While browsing new art here I came across a stamp with a very presumptuous message:



In the comments underneath the stamp you learn that this person who did this likes stock unrestricted and free of rules so that it can be taken without ever thinking about the effort that was put into the work by the original artist. If the stock is based on even the simplest rules they wouldn't use it just to save themselves the time and trouble to say thank you and mention the artists' names and to maintain the illusion that the stuff made with foreign stock belongs to them and to them only and they don't owe anyone anything.

This is what I had to say to it in my comment:

I do not support this. Obviously you have a different definition of "free" than most of the rest of us. You say you love to take free stock where you don't have to give anything in return, not even credits which is not very much compared to the job that the stock photographer has done for you. Isn't that quite pathetic and presumptuous?

And then your poor reasoning the art wouldn't be yours only when you use stock based on rules (though a lot of stockers even allow commercial use of their work without being asked before!). Even if you use unrestricted stock the art never will be yours ONLY. Because other artists helped you by creating and providing the stock for you. That fact doesn't change even if you hide the names of the original creators and are not saying thank you to them for their hard work, their kindness and generosity. It's the simplest form of politeness to let them know you appreciate what they gave to you which you obviously don't.

I truly believe there must be some kind of fair compensation for all things that you use that are not originally yours. Otherwise you are a self-serving ignorant taker and nothing more than a bottomless pit that exhausts all the creative energy coming from givers.

You can leave a comment here in my journal and/or Vote in my Poll. If you like to say your honest opinion directly in the comments of the stamp in question just send me a short Note and I will send you the deviation link. But be fair and don't offend the stamp maker!

Mon Mar 8, 2010, 2:41 AM

Today I had such a wonderful Sunday with friends that I was singing and dancing with and now that I came home and checked my DA messages I found out that I won *Catgel's AVATAR Contest! This is totally amazing considering that I have entered the contest in the very last hour before it was closed. Wow, I am totally thrilled to be the winner in the Photomanipulation category with my Avatar fanart which is this:



Thank you so much to *Catgel and the judges who voted for my work!!! Congratulations to all other winners, too! The winners are announced in this news article: [link] or in Catgel's journal: [link]

Have you all a great week!