Copyright
*All images and text copyright © Sandy Sandy / © SandySandy.com 1997-2023
All Sandy's artwork is protected by copyright under *International Copyright Law* which does not transfer with a sale. Permission to copy, reproduce or use these images or text in any way, is required in writing from the artist / author, Sandy Sandy.
Pinning to Pinterest is allowed as long as the link is included in the pin and name on the art is visible. In most cases, permission to use images for personal use online is granted as long as credit is given with a link to this or any other Sandy Sandy Website, Blog or Social Network Page. A link to where the information was obtained must be included.
Any commercial or public use, as in merchandise production, anything for business, education, profit or nonprofit, any advertising, literature, logos, invitations, tattoos, etc., may be available through private treaty. Some of Sandy's images are available to license through iStockphoto. Please contact Sandy through email at: Sandy@SandySandy.com or by phone at: 609.268.9106 with your inquiries.
All Sandy's artwork is protected by copyright under *International Copyright Law* which does not transfer with a sale. Permission to copy, reproduce or use these images or text in any way, is required in writing from the artist / author, Sandy Sandy.
Pinning to Pinterest is allowed as long as the link is included in the pin and name on the art is visible. In most cases, permission to use images for personal use online is granted as long as credit is given with a link to this or any other Sandy Sandy Website, Blog or Social Network Page. A link to where the information was obtained must be included.
Any commercial or public use, as in merchandise production, anything for business, education, profit or nonprofit, any advertising, literature, logos, invitations, tattoos, etc., may be available through private treaty. Some of Sandy's images are available to license through iStockphoto. Please contact Sandy through email at: Sandy@SandySandy.com or by phone at: 609.268.9106 with your inquiries.
Follow along and enjoy this short time lapse demo of painting a tree in alcohol ink on Yupo paper.
Please Note • It's very beneficial to study and reproduce another artist's work to learn techniques, but copying their work and presenting it as your own may be a copyright violation. "When you follow an example from a class or tutorial, look at the piece as a learning exercise, rather than your own art. Please do share it and give credit to the teacher wherever possible. This helps the teacher's sales and directs others to the tutorial or resource. Please don't sell this as your own work though, unless the copyright holder gives you specific permission to do so." ~ Ginger Davis Allman / It is not morally or legally correct to physically show or sell this as your own work, unless the copyright owner gives you specific permission to do so. If the copyright holder gives permission, there may be specific requirements set forth.
I was excited to view the alcohol ink paintings at a local art show, but was disappointed to find that the painting that had won an award was not entirely original. I studied that same video years ago myself and have seen that recognizable scene reproduced countless times online. I have also seen others teaching the exact same techniques and composition based on that image. Needless to say, corresponding with the original artist, she was not real happy about it. Looking further, there were also a couple of copies done from my own online step by step tutorials. And in another show, I saw a very close copy done from a step by step lesson in one of my live classes. Below, I have tried to educate people on the difference between the right and wrong way to go about copying and learning.
A technique or an idea can't be copyrighted, however if an artist makes their living teaching the technique, it would be very nice to give credit to them. This is kind and thoughtful, but not legally required. Study the technique and follow along with the project. Just don't enter a live class assignment or online tutorial painting in an art show, or reteach someone's exact same lesson, and especially do not use their downloads or other class materials. Please don't sell close copies without the teacher's permission, or claim it as your own.
Once the technique has been learned, practiced, and grasped, your own individual idiosyncrasies will emerge. If the work is a derivative of someone else's creative work, yet has changed or evolved over time, has a unique look or is unrecognizable, you then hold the copyright and have the legal right to determine who uses it and how.
Bottom line - Follow along with tutorials as practice. Learn the techniques and perfect them, but give credit where it is due. Practice, practice, then practice some more. Throw in your own unique twists. Express your unique perspective, new ideas, and discoveries. Make the art your own. Using, sharing or teaching the same TECHNIQUE learned in a class or tutorial by another person is perfectly fine, as long as you change the subject matter or vary the approach. Be sure to use your own ideas, designs, drawings, examples or projects. Reproducing, re-painting or re-teaching someone else's exact work is not acceptable.
MY PERSONAL POLICY: I certainly don't mind if pieces done in classes are gifted or sold. I know people like to buy from their friends and after a while, things start to pile up. The validation is invigorating and it might be nice to get some money back, for more classes and art supplies. Many accomplished instructors do not allow their lesson paintings to be sold at all. I however, feel it would be okay, within certain guidelines, which pertain to all pieces done in my live or online classes or from my step by step video tutorials.
Your initials or signature can appear on the front of the art. Then, "After Sandy Sandy" with the date, should be written on the back of the physical piece and visible on the exposed backing board. It should be mentioned to any buyer that it was done in a class, whether it was done in a live environment or from a video. If posting online, linking to me, @SandySandyArt or tagging me at #LearnLoveCreate or #SandySandyArt is greatly appreciated. You know it is tagged properly when you get a highlighted blue or purple link on the name or tag. Tutorial works, because they are actually still the instructor's designs, should not be entered in art shows without the teacher's and the gallery or show coordinator's permission. Contact me if you are unsure if your piece is too close to mine. Making prints from close copies is prohibited, unless in limited quantity or for personal use.
ABOUT USING PHOTOGRAPHS: If you are using someone else's photo for reference, make sure it is specified that it is "copyright free, in the public domain with complete use granted, with no attribution required". Even if it is on a site like Pixabay or Unsplash that provides freely usable images, it is kind and good spirituality to give credit and link back to the exact place you got the image, especially if you copy that image, with very little change in design, focus, composition, colors, feel, etc. Without using multiple references and striving to produce a near identical photographic rendering, you cannot claim copyright. If an image is purchased from a stock photography site, like Getty Images, the copyright cannot transfer to anyone but the original purchaser. When re-posting or sharing online, only use photos with a clear source identification on them and/or a link to the photographer's page, website or portfolio where the image was originally found. I believe that when you closely copy and do a painting or drawing from one reference photo only, or even just get your main inspiration from a really awesome fine art photograph, you are literally dipping your brush into someone else's soul. You are seeing life through their eyes and perspective, tapping into their skill and unique point of view. So be grateful for their gift and honor it as you would want someone else to honor your own. This is why I prefer to use several photos for reference, along with sketches, my previous paintings and my imagination for any one piece. With desire, time, practice, and patience, anyone can do the same.
It's good to copy another artist's work to learn techniques, hone your skills and grow, but copying their work and presenting it as your own may be a copyright violation.
See my video about using multiple photos for reference here.
I was excited to view the alcohol ink paintings at a local art show, but was disappointed to find that the painting that had won an award was not entirely original. I studied that same video years ago myself and have seen that recognizable scene reproduced countless times online. I have also seen others teaching the exact same techniques and composition based on that image. Needless to say, corresponding with the original artist, she was not real happy about it. Looking further, there were also a couple of copies done from my own online step by step tutorials. And in another show, I saw a very close copy done from a step by step lesson in one of my live classes. Below, I have tried to educate people on the difference between the right and wrong way to go about copying and learning.
A technique or an idea can't be copyrighted, however if an artist makes their living teaching the technique, it would be very nice to give credit to them. This is kind and thoughtful, but not legally required. Study the technique and follow along with the project. Just don't enter a live class assignment or online tutorial painting in an art show, or reteach someone's exact same lesson, and especially do not use their downloads or other class materials. Please don't sell close copies without the teacher's permission, or claim it as your own.
Once the technique has been learned, practiced, and grasped, your own individual idiosyncrasies will emerge. If the work is a derivative of someone else's creative work, yet has changed or evolved over time, has a unique look or is unrecognizable, you then hold the copyright and have the legal right to determine who uses it and how.
Bottom line - Follow along with tutorials as practice. Learn the techniques and perfect them, but give credit where it is due. Practice, practice, then practice some more. Throw in your own unique twists. Express your unique perspective, new ideas, and discoveries. Make the art your own. Using, sharing or teaching the same TECHNIQUE learned in a class or tutorial by another person is perfectly fine, as long as you change the subject matter or vary the approach. Be sure to use your own ideas, designs, drawings, examples or projects. Reproducing, re-painting or re-teaching someone else's exact work is not acceptable.
MY PERSONAL POLICY: I certainly don't mind if pieces done in classes are gifted or sold. I know people like to buy from their friends and after a while, things start to pile up. The validation is invigorating and it might be nice to get some money back, for more classes and art supplies. Many accomplished instructors do not allow their lesson paintings to be sold at all. I however, feel it would be okay, within certain guidelines, which pertain to all pieces done in my live or online classes or from my step by step video tutorials.
Your initials or signature can appear on the front of the art. Then, "After Sandy Sandy" with the date, should be written on the back of the physical piece and visible on the exposed backing board. It should be mentioned to any buyer that it was done in a class, whether it was done in a live environment or from a video. If posting online, linking to me, @SandySandyArt or tagging me at #LearnLoveCreate or #SandySandyArt is greatly appreciated. You know it is tagged properly when you get a highlighted blue or purple link on the name or tag. Tutorial works, because they are actually still the instructor's designs, should not be entered in art shows without the teacher's and the gallery or show coordinator's permission. Contact me if you are unsure if your piece is too close to mine. Making prints from close copies is prohibited, unless in limited quantity or for personal use.
ABOUT USING PHOTOGRAPHS: If you are using someone else's photo for reference, make sure it is specified that it is "copyright free, in the public domain with complete use granted, with no attribution required". Even if it is on a site like Pixabay or Unsplash that provides freely usable images, it is kind and good spirituality to give credit and link back to the exact place you got the image, especially if you copy that image, with very little change in design, focus, composition, colors, feel, etc. Without using multiple references and striving to produce a near identical photographic rendering, you cannot claim copyright. If an image is purchased from a stock photography site, like Getty Images, the copyright cannot transfer to anyone but the original purchaser. When re-posting or sharing online, only use photos with a clear source identification on them and/or a link to the photographer's page, website or portfolio where the image was originally found. I believe that when you closely copy and do a painting or drawing from one reference photo only, or even just get your main inspiration from a really awesome fine art photograph, you are literally dipping your brush into someone else's soul. You are seeing life through their eyes and perspective, tapping into their skill and unique point of view. So be grateful for their gift and honor it as you would want someone else to honor your own. This is why I prefer to use several photos for reference, along with sketches, my previous paintings and my imagination for any one piece. With desire, time, practice, and patience, anyone can do the same.
It's good to copy another artist's work to learn techniques, hone your skills and grow, but copying their work and presenting it as your own may be a copyright violation.
See my video about using multiple photos for reference here.
Zoom In and Check Out This Handy Info. Graphic
This info-graphic is available to download below. It has been enlarged to fit two pages which can be taped together.
| info-graphic-a.pdf |
| info-graphic-b.pdf |