This topic is popular all the time however it's getting worse now...

If you have some time - please read this because it can be our common problem.

In last days few DeviantART artists (including me) have found their works ripped over few websites. Even if I had my watermarks placed over each of them, they've been taken without my permission and knowledge, resized and placed in a download pack!

You can say that: there are watermarks so nothing has happen. Well actually it's not the point. As an artist you must know about usage, publishing and remaking of your arts by someone else and you must agree for it. Only then that person can do it. So - watermarked or not - you have to know about it.

I'm writting this news article to warn you all, fellow deviants, that your works can be stolen even with watermarks, resized and put into packs that can be downloadable as wallpapers or arts for everyone. You propably won't know about it and no one will contact you to ask for the permission. So this is already the violation of the copyright and the violation of terms of use of DeviantART, that clearly stand for: "No portions of this website can be used without an expressed written permission" and "All rights reserved", even a © symbol is enough for saying: "this work is protected and if you use it without a permission it's an art theft".


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Anyway I should now frankly say:
Your work isn't safe, even if you watermark it!

By resizing your image up, the watermark gets less visible, of course the art is with a poorer quallity however rippers provided some kind of a method to allow them partly to take a rid of watermarks instead of time-consuming erasing it, making them really less visible.

Anyway I'm encouraging You all, dear deviants, to search for your name or nickname anywhere in the Internet, using even google or software provided to do it. Each art can be ripped, now even that ones with watermarks.


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Websites that rip arts from DA constantly:

[link] - I dont have to introduce this bunch of art theft to you because we're fighting with this since a long long time. Anyway it already is in the hall of shame. Constantly they use artworks from DA usually not asking about the permission. Look how many works you recognize from their galleries!

[link] - The website which has stolen the arts from me and from my friend - `Lilyas. I've found my pictures there - resized and with modified, less visible watermarks. People make and/or submit links to download packs. Our works have been placed in such packs as well. Anyway - it's very hard to contact people responsible for that. I tried to register from my two independent accounts and after long waiting the activation email didn't arrive. There's no contact button, no contact form and any possible direct way to fight for your rights. Therefore I'm placing this site as the warning for you. Please if you speak Russian, help deviants to erase their works from that awful place!

[link] - A website with lots of stuff. Take a look at it and check out if this URL in google doesn't appear with your nickname like it did with me. It was also a download wallpaper pack made of my artworks resized with watermarks remade less visible there. So please check this out in case of your art protection.


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How to protect your works now?

I should give some tips for you to provide it, fellow artists. Anyway any of methods isn't fully safe. However here they are (they are only TIPS, you don't have to accept them) :

Try to submit your works over DA with smaller size, even 400 pixels wide (for landscape format: 450 pixels wide). It's YOUR thing to choose if you want a huge pic that can be easily stolen, or a smaller one - safer. Why? If rippers rip artworks they usually rip them from art services like DA because usually it's a multi-rip of few or many artists. So for DA - try to submit smaller than for your official portfolio website (rippers don't check it as often as DA). IF you have your loyal watchers, they will visit your official portfolio as well. And the ripper will have a problem with resizing your smaller image.

Afterwards: Submit a bigger picture over your official portfolio, but try to avoid HTML. Flash gallery is more safe, at least it's harder to get the image out from it. Do not overdose with the size tho and do not forget to place the slighter watermark anyway. Best things for you would be some custom slideshows and/or galleries made in Flash. There are some places you can get them for free, you can make them by your own or ask/commit someone to do it for you. Anyway previews in pure HTML, even with the website script that blocks the right-click, don't turn out well for a protection.

Place bigger and more vissible watermarks over DA or use watermarks provided by DA (especially for prints!). With a lower resolution it would make good for the safety. And write in your description that watermarking IS NECESARY. This will be the message for Deviants arround that you care about your work - and only for them because rippers usually don't read ANY descriptions.

Try to submit your artworks in less places, as very few as it's possible. Why? If you have your artworks only at DA and your official portfolio it will be easy to track down the rip because every other place with your arts won't be created by you and will exist without your permission - that means it will violate your copyright protection. Then you can write to the admin of such a website: "I do not have anything in common with your website, I did not submit my works over your website and I even didn't know that someone has done it. That means it happen without my permission". A good argument. More places you are in, less safe you are.

Make yourself clear! Write down over DA (journals, art descriptions) and your official portfolio that your works have been published ONLY over that websites. Give links to them and describe your relation with them. Make this message vissible, with a different color and/or bigger than your journal's text. Except that stress that your works are there and ONLY there which means: your arts found anywhere else will be rips. Encourage your friends, watchers and visitors to pay attention and note you in case of a rip found or report such a rip.

Be helpful for others! If you speak the language of the website with art rips try to help artists to find a contact form or contact email for admins and/or report a rip to admins by yourself which will save some artists' nerves and tears. For sure you will gain their gratitude.

Speak and write about copyright with a courage! This is your business and your task to protect your own work. Making an art is a huge effort that you put the entire heart in. Write down in your art description about the copyright and what will happen if this law will be broken by someone. Write down about the penalty and fine, about lawyers and the court. People have to know about it.


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I hope this news article is helpful, if you have some questions about it or you have problems with rippers, send me a note. It's really important for us to unite and fight for our rights in the world in which people forget that the art is a creation and work and has to be protected.

If you recognize someone's art at websites I wrote links to here, contact original artists and/or report it by yourself.

If you speak the language different than English - help people around in contacting rippers and admins or contact them by yourself explaining the copyright law and asking about the rip removal. It all depends on you. It could be a day when you also would need someone's help in it. Do not ignore it.

Teach people to respect the art in your surrounding, explaining that it's the creation of a human and a huge effort. That it's an occupation
that has to be admired...



Let's work together.
=nellis-eketorp




Special thanks for the help in fighting against the rippers and for tips: