COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT BY ETSY WEBSITE SELLER! Hi all. This came to my attention yesterday after reading The Art of Tom Richmond s blog. Some arse-clowns in America thought theyd just go ahead and steal caricatures off the internet, change them a bit digitally, then sell art prints, posters and t-shirt transfers of the images on their etsy website to make a buck! There were several copies of Toms caricatures and one of mine - my caricature of Twilight movie star Robert Pattinson, which I drew several years ago, pictured, along with their scabby copy, below. I was less than pleased about this, so today I emailed the seller.... Dear Lettie Following on from my fellow caricaturist Tom Richmonds recent letter to you yesterday, about using his artwork without permission for items for sale; I was less than happy to see that you had also stolen one of my images - my caricature of Robert Pattinson, star of the Twilight movies. The image was copyrighted by me; the artist who created it, in 2012, and the copyright symbol was clearly evident in the lower left hand side of the caricature. This means that no one has permission to use, display, change or sell the image in any way shape or form without my permission. I note that your bastardized version of my caricature was for sale on your etsy site as art prints as well as t-shirt transfers. As youll be well aware neither you, or your talentless brother (who is credited with the caricature artwork) ... who poorly digitally manipulated my image sought ANY permission or any consent from myself and we have not exchanged any contracts or written agreements regarding use of my artwork, so this is a clear infringement of my copyright..... Put simply, this is THEFT. I dont take kindly to people who steal my artwork without my permission, and especially those who do it to make money and claim that the artwork is an original of their own (as you did on your site). I note that since Tom Richmond was in touch with you, you have now since removed the offending caricature copies from your etsy site, therefore its hoped that you have seen sense and want to do the right thing. Please dont ever steal an artists work from the internet and claim it as your own again....you will be found out! Consider this fair warning. If I see ANY of my artwork or work of other caricaturists that I recognise on your website(s) I will exercise my legal right to have you punished by the full extent of the law. Sincerely, Edd Edd Travers Caricaturist / Cartoonist / Illustrator eddtravers.co.uk ......Hopefully this this hammer the message home! Cant believe Ive got to waste my time writing cease and desist emails like this. Unfortunately its not the first time its happened to me either. People who steal artwork and try to pass it off as their own to make a buck are the lowest of the low in my opinion. Scumbags! : )
Posted on: Wed, 21 Jan 2015 10:05:13 +0000
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