REMINDER: Do not use images/renders you don't own!

[IxiDusts]

totorochic

Yes, you're free to use them as long as there's no gold involved. So you can make banners, shop layout headers, profile layouts etc. using them for yourself or for others for free only.

Ah, I was about to ask that. Thanks for clarifying that ^.^

[halo_master]

Edit May 25th: I wonder how long it will take for my questions to be answered. My original post was ages ago.

Relikk

This Announcement thread is open for users to post in because some may have legitimate questions about how to avoid breaking the rules.

It is not open for the sake of debating about the rules or complaining amongst yourselves.

The reasons for the rules have been stated. The moderators and admins, having many different backgrounds and viewpoints, have put a great deal of thought into the rules. Any well-contrived example, analogy, or criticism that you can think of has been brought up and been dealt with behind the scenes, and therefore the rules are not up for questioning or debate. It is simply unproductive to argue.

The administrators and mods want Gaia to be a friendly place and wish to be as helpful and understanding as possible. The staff welcomes feedback, in the feedback forum.

If you continue to use this thread to complain about the rule and argue, the thread will be locked.

Questions about how to follow the rule, and is your shop OK, are welcome.

Okay.

...

My question(s) from page 4:

halo_master

totorochic

Anyr: You e-mail the company asking for permission. Then you state you have permission and can show proof ie the e-mail in your shop.

But what if it is faked?

It's easy enough to fake anything these days. Saved AIM conversations for example...just change the HTML and you could "force" someone to harass you. E-mails, screen captures, hell even pictures and videos if you're good enough. If you spend enough time on the computer using editing programs you can "prove" anything you pull out of your a** very easily.

If someone said they had permission but you didn't think they did, would you try to get the information out of the original owner? What if the owner didn't respond or what if the "artist" said that the deal was made to keep his privacy should anyone else ask, meaning the original owner "wouldn't tell you anyway" and all that stuff? O.o (In other words: what if someone lied about having permission?)

I'm thinking too fast...

Oh, what if you draw the image yourself? IE, I draw a picture of Vash the Stampede with my own pen on my own paper and I scan it in with my own scanner and spiff it up in Photoshop. Will I not be able to sell it as part of something? I did not "invent" the character but I sure as heck did alot of work to make the picture...yeah, I doubt that would be allowed, huh? neutral Although, what if I said it was my own character but it just looked like Vash because he is, after all, one of my favorite anime characters and my characters tend to look like things I like? Would you sit there and tell me that my own character was something else, something you have no right to do? (Example: I draw a crappy dinosaur. I color it purple. I call it Bob. Would you say, "No, that's Barney. -delete-"?)

Edit: Oh, what if people wanted to have music in their profile but didn't want that white block from using that one program, wanted control buttons, but couldn't make it themselves? Would it be so horrible if I supplied the work into making the player for them and they want to hear a particular song? I have nothing to do with the song after all, and I'm not charging for it, I'm charging for the player which can play anything anyway.

[Anlina]

Fan art that is original in concept but uses existing character is allowed.

Avatar edits using Gaia bases and items are allowed.

Any graphic design that uses official Gaia images are allowed.

The majority of questions are covered in the Mini Shop Rules and Regulations sticky which can be found in the main Mini Shops forum. All rules from the main forum also apply to subforums.

[halo_master]

Ah, so I can draw my own "Vash". That's good, thank you. :3

However, I read the sticky and yet my main question is still not answered:

What if "permission" is lied about or faked? Something that wouldn't really be that hard to accomplish.


Edit: Ooo...another question: What if the person who is buying the image supplies you with the image they want you to use? Example: Jane tells Joe she wants a wishlist. Jane sends Joe a picture from FFXII that she wants in the wishlist image. Jane says that she got permission to use that image. Would Joe be able to make it for her?

[~Savage Muffin~]

Wow... eek I did not know that.
Question: How do you tell if an image is copyrighted?
Can you use images obtained elsewhere if they AREN'T copyrighted?

[[ ~ Peach Melba ~ ]]

If I was to put a link to the site I got the pictures off, and say clearly they aren't my own designs, can i use them as part of my Banners/ Wishlist?

Could I use an Image, if it is copyrighted in one place but not in another?

Teh Peach luffs you. Show peachy you luff her Give her an Angelic Sash XX

[ze chickie]

I think this rule needs adjustments...

On AnimeWallpapers.com, random people make wallpapers from copyrighted images all the time. Certain graphic-distributing websites use copyrighted images in making website layouts, enter signs, and other such things. I've seen quite a few that commission customized graphics using copyrighted images. They did not have permission from such sources, but rather stated very clearly that they do not own any of the images used.

I mean, think about it. I think the majority of Gaia is in its teens. I myself am fourteen-going-on-fifteen, but I make pretty nice graphics that people have paid me for before on sites like Neopets. And I use copyrighted material, but I state very clearly that I do not own any of the images used in my graphics unless stated otherwise. How am I- a fourteen-year-old, living in her parents' home, unable to get a job- supposed to contact people like Yukiru Sugisaki, the creator of D.N.Angel? How am I supposed to pay every time I want to use a copyrighted work?

And when you think about it, you're also saying we can't use brushes in Photoshop or PaintShopPro or whatever unless they came with the program or we made them ourselves. And also, we wouldn't be allowed to put lyrics or copyrighted writing material in something like a signature banner.

And also, artists from deviantART go to Anime conventions all the time with fanart they've made, and they sell it. I'm pretty sure the sixteen-year-olds on deviantart don't have the permission of the creators to sell images of Edward Elric from FullMetal Alchemist, Usagi Tsukino of Sailor Moon, etc., etc. Doujinshi (fan manga) artists also don't get permission, I believe. Yet the artists make profit from their artwork/doujinshi. I know you may argue that fanart is art by us, so we can sell that, but it's still portraying a copyrighted character, so I don't believe it's any different from what you're trying to prohibit.

So maybe it would just be better to make the rule something like: Anyone selling off graphics consisting of copyrighted material or based off of copyrighted material (i.e. graphics using fanart) should clearly state that they do not own the copyrighted material used for the graphics.

Now I'm not trying to attack anyone, for everyone's information. I'm merely stating the problems I see with this rule. For the most part you admins do a good job of making rules fair and such, but I think you made a small mistake with this one. =3

[skaldic]

I would just like to say, that I was accepted into a private art school just recently, and in my portfolio I had graphics that I had created with aid of some copyrighted images. None of the proffesional staff cared, because I wasn't claiming the base images as my own, they were just one tool in a process that used several different tools.

Getting into college is a much bigger profit than using these graphics to increase my simulated currency on this website. I just think it's absolutely abhorrent that this place holds itself to such an unjustified esteem. 'Selling' image manipulated graphics on this website for gold is no more illegal than exchanging a doodle of Ash Catchem for Monopoly money.

[halo_master]

-post quoted to next page-

[Kit Vale]

Okay, I have a question. If I make a layout for someone and they pay for it and they get the code and the transaction is complete and then they say they want to jazz up the profile with images and I say I will add them in for free, is this legal?

[Lapin Labyrinth]

I really don't understand, if I make a wishlist with Naruto in it, couldn't I just say that I don't own it,? Or state where I found the images?
Everyone already knows who the real creator of Naruto is. Could I just put under the wishlist : "created by etc. found on this website by etc.?"

[Lapin Labyrinth]

Missh Loony

I think this rule needs adjustments...

On AnimeWallpapers.com, random people make wallpapers from copyrighted images all the time. Certain graphic-distributing websites use copyrighted images in making website layouts, enter signs, and other such things. I've seen quite a few that commission customized graphics using copyrighted images. They did not have permission from such sources, but rather stated very clearly that they do not own any of the images used.

I mean, think about it. I think the majority of Gaia is in its teens. I myself am fourteen-going-on-fifteen, but I make pretty nice graphics that people have paid me for before on sites like Neopets. And I use copyrighted material, but I state very clearly that I do not own any of the images used in my graphics unless stated otherwise. How am I- a fourteen-year-old, living in her parents' home, unable to get a job- supposed to contact people like Yukiru Sugisaki, the creator of D.N.Angel? How am I supposed to pay every time I want to use a copyrighted work?

And when you think about it, you're also saying we can't use brushes in Photoshop or PaintShopPro or whatever unless they came with the program or we made them ourselves. And also, we wouldn't be allowed to put lyrics or copyrighted writing material in something like a signature banner.

And also, artists from deviantART go to Anime conventions all the time with fanart they've made, and they sell it. I'm pretty sure the sixteen-year-olds on deviantart don't have the permission of the creators to sell images of Edward Elric from FullMetal Alchemist, Usagi Tsukino of Sailor Moon, etc., etc. Doujinshi (fan manga) artists also don't get permission, I believe. Yet the artists make profit from their artwork/doujinshi. I know you may argue that fanart is art by us, so we can sell that, but it's still portraying a copyrighted character, so I don't believe it's any different from what you're trying to prohibit.

So maybe it would just be better to make the rule something like: Anyone selling off graphics consisting of copyrighted material or based off of copyrighted material (i.e. graphics using fanart) should clearly state that they do not own the copyrighted material used for the graphics.

Now I'm not trying to attack anyone, for everyone's information. I'm merely stating the problems I see with this rule. For the most part you admins do a good job of making rules fair and such, but I think you made a small mistake with this one. =3

I totally agree!! Mods, please edit this rule!!