Should you ban your work with images like this?


For most of you, you've probably realized that I have been adding watermarks to all of my artwork, as of late. Its unfortunate, but my work has ended up in the oddest places without a link back to my website or to DA.

Some people have taken it upon themselves to just click and copy anything they see without regard for giving the artist credit after they re-post it in a blog, a favorite arts page, or when manipulated and used for their own personal items (i.e.- banners, avatars, gifs, backgrounds, flyers,...etc.)

Mind you, I have known about other artists who had these issues happening for quite some time, but I never thought that 'my' work would be considered so highly sought as to even worry about it. Well, I guess things have changed because some people have wanted to start ripping my work. Does that mean that I have reached some level of artistic success once people start ripping me? LOL

Either way, I have done some of the infiltrating by doing a Google search of my name, alias, trade name, etc. and then clicking on IMAGES. Low and behold, there pops up little thumbs of my work and links to the sites they are on. I check to see if they have the correct link back to my website or DA page...but, no. So, I am subjected to fill out notices and forms with the admin of the servers and request the images be removed or the user add a link and be warned not to do it again without permission.

Does this stop them? No! Does it make them apologize and hope to not have their website shut down? No! So, what does it take to make them stop doing this?

Watermarks. I know that they really start to look gaudy and unnecessary at times, but hey, its all for the purpose of insuring my work, to a degree. I don't like doing it and I know that I hate seeing others work stamped with them all over it, but that's what happens once you've been ripped.

Peace.

- Recently, I have been getting an onslaught of persons requesting commissioned works. People are getting crazy that I haven't been drawing enough, so they are now making an attempt to force me out of my artistic hibernation. This is what mainly drove me back here to post my 'personal favorites' back into the gallery.

- The newest pieces I am working on may take a couple of weeks to complete. Since most are custom images, I am trying to be as confident about the final outcome as possible. No rushing it or getting upset with my grace of style or technique. Just trying to ease my way back into it and find my groove, again.

- As I mentioned before, if you have any commission requests or related project ideas, please contact me via note.

- Thanks for the outpouring of encouragement and continued support. I hope that my future work may be enjoyed as much as the previous ones have been.

I'm not going to guarantee how long I will be active, again. But just know that I had tried to turn down a few commission requests. I just haven't had it in me to get out of my artistic rut. Thanks to several days of nothing to do during the holiday mess, I decided to sit down and do a rough sketch. As it turns out, the sketch turned into an ink drawing, which later became scanned into my computer and digitally enhanced to completion.

Did I say that I wasn't up to doing anymore artwork for a while? Guess I forgot to remind myself of that little thought that I had planted in my head several months back.

Throw me some good ideas and here's hoping I may toss more work back on my gallery. Who knows...anything is possible, right?

Hey folks!!

Sorry I have been away for so long. Just trying to come up with some new ideas and designs. So far...nothing.

I have instead been dedicating my artistic needs by composing some new songs. For those of you who enjoy 'dark, industrial metal', feel free to stop by RayznhellMusic and have a listen.

I have been trying to decide whether or not to start a new Halloween collaboration effort, as I have done each year so far. If anyone is interested, let me know. Maybe I will find some inspiration to pick up the pen and join you.

Enjoy...