Stock artists are generous to offer their resources free and available for us to use, so my hat of to them all.
The least I can do is spend a few second to read their terms of use when I download and use their stock.

This is just a friendly reminder and guide to all digital artists who use photos in their photomanipulations or other digital artworks.

It is just as much about respecting stock artists and other artists as it is ensuring your artwork's safety.

Let's talk stock.

dA stock

Simple:

You are allowed to use any valid stock resources providing that you obey the terms and conditions set by the stock provider.

That usually means that you should link back to the original resource and provide proper credit.

The rules vary from one stock provider to another so check these out before you download. Some may not permit specific content for example in regards to child stock.


FAQ #217: What are "Stock Photos" and can I use "Stock Photos" in my submissions?
FAQ #157: Can I use things created by other people in my submissions?

Unrestricted stock

Unrestricted stock (stock images, brush packs, textures, etc) can be used for both personal and commercial projects.

However, it cannot be redistributed as stock.

You are not required to obtain permission prior to using the stock off site or in DA prints. The only requirements are that the stock provider be notified and credited.

Visit ^LawrenceDeDark's Unrestricted Use Directory for all the unrestricted goodness!




See also

~Unrestricted-Stock

Outside stock

Most often stock providers on other sites have the same terms attached to their stock photos and other resources. When you download an image just take a few seconds to find out what these terms are, whether it may be just crediting or notifying the owner.

Linking to the stock site's main page is all and well.
But.
Linking directly to the image or stock artist's profile will ensure the safety of your work staying in your gallery forever.

I have used a photo that is not stock

For works which were not originally stock resources you will need to provide the permissions statement or license granted by the proper owner.

Always ask for permission beforehand so that you won't risk your work being deleted.

FAQ #306: Does "Crediting" let me use whatever I want?
FAQ #193: How do I prove that I had permission to use someone's work?

Non stock: the big DON'Ts

Any image found through search engines such as Google, Flickr and Photobucket.

This includes celebrities, cartoons, gaming, clothing sites, wallpapers, etc.

Work containing above mentioned images will be removed as soon as it comes to the attention of the staff.

Note that even if a site is offering FREE DOWNLOADS doesn't mean that these are free to use in your artwork. Usually this just means that you can download these to use as wallpapers and such on your own computer. So make sure that the images you download are specifically available to use as stock.



Golden rule:
Always assume that everything you see is copyright protected by default.
Treat all images as copyrighted and unusable unless specifically stated otherwise.

In short: Celebs, movie wallpapers, Googled images and other randomness = Copyright violations.
Look for the magic word: 'Stock'.



Stock usage and policies: [link]

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Resources & Stock Images

Resources & Stock Gallery Moderators: ^znow-white, ^LawrenceDeDark & ^Hanratty-Stock


Happy hunting!