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Post by [Undisclosed] on Aug 13, 2014 15:45:52 GMT -9
I have recently discovered that it's relatively easy to convert any image from the internet into a paper figure, assuming it has the right perspective, is decent quality, and doesn't have too much clutter. While I'm quite aware that I could never get away with trying to sell such figures, and would have to be very careful about distributing them for free, I still feel like something's wrong here. If a paper figure is truly a worthy substitute for a plastic or metal one, am I damaging the manufacturer by ripping off their figure? And what sources can one draw on before violating the work an individual person puts into their figure, whether it be monetary investment alone, or construction and painting? And am I also hurting the artists here by not buying their products? I'm interested to see people's thoughts on this one.
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Post by bravesirkevin on Aug 13, 2014 16:27:42 GMT -9
Well, it's strictly illegal to use someone else's artwork in almost any situation. Copyright basically means that the original creator has certain exclusive rights, like the right to reproduce a work and the right to profit from their work, and you wouldn't be able to do any of the things you're talking about without trampling on a few of those rights. If you took someone else's character and created your own artwork based on that character then you've derived from someone else's copyright. In this case there's a little more legal wiggle room because the artwork is original, but the original creator has full copyright on all the stuff that you didn't create yourself. He could legally force you to remove the pieces from the internet and if you were audacious enough to try and make profit from it then he'd be entitled to sue you for that money. In either case the scary part is the massive legal expense you'll incur when you lose the court case and are forced to pay for their very expensive lawyers as well as your own.
As for the moral question... Well, making your own paper figures for your own personal use and not sharing them on the internet, that's not really going to hurt anyone. Most of the illustrators and photographers out there are not making miniatures so using their art to make miniatures for your personal collection is neither denying them profits nor is it stepping on any toes.... If you distribute it without their permission or try and make a profit off of it then it's another story.
If you made Games Workshop themed paper minis from their product shots, then you'd only be able to use them in games with your friends because they'd not allow that in any organised Warhammer tournaments. If you distributed paper minis made from their artwork you'd get sued hard and fast. GW is stupidly litigious and they have no qualms about suing the pants off of folks who tread on their IP claims.
If you chose not to purchase the paper minis of the artists here and instead made your own from the product shots, you'd save a few bucks but make a lot of work for yourself and just land up with a vastly inferior product. ie. you'd be robbing yourself.
If you chose to pirate our paper minis, then you'd be keeping us poor and forcing us to keep our day jobs. You'd save a few bucks but you'd see a lot less quality work from us because we just don't have the time to create these beautiful works of art. You should always support folks who create stuff you like because they can't keep making it without that support.
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Post by WackyAnne on Aug 13, 2014 17:15:16 GMT -9
Good job, Kevin, you've covered things succinctly, eloquently, and authentically, without getting emotionally involved. Could - not- have said it as well, much less better, myself.
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shep
Eternal Member
Red Alert! Shields up! LENS FLARE!!!
Posts: 1,260
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Post by shep on Aug 14, 2014 2:45:40 GMT -9
Well said, Kevin. The only thing to add is that there are some artists out there who ditribute their art, illustrations and/or paperminis under a Creative Commons license, so that everyone can have a go at them for personal customization, and as long as the customs are distributed for free and link back to the original mini.
Other artists have, if asked, no problem with their art being used for creating minis or their minis being customized, again connected to a free distribution of the result and a link back to the original art.
Easiest way to get rid of doubt and come clear with what you may or may not do with a picture or a mini is by simply asking the artist. If he or she says no, you drop the project, if they're okay you can negotiate the exact terms of use with them. In the end, there might even be some artists that never thought about publishing their work as minis, so you could help them do that and split whatever revenue there might be...
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