touchstones 4

...seaside towns (this is Ayr) - fairground style graphics and painted villas..

- have you thought about your 'touchstones' yet?

Comments

[Helen, Darcy and Bingley]

we found you via a lovely post about you and your work over at 'My Home Made Happy'... very nice to meet you and see your lovely posts and talents. Helen (Darcy and Bingley)

[Heather]

I love this entranceway!

[Lynne G.]

Caireen, have just found your blog - which I'm enjoying - and have popped across to check out your cards and tags.

Can I just say, something to be wary of: your larger cards which feature an easily recognisable image, may possibly get you into hot water if someone spots their work. Essentially, a photographic image is someone's property, and if you 'recycle' it and use it to make money from, you may be in breach of copywrite.

Sorry to post publicly, no email option. And please, do take this in the kindly spirit it was meant. Oh, and if anybody out there has more of a handle on this subject then please contradict and clarify.

[caireen]

Hi Lynne
thanks for finding me and your recent comment which I understand you make with the right intentions...

I wonder if you mean the photographic larger cards, which are actually my own images taken by me.

The recycled cards do indeed come from magazine images - which have been taken by others and probably are copyrighted by the magazine. However I operate at such a small scale that I hope they would understand the spirit of reusing/upcycling the images in a positive way - each individual image is cut up and selected, i am not reproducing their image, nor am I multiplying this on a huge scale. I have to say I do not get back financially the hours I put in - and do it from a conceptual and creative angle to communicate the possiblilities of recycling in an imaginative way rather than an attempt to do someone out of their artistry or fee.

It is a grey area, and if anyone were to take offence I would immediately stop. However I do deal with graphics clearance at work on a daily basis - Would one then have to stop say a resale of a biscuit tin on Ebay that has a retro graphic on it? Or use of a fabric to make another item?

I began this as a hobby/sideline, mainly for friends and people I know - and maybe you are right, and that going out into a more public arena is not appropriate for these cards and perhaps I should withdraw them.

By the way, there is an option to email me at the side of the blog, top right corner.

Does anyone else have thoughts on this?

[Lynne G.]

Just to say, I have exchanged emails with Caireen on this topic. If anyone out there has a definitive answer it would be good to share it. As small scale makers of creative items for sale we possibly all hover around the line that shouldn't be crossed - simply because we aren't aware of it.