Never-ending stealing of painting images
This issue comes up almost every time as I type in Google search terms which I describe my paintings and drawings with. Almost every time, I find stolen images of my paintings which I obviously did not know of. I look at the website link: if it is not my website, my Fine Art America site or similar sites, I can be sure somebody has copied image of my painting and placed on their website. The purpose of stealing painting images is not always clear. Some websites look like they are selling prints, some seem to have the image for anybody to paint or draw. I am feeling sad and mad about this.
How about I use your art for my artwork?
Somebody contacted me recently (at least they contacted and asked for permission, which I appreciate) about 2 of my best floral paintings. It said: may I use your images for creation of my artwork? That left me wondering: how is that? If that was a photo of something else, but not my art, I could have allowed using it. But the idea was to take the image of my painting and use for whatever adjusted art they create. So, I work hard for some 3-4 weeks and paint it and try to do my best. I work on taking good pictures. They come along and admit that I did well, and that’s why they would use these images. To me, they are finished paintings, and I do not want anybody to add embellishments to them or remove something digitally. Creation of art takes time, efforts and actually talent, too. No, I’m not fine that you just copy it over and sell as painting by numbers.
Please, be respectful
I wonder: how do people come on these ideas? I think it’s time we start to respect efforts and time somebody has put in their art. I have seen all kinds of claims about art instruction, writing, including poems, stories, essays, interviews, how to instruction and lots and lots of paintings which are simply stolen from the owner’s website. I have watermarks on my paintings. I usually post paintings with my signature on them except when it’s work in progress. I have copyright notice in place, and I made it longer just now and I am also putting it under each article as of today.
Are these protective measures enough?
Do I believe these measures are going to stop some websites from stealing and displaying my art? Probably not. However, I will alarm about 2 most recent websites where I found my paintings. If you are a good artist, your drawings and paintings might be there also. Internet enables all kinds of unauthorized actions. It’s just so that it is annoying and time-consuming to follow up on all of this. It took me an hour approximately dealing with these websites. I am not even sure; there may have been more images. There is never guarantee that I will achieve much with searching, checking and sending my notifications in case a theft is detected.
It is a big deal
Does this stealing happen because people think that it is not a big deal to just simply copy somebody’s work and go ahead and place or use it any way they prefer? Well, it is a big deal for me, and I suppose for any artist whose life is a full time art creation and writing. No, I do not feel flattered by my painting images (sometimes works in progress) being scattered around who knows where. The display is usually also not the most appealing, and they are taken out of context and sometimes used for other than intended purpose. If you’d like to see what websites have your painting images, enter art descriptions which fit your art in Google search, click on images and see what comes up.
New show paintings
My initial intention was to post two images of my new paintings which will be included in show opening on February 14. And I am still working on more new paintings, as well as adjusting and varnishing some earlier works. But here I am: dealing with stolen painting images again. That happens much too often to ignore it. Maybe it’s time to report these websites and maybe they’d be closed down. Maybe it’s time to deal with thieves in a stricter manner? It’s been countless times I find my paintings on strange websites when I google for images with descriptions I have frequently used.
Happy with results
Anyway, art is where I find my happiest moments in life. The largest painting is Birch road. It is 30 x 24 inches or 76 x 61 cm. I cannot ship it at the moment, but it is available from my studio. It took about 3 weeks painting for about 6 hours a day. The photo cannot show all golden shade transitions which are implemented in leaves, but the real painting has perfect color play.
Some art simply got adjusted and new pictures were taken. I hope you enjoy my paintings and feel the same good vibes as I did when painting them!
Except for Birch tri, all other paintings are 24 x 20 in or 61 x 51 cm.
Fall colors, bright as in nature!
As always, check out FFA site: Art collections by Inese Poga
I really like your birch trees. that would make for a nice road to walk on.
Thanks Jim! I believe it would be nice. I thought about Latvian birches when I was painting this, but people told they could imagine it as New England, one lady said: Colorado where she lived, then Ireland, there were actually more places mentioned. It’s great the viewer can feel the atmosphere in painting.
I’m so sorry to hear you’re having to deal with art theft, Inese. It’s a problem for writers as well. Sadly, almost as soon as one pirate site is shut down, another pops up. Very frustrating. I suppose the watermark is a good deterrent, but sad that it seems to be the only way to protect your work.
I know. I found them accidentally since I was looking for a simple drawing reference for kids, but as always with internet, you just keep going. So, I noticed 3 of my paintings on these sites.
I tried watermark all over, too, but that really looked bad.
It is very frustrating.
I doubt somebody would steal the entire book you’ve written, but concepts or fragments might show up here and there.
It’s just simply not acceptable and it never ends.
Hi Inese, it’s quite disturbing that anyone should steal your artwork… Love the birch road.
The worst is that it is out of my control how my painting images are used and what way sold.
This is a wonderful painting. Reminds me of rural Pennsylvania where I grew up. It is really cool when the viewer is able to place themselves in the scene. Sorry to hear about the art theft. As JP said, it happens with writing as well. You have to be vigilant, be on the offensive. Anyway, love the piece!
Thanks Meg! It is nice, indeed, the viewer can place themselves in a painted scene. The birch road really worked for that.
This time I found 3 painting images of mine, last month 2 images, almost every month there is some of my images circulating around and I frequently have no idea. It’s by far not the first time when this happens. These people left at least my watermark in place. It was sometimes cut off together with my signature and somebody else had put their signature instead of mine. People go for big length in such thefts.
Oh my! That is so bold!
And very annoying to be honest because it literally takes time to find their contact info and then I had to identify the images, it’s not that easy. Most likely, these websites deal with angry authors of originals all the time.
I do love your painting of the birch forest. It has a beautiful balance.
Thinking about the theft issue, one of the things I do to reduce this with my work is to only post small size images on the web, never medium or large sizes. (I try to keep the longest edge to less than 900 pixels.) This makes it impossible for someone to print them at any salable size. I did the same when I worked professionally. To show detail to prospective buyers I would take a small section of the painting and print just that little window at a higher resolution. Then buyers could see the brushwork and details along with the main image but no large complete image was ever posted. I suspect that nothing completely stops the kind of theft you’re describing but I’ve found this technique helpful. All the very best, Jo
Thanks Jo!
Well, I have done that, too. I usually resize paintings, but my website is not the only place they were stolen from. I discontinued Pinterest because of that. I have seen painting images taken from Fine Art America site with FAA watermark on, from Facebook and Twitter, you name it.
I found that the look was not good with tiny images, and my goal is to sell more, so, I really need them to be visible. I used for a while to place on website only images which are under certain angle, probably have to do that again and include background or something in front of painting which does not allow obtaining a clean image.
I found Pinterest bad too. You’re right, anything that makes it harder for them to get a clean image helps. I hope things get better!
Thanks! I had forgotten for a while how it is better to use image on an angle and with paints or something around. Pinterest was purely only thefts, I suppose because of their format, they sort of invite people to try to paint using the images which it shouldn’t be unless it’s clearly an instruction.
Basically, have to watch out more.
Dear Inese. It must be very frustrating to spend so much time on your beautiful artwork, and then to have it stolen. You are a very talented artist and well deserve to reap the results. My heart goes out to you.
Thanks! They usually take only images which are from the best paintings, well, nobody wants mediocrity, but right away something good.
No shortage of people who take advantage of all creative guys, I don’t doubt you’d find some of your photos, too, if you looked through numerous sites.
Who has time for that?
That leaves to stick together and notify anybody in case of suspicion their work is in a wrong place and on wrong website. People actually do send notifications about that.
The worst part is that this is something ongoing, I was surprised it was 3 paintings at once this time.
It’s not right when others use your work in promoting their website I think the laws though are lax . Can one just put a copyright statement on your site or does it need to be legally registered somewhere Anyway hope you are able to somehow track them down and stop them
So glad to hear you’re having a show I wish you all the best Diane
Thanks! I cannot physically track down every single case. I will simply take different pictures of drawings and watercolor paintings so that cannot be used as a reference for art instruction. Acrylic paintings are not usually stolen, but most often drawings and watercolor paintings are.
Copyright statement is to remind that I created it and people, who are honest and respect my work, won’t use my art.
Like in all areas of life, there are lots of websites who thrive on cheating, stealing and misleading, etc. That happens with art, writing, music, anything one has created. There are always sharks out there, who don’t give anything about any precautions, laws, rules and similar. Thankfully, there are way more honest and respectful people. Everybody, who creates something good or meaningful, experiences some thefts time to time. Well, we cannot allow the dishonest people to stop us from sharing ideas, concepts and artwork.
Show is coming up, yes, there will be about 20 large acrylic works because watercolor, especially large ones, are more sensitive, and I do not feel like taking them around at this time. It’s great to hear from you! I hope you’re doing fine!
I find it interesting that drawings and watercolor paintings are stolen more than Acrylic paintings. I wonder why?
It’s easier probably to sell them for purposes of learning how to draw or use watercolor. While they certainly cannot include my instruction just because they don’t know how I painted it, it still can be used as they did: to make one want to learn using my image. Acrylic is probably easier to trace and also, who is going to believe that they can recreate a complex painting right away? I’ve simply noticed that these were almost always watercolors and drawings or pen and watercolor sketches. There must be more demand for them. When it comes to physically selling at the studio, it is easier to sell acrylic paintings since they do not require frame.
And I wonder how much trouble its for you to deal with those people? 🙁
It takes time to send over my objections, citing laws, referring to my own site, etc and asking them to take down my works by always specifying the link. It takes time which I could spend in a nicer way.
The problem is one takes off, other puts on. There have been so many cases!
Recently at least, they do not cut off my watermark and my signature, but a few years ago somebody managed to do that and she had signed my painting. Copying, printing it off, then scanning and putting her own signature onto my work. I wasn’t the only, there were quite a few good artists. The lady did not got away with that. I did not sue her, but as it appears a few artists did. Well, she was in Greece, I don’t know how it ended, but the website was gone quickly.
Many times other bloggers have notified me about these issues, and sometimes even people who I do not know which is kind of nice.
I am glad that case got solved. 🙂
I am not sure yet because I didn’t have time to check. All work goes into preparing the show, I need many large pieces.