Art theft/CL.com

[Star Way]

Why is it that everyone on that website has NO respect for copyrights? MewBerries just informed me of another art theft on my part (usually it's just icons, but this time it's an entry to the fanart contest.)

So, yeah, go to the CL.com fanart section and check the last page. The look at this: http://www.lyokofreak.net/images/fanart ... /group.jpg

T___T I hate thisss....

[Darkborn offline]

I know, I get ticked off when someone steals my art. It's already happened. I've seen my iPod avatars on other CL fourms. People have no respect.

[Star Way]

I think the trick is to watermark your pics. The problem is, I have so many that aren't...

[MY85 offline]

They're USA children (sorry if this sounds offensive), for the lack of words in this moment... and damn... you should get a lawyer, Erynn. And where's the link to the part of CL.com where the picture is hosted?

[Star Way]

I can't link you because the site is done in flash and they removed the address bar from the window. Just go to codelyoko.com, log in, and go to the fanart section.

[Mewberries151]

I'm awfully sorry this even had to happen to you. Art Theft is one of the only things that really gets me angry and I absolutely hate seeing it happen to friends.

So far as I know, water-marking and placing signatures on the piece will deter some art thieves, but not all of them. Some art thieves simply don't care and will just steal the work with the signature or watermark on it and masquerade as the original artist. Also, the big problem with CL.com is that because they force you to scale your pieces down so small, the watermarks and signatures are hard to see, which only tips the scales in the thieves favor.

It's annoying, and CL.com doesn't have any real Support desk to go to in the case of art theft and they ought to, because it's happening at least once per contest nowadays. E-mailing them at codelyoko@codelyoko.com and alerting them to the problem tends to work, but it's alot of stress and aggravation that isn't deserved and wouldn't happen if people would simply not take other people's art. (Even if you traced it, colored it on your own, or edited it, it's still not your art, and you need the original artist's permission first to even display it...and you should always give credit to the original creator.)

[Star Way]

Agreed. Unfortunately, this problem isn't limited to CL, or even to fanart-- my own sister had to take down her site for a while because people were "treating it as their own personal clip-art gallery," (quote from her).

It just ticks me off SO MUCH. CL.com, especially makes me angry though. I've had problems with this stuff for a long time, but until now it's mostly been icon editing/hotlinking. This is just taking it too far.

The owners of this website really need to start doing more about this stuff. Someone should threaten a lawsuit against them just to see what they do. xDD

[MY85 offline]

The owners of this website really need to start doing more about this stuff. Someone should threaten a lawsuit against them just to see what they do. xDD

It'll take time and money. But you should be aware that you have the VA's and they can get to Jerome Mouscadet and he can get to the website people and...

[Mewberries151]

Agreed. Unfortunately, this problem isn't limited to CL, or even to fanart-- my own sister had to take down her site for a while because people were "treating it as their own personal clip-art gallery," (quote from her).

It just ticks me off SO MUCH. CL.com, especially makes me angry though. I've had problems with this stuff for a long time, but until now it's mostly been icon editing/hotlinking. This is just taking it too far.

The owners of this website really need to start doing more about this stuff. Someone should threaten a lawsuit against them just to see what they do. xDD

Well said. I have to agree. Another artist at DA by the name of Chibi-Jen-Hen has had her art stolen at least three times, I believe. The last time, the person almost won the contest too, before getting caught. It's really getting out of hand.

[MY85 offline]

Well said. I have to agree. Another artist at DA by the name of Chibi-Jen-Hen has had her art stolen at least three times, I believe. The last time, the person almost won the contest too, before getting caught. It's really getting out of hand.

*is surprised* Almost won? Wow... the bad side of stealing stuff. But then again, looking at the good side, Chibi-Jen-Hen must be good. And the bad thing is that she'll face more than once art thefts. The Thomas Crown Affair is something normal at CL.com, I suppose.

[Star Way]

I'm thinking I may just take down my fanart page after this is finished, or instead just link to the DA page where the images are (rather than have them right on LF). It won't stop art theft by any means, but it'll make me less responsible for them. xD

[Mewberries151]

Well said. I have to agree. Another artist at DA by the name of Chibi-Jen-Hen has had her art stolen at least three times, I believe. The last time, the person almost won the contest too, before getting caught. It's really getting out of hand.

*is surprised* Almost won? Wow... the bad side of stealing stuff. But then again, looking at the good side, Chibi-Jen-Hen must be good. And the bad thing is that she'll face more than once art thefts. The Thomas Crown Affair is something normal at CL.com, I suppose.

Indeed, it is. Chibi's had her art stolen at least three times already, and there are several people in the Fanart Forums at CL.com that masquerade as artists and claim either her original artwork or colored versions of her black-and-white sketches as their own. It's getting "mega insane", as Jeremie would put it.

I'm thinking I may just take down my fanart page after this is finished, or instead just link to the DA page where the images are (rather than have them right on LF). It won't stop art theft by any means, but it'll make me less responsible for them. xD

That sounds like a good plan too. DA's huge, so its better to fend off art thieves there. *nods*

[Star Way]

Well said. I have to agree. Another artist at DA by the name of Chibi-Jen-Hen has had her art stolen at least three times, I believe. The last time, the person almost won the contest too, before getting caught. It's really getting out of hand.

*is surprised* Almost won? Wow... the bad side of stealing stuff. But then again, looking at the good side, Chibi-Jen-Hen must be good. And the bad thing is that she'll face more than once art thefts. The Thomas Crown Affair is something normal at CL.com, I suppose.

Indeed, it is. Chibi's had her art stolen at least three times already, and there are several people in the Fanart Forums at CL.com that masquerade as artists and claim either her original artwork or colored versions of her black-and-white sketches as their own. It's getting "mega insane", as Jeremie would put it.

I have a problem with that. If the owners of this website are too blind and busy to deal with theft, they really should be sued. Too many people are being stolen from, and they aren't doing anything to stop it.

[Mewberries151]

I have a problem with that. If the owners of this website are too blind and busy to deal with theft, they really should be sued. Too many people are being stolen from, and they aren't doing anything to stop it.

True. Very true. And they only have one or two means of contacting them for any sort of problem that might arise. And their not always quick to do anything about it. I mean, I know running a large website is difficult but allowing art theft will just lose you members and your reputation as a safe site.

[Lotho offline]

The owners of this website really need to start doing more about this stuff. Someone should threaten a lawsuit against them just to see what they do. xDD

It'll take time and money. But you should be aware that you have the VA's and they can get to Jerome Mouscadet and he can get to the website people and...

Do absolutely nothing. Your fanart is your responsibility to watch over. After all, it is not Moonscoop's property and therefore they have no jurisdiction over it.

Seriously you need to contact the offenders and notify them about how you feel about them stealing art.

[Star Way]

There's no way to contact the people who submit art on that site. They make sure of it.

And I don't believe it's our fault people are stealing from us. The fact that they aren't doing anything about stopping art theft is their problem and they should get in trouble for it.

[Lotho offline]

The thing is they can't tell who the real owners of the art is. Some people let others use their art too so it would be really hard for the them to stop art theft.

I never said personally contact them. It might even be better to publiclly threaten them about art theft. Besides, direct action has always yielded better results for me.

[TB3]

I have to confess I used Chibi-Jen-Hen's Aelita picture to help me with the posture of a fanart that wasn't working right, but I don't think I've ever really stolen art (even TL's avatar which I chose for him is only a Hellsing manga-graphic that a fan coloured in).

Hmm...but passing someone else's work off as your own is plagarism to the nth degree, and frankly despicable.

[DarkestSoul X21 offline]

i know, i posted some of my art on my MSN Group and then i seen two other groups has my art it just makes me so mad

[Little Vili offline]

So wait...me using this avatar that I got off of DA would be stealing...even if I give credit?

[MY85 offline]

So wait...me using this avatar that I got off of DA would be stealing...even if I give credit?

Did you asked her for using it? And btw, I don't see you with an avatar. Sorry for off-topicness.

[Star Way]

If you have actual permission from an artist to use their art, it's not an offense. Anything else is, even if you credit.

[Little Vili offline]

Well...I have no avatar I can use then (Ill have to wait for a reply when I submit it.

[Overcaffeinated Sloth offline]

Don't worry, that's happened to me. But every image I make has been marked with a special FSP sign that CANNOT BE REMOVED without loking suspicious.

[Star Way]

Don't worry, that's happened to me. But every image I make has been marked with a special FSP sign that CANNOT BE REMOVED without loking suspicious.

Wanna bet?