Tuesday, 12 February 2013
The Absinthe Fairy
This image is called 'The Absinthe Fairy'. I produced it for an on-line art challenge in 2009. The whole process of its creation was documented as the challenge required you to do that. The image is MINE. I created it without reference or source other than the obvious inspiration. I am currently seeing this image all over the internet, on sites such as Etsy, EBay, Cafe Press etc listed as 'vintage', placed on various items that vendors are selling, from jewellery to bedding to mugs. They are infringing copyright. It's NOT vintage, it is 4 years old. It has been licensed out ONCE to the writer Christopher Moore with changes made to it to suit his requirements. The watermark is ugly isn't it? Wouldn't it be a shame if everything an artist posts has to have that or similar through it?
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7 comments:
I'm happy with my legally bought copy that's hanging on my wall :) I had had my eye on it before you put it up for sale, and when you did you made me a very happy man! Good work man, keep it up!
Cheers H! :)
That is indeed a beautiful image, and I can completely understand someone wanting to own a print of it: but, to see it just unscrupulously stolen and then to have extra salt rubbed in that particular wound by having the perpetrators claim it's either theirs, or "vintage", and then make money from it..! must make you so incredibly angry! After all, if THEY found the image on the web, did they not think that you (an artist that works digitally and regularly posts online) or anyone else would notice!!?? I can't decide whether that indicates either: how low their intellect, or their morals!
Popular artists throughout history have always been forged and ripped off, after all, if your work is good enough for YOU to make your living from, it's an unfortunately safe bet that some lazy unimaginative parasite's going to want to try and make a quick buck out of you too! The advent of home scanners and the web have made "grabbing" these pictures easier, but, all they're really doing by putting your images on their tawdry products is tantamount to sprinkling glitter on a turd!!
My words must come as scant consolation, I know, but I felt compelled to write another (*considered, as you put it) response as... if it were to happen to me, I would be livid and I can sincerely empathise with you.
As an aspiring illustrator I have admired your work for a few years now, (being introduced to it via Imagine FX and Spectrum) and to some extent I have, of course, envied your success; but the difference is, I know it comes from hard work and dedication to one's craft. (something those thieves will obviously never know).
I just hope there is some way they can be stopped and/or brought to book for this. They may of course, plead ignorance. That would be without doubt as they have clearly shown themselves to have it in abundance, but it's no defence for theft.
I do hope this incident doesn't make you too cynical and make you think that everyone who views your work online is just waiting to rip you off. Some of us are just happy to view it and take nothing more than inspiration.
You have my commiserations Mr. Fell.
*My first (un-considered) response was thieving c***s!
Cheers Mark. Sadly there's a sense of entitlement people have to whatever they find on the net, and when something's out there, it's out there. I have no problem with finding stuff on tumblr or Pinterest, but when I find someone sticking it on a brooch and selling it then it's a different matter. No excuse for it now with reverse image search etc.
And I empathise with your first response!
Hi, I've been in love with this image for some time now, and always knew it was your work and thought it's such a shame that people steal this stuff.
so I decided to order it through the link on your store. Then i saw the postage - the print itself is $20, a more than reasonable price, then I found out postage to Malta, Europe was $40... twice the cost of the print. I ordered it (begrudgingly)
You might want to check other online resellers, as at those postage rates I'm not surprised some people might turn to a less than reputable source...
Keep up the amazing work!
Oof, Nathan! That's a hefty postage! It's because they're printed in the States I expect. I keep meaning to order one from inPRNT for myself, out of curiosity, but the feedback I've had is the print quality is extremely good. I do prints myself as well, for selling at conventions here in the UK, so if there was ever anything else that took your fancy, and isn't from inPRNT, contact me directly.
Thank you for buying it! I hope you are happy with the result! :)
I absolutely LOVE this! Where can I buy a print copy?
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