tina A Stoffel

Reference Photos

It's been a while since I've posted and for a good reason. I was on vacation with my family and took over 1500 photos. I'm so excited because I have a huge database for reference photos now. 

I was just asked by a photographer from an online social networking site, "What are Reference Photos?". 

Reference Photos are photos are photos that are used as a reference for derived works of art for artists with proper credit given to the photographer. Reference photos are not for duplication, reproduction or computer generated images, but rather for drawing, painting, whether it be pastels, colored pencils or another type of media. In the case of reference photos, for either a nominal fee or free the photographer grants permission to the artist for derived works of art, but still holds copyright of their images. 

Please see The U.S copyright office and Wikipedia for more details on US copyright and international treaties to protect photographs.  Here are the links:

US Copyright Office

International Copyright Treaties

Where to find reference photos on the Internet

I have a wonderful Free Artists Reference Photos community on Google Plus. In an effort to protect photos from abuse, you must request to join. Here is the link:

Free Artists Reference Photos

More links:

wet canvas

Morgue File

Fontplay

That wraps up reference photos for today. Look for new artwork and a final synopsis about the High School Senior I just mentored. 

Written by:

Tina A Stoffel

Artist Goals and Progress

Believe it or not, I'm thankful that some of my goals I set around the New Year are a bit delayed due to some commissioned requests, and that is a good thing. Around the time of the New Year, I started with some goals to stay on track. I had to minimize them to be realistic on how many projects I could complete. One thing for sure is I'm not lacking for inspiration.  With my love for Nature, Music, Animals and Art, I have a huge list of paintings I want to accomplish. If only I didn't need sleep. My plan is to focus on Nature and wildlife, but I love the excitement and emotion I feel and put into a painting that is commissioned. I always feel excited for the client that requests a painting because it means something to them or a loved one.

Meanwhile, It's been a couple of weeks since I posted anything and about a month since I posted a new painting, but rest assured another one that is a commissioned piece is about to be revealed. Here is a photo of the Work In Progress.

Two primary factors that cause delays between my paintings: One is that I do have two young boys that are very active in extra curricular activities which takes a lot of time, and the other is my approach to my art.

My approach to my art is one with integrity. I have always put integrity into my work, and the most on my creative work. Just ask anyone that was my client when I was a hairstylist. So, outside of an occasional abstract related work, such as the recent Caring Angel painting, I work slow and work on detail. I want to give you the best that I have.

As you can see in the Lily Pond painting above, I could just be finished with it as it is, but I see more that needs to be done. Also, I see color in a unique way. I have notice subtle differences in colors since I was a child. I love color and you will see it revealed in my paintings. Some are bright and vibrant, some are soft and subtle and some, such as the commissioned Lily Pad painting I'm currently finishing are full of color variations.

If you are a collector or enthusiasts, this is something that you will enjoy in my paintings. If you are an experienced artists, you probably know how there are so many different variations of color. Just look at this example of my pallet filled with greens, and there were more variations I added in the next session.

Lastly, I'm also wrapping up a volunteer project mentoring a High School Senior. Here are a few photos from our last practice session. When not doing a formal painting, we just tape primed canvas sheets to a plastic wrapped canvas and practice right on that. Looking forward to finishing our paintings this weekend. Here is a peek of our practice for  our next painting.

As Always, you may find prints of my works on http://fineartamerica.com/art/all/Tina+A+Stoffel/all

Just a couple of selections on Society 6: http://society6.com/TinaAStoffelArts

and several items for my Caring Angel painting which is raising funds for cancer at Cafe Press: http://www.cafepress.com/tinaastoffelarts

Follow me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/TinaAStoffelArt
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TinaAStoffelArts?ref=hl
Google Plus: https://plus.google.comTinaAStoffelArts

Authored by: Tina A Stoffel