EDIT: Today is it for me.
Contact me at : gothicroseincarnate@yahoo.com
My work might be on other sites. If you're interested - email me and I'll tell you where.



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When I first came to DA, I thought that it was the greatest place for artists of all types. It was a place that someone like me could get critiques about my work without having to beg people to look at my work. It was a place that people helped people and artwork of any kind was more than welcomed - no questions asked.

Now - Things have changed greatly. Several of my friends have come under fire for "fan art" using images of CD covers, magazine and book covers and even images that were entirely done by hand. Now don't get me wrong, but artwork is supposed to be expressive of one's self and moods. Artwork is supposed to be a creative combination of
images or resources in order to express the artist's desired outcome. When did artwork start becoming like George Orwell's 1984 - forbidden except if the "government" deems it is allowable?

Now I know that there are such things as copyrights, patents, etc. but isn't it going a bit far when someone makes a wallpaper of their favorite performer or animae character from resources they own (or have purchased from a retailer) and it is said that it's infringing on the copyrights of not only the artist, but the photographers/artists who originally created them, the recording/film companies who produced them and the distribution companies that promoted them? Now come on people, when you purchase something - you pay for the right to use it for your own enjoyment. You give the companies their due. So you should be able to create a wallpaper or artwork for your own enjoyment (or to share with friends) with these images as long as you don't make money from them. I mean, if I was trying to make money off someone else's stuff, that's one thing, but when you're doing it for the love of art - the pure enjoyment of seeing it completed - well - I think the rules have gone a bit too far.

Now image this - if we have to get written permission to use CD covers, etc in order to display it on DA - then do we have to get written permission for every photo we take at a concert or school play? Do we have to write and ask permission to post a great photo of the President of the US because we might be infringing on his rights because he has a publicity crew that handles photos, etc of him? Better yet, do we have to write to God for permission to use a photo we've taken of a sunset, or a landscape? I mean, he did create them, so it stands to be that they belong to him in copyright. Am I correct?

So, I have decided that I am leaving DA - permanently. Not only have friends of mine been under fire about this, but my boyfriend as well (and he was the one who introduced me to DA to start with!). I believed that DA was a safe-haven for artists to create and experiment and grow, but now I see that was wrong. If people want to create, then let them. If people are trying to sell other people's stuff, then let's get on them about it. But for those of us who want to create, freely express ourselves and not infringe on anyone's rights - DA is not the place. I'm actually surprised that I have not come under fire yet, because alot of my artwork is inspired by copyrighted names or images! But I'm sure that if I stayed long enough - I too would be under fire for that!

My boyfriend and I are personal friends with several of the artists that we have images of. We have personally talked to these artists and gotten permission to use their images, lyrics, etc. But we are also personal friends of theirs, so why do I need permission to show a pic of a friend of mine! Why do we have to prove this and give DA personal info about the artist that I'm sure the artist would rather we don't. I mean artists have better things to do than answer emails from DA checking on whether something is allowable. And if you want us to provide this info - then every single artist on DA would need to send permission slips to every animae, movie star, etc on the planet! And how do you get permission from a Greek God for doing an image of him?

I'm sorry - creative censorship is not something I agree with - or will stand for.
I'm leaving DA. Plain and simple.
I don't want to feel that every time I post something that it's "not allowed" because it might infringe on someone.
Get real people.
Unless I'm making money off someone else's work - then let me create.

I can be reached at gothicroseincarnate@yahoo.com

I hope to find a new site that will let me create and be who I am.

I am keeping my account here until next Wednesday - then I will be gone.

Until then - keep creating without restriction or censorship.

Art is the external expression of our soul - don't let your soul be censored.

Diana