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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

WIBU to print an artist's work at home?

296 replies

zatarontoast · 02/10/2020 11:49

Asking as I really don't know if this is appropriate or not. I follow an artist on Instagram who does oil paintings and I really wanted one so enquired about the price. At £500 for a small size it is way beyond my budget or what I could justify in spending. But... I still want one. She doesn't do prints, so I was thinking I could print one off at home for my own use. I don't know much about these things so don't know if this is considering stealing or is just a no-no in general? My rationale is that she isn't losing by me doing this as I wasn't going to buy it anyway.

OP posts:
eatsleepread · 02/10/2020 15:22

YABU.

oakleaffy · 02/10/2020 15:23

@SchrodingersImmigrant

Artists should start watermarking their stuff on SM.
A good idea. I opened a magazine on a news stand as saw an article listed n the front page... to be confronted with my own photographs.

I was bloody furious as the 'journalist' had basically lifted them of Flickr and had re-hashed my descriptions to make a two page spread that she was paid for.
Zero credits.
Luckily the Flickr was marked and dated Copyright...
I contacted the Editor and did get ''Industry rates'' after proving images were my own, and not from an ''Image bank''.

''The internet is a lawless zone''
Seeing ones images on websites is another thing that happens.. Watermarks can be removed, and taking someone to court is not cheap.

If possible, with an artwork you can lay a physical banner over it with ''Copyright Name'' or more simply, just upload a very poor resolution so it can't be used for money making reasons.

SchrodingersImmigrant · 02/10/2020 15:28

@oakleaffy that's ridiculous! Why do that when there is bunch of websites you can get free pics (obviously you should credit the creator). At least it ended well for you.

Lovemusic33 · 02/10/2020 15:29

I have done it and had it done to me. You will probably find her work as a watermark or you are unable to copy the photo, that’s if she has put these things in place, if not then I’m sure you won’t be the first to do it. I have one photo I had put onto canvas that I got off line but TBH it hasn’t turned out that great. As a photographer I have had a few of my photos used without being asked but have also given permission for others to use them (I don’t really sell my work and I like to share it but prefer people to ask).

MissCadoganTate · 02/10/2020 15:35

As an artist on Instagram, I am aware that people have copied my work ie copied the style. If someone asked me for a print I'd happily do it for or them (if it was possible). If they printed off a copy of a painting and I found out I'd be slightly annoyed but I accept that it happens because I put my work out there on social media and it can't ever successfully be policed.

I think that it would be both polite and nice to ask the artist. I love getting feedback and messages from people.

MsEllany · 02/10/2020 15:35

I wouldn’t do it because it would look shit.

But I have downloaded pictures from google and save them as wallpapers on my phone.

So long as you’re not trying to sell them or pass them off as your own, or use them as advertising or something then who will know?

oakleaffy · 02/10/2020 15:36

[quote SchrodingersImmigrant]@oakleaffy that's ridiculous! Why do that when there is bunch of websites you can get free pics (obviously you should credit the creator). At least it ended well for you.[/quote]
The image banks charge a lot... Hundreds of pounds per image.

Maybe free images aren't as specific? Who knows.

It was lucky the editor was good about it..I hope he gave the ' Freelance Author' a bollocking for being a lazy toad, too.

He was very apologetic about it.

crochetmonkey74 · 02/10/2020 15:37

look, everyone on here will say no you can't etc- but the reality is, you'll print it off, maybe even frame it and it will fade in time- does it really hurt? Are we not meant to like things we can't afford? If you were to print it out and out in on a vision board would that be ok as you are being aspirational but if you print it and frame it you are suddenly awful- of course not. If you like it, print it, enjoy it.
If she does prints eventually and you can afford it- get one then

TrickyD · 02/10/2020 15:38

When a poster is contemplating reporting someone for benefit fraud, she always gets roasted.

I wonder how many of the sanctimonious 'it's illegal' brigade on here are also amongst those who are perfectly happy with benefit fraud.

OneFiveFour · 02/10/2020 15:38

You stick it on the internet then it's fair game for private use by anyone who can access it, imo.

You can't then bother about who looks at it, prints it, uses it as a screensaver or whatever. As long as it's private use and they are not selling it or passing it off as their own work etc.

Pelleas · 02/10/2020 15:40

£500 may not be expensive for an original painting - think of the hours of work that have gone into it - but it doesn't mean the average person has £500 spare to spend on one.

Obviously, it's an artist's choice but as I said earlier, selling good quality (perhaps signed) prints at affordable prices would seem to be an obvious thing to do, because it wouldn't stop the original being sold if someone with the right budget came along yet would bring a return for the artist and get the work out there on people's walls where others might ask about it.

OneFiveFour · 02/10/2020 15:41

@JunkCrumpet

That's called stealing. If I stole clothes or makeup using the same logic as you, would you think it's ok? Obviously not. Stealing is wrong. It's shocking how often adults need to be told that on this forum.
Isn't an 'intention to permanently deprive' one of the key characteristics of stealing?
crochetmonkey74 · 02/10/2020 15:42

Honesty if you're gonna do shit like this you don't deserve nice art

the snobbery of this is astounding

ZaraW · 02/10/2020 15:44

YABVU buy a print which you love and can afford.

LikeGlitterandGold · 02/10/2020 15:44

@PopcornPeacock

Artist here. People doing what you are suggesting is the reason many artists struggle to make a living. If you do print off a poor quality print for yourself, it devalues the artist's work as a whole, as other people viewing it will think it is the actual standard of that artists work.

If you did it to a piece of my work and I discovered what you had done, I would take you to court for theft.

It is NOT appropriate, it is a mean, cheap act by a mean. cheap person. Save up your money, buy a piece of art honestly, and enjoy it knowing you have supported an artist.

THIS!

There's a little known Canadian west coast artist whose work I admire. His prices were on the expensive side too. It took me a while but I managed to save up enough to buy two of his paintings. I love them as they're of the area I love. I look at them every day and am so happy I was able to support him.

oakleaffy · 02/10/2020 15:45

@MissCadoganTate

As an artist on Instagram, I am aware that people have copied my work ie copied the style. If someone asked me for a print I'd happily do it for or them (if it was possible). If they printed off a copy of a painting and I found out I'd be slightly annoyed but I accept that it happens because I put my work out there on social media and it can't ever successfully be policed.

I think that it would be both polite and nice to ask the artist. I love getting feedback and messages from people.

That is a very pragmatic way of looking at it.

Ripping off your style is worse, in a way...But imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.

Re Banksy Art...it seems he ''Got lucky'' ..There were stencil graffiti artists in Paris long before Banksy took off.
There are some good ones now, but none have reached the giddy heights of Banksy.

Modern Art is largely down to ''Luck''..If someone famous likes your style, it can take off.

Those bird's nest prints behind Meghan Markle's head in a recent video chat are strategically placed for ''Merching'' most likely.

It only takes a review of someone's work for them to fly out.

ZaraW · 02/10/2020 15:48

Artists are really struggling. I've bought beautiful artwork from Artist Support Pledge on Instagram. Prices are £200 or less.

MoonJelly · 02/10/2020 15:49

@ZaraW

YABVU buy a print which you love and can afford.
OP pointed out right up there in the very first post that this artist doesn't produce prints, otherwise she would be happy to buy one.
ItalianHat · 02/10/2020 15:49

I don't know much about these things so don't know if this is considering stealing

It's stealing. No debate necessary.

Ignorance is no defence here. Use your common sense.

Yoloyohol · 02/10/2020 15:49

Quotezatarontoast
what is the difference between me printing off a picture from the Internet of a desert for dd's homework and me printing off the same pic to display in my house? I'm not being goady, genuinely trying to see the difference. I could say both are educational.

My answer is about living artists :

Because what your daughter clips and pastes into a book or a mood board is highly unlikely to be seen by others who think 'oh that's the finished quality of the artist’s work', where as when you put something on display those who look at it think 'that’s as good as that artist gets.'

If you’ve purchased an authorized calendar, book illustration, or similar reproduction, yes you can frame and display it because the artist has already released and been paid for it and accepted the quality of how it’s presented.

To think about it another way, if you're allowed to look at it on your computer or your phone, then why not put a tablet PC on the windowsill set to permanently display the photo directly on the website the artist has published it? You get the same result but somehow don't break copyright law. Yes because the artist is happy enough with the quality of image you’re viewing so it’s fine.

If you are going to do it anyway then be kind to the artist and stick it in your bedroom or similar. (assuming you aren't sleeping with curators and dealers. Grin

I’d agree with contact the artist. I’ve given away two used high quality images (of 3d pieces) that had been in displays of work, for the cost of the postage, because in both cases the people who contacted me told me why they really loved the work and couldn’t ever afford it. They were high res prints made to advertise myself and I’d rather they had them on their walls than some poor copy.

SantaClaritaDiet · 02/10/2020 15:51

@NiceGerbil

£500 isn't a lot of money Hmm
It's completely irrelevant.

Either it's theft, or illegal in some way, or it's not.

oakleaffy · 02/10/2020 15:54

@crochetmonkey74

Honesty if you're gonna do shit like this you don't deserve nice art

the snobbery of this is astounding

''You don't deserve nice art"'

That sounds so Headmistressy!

... Catherine, upon opening her desk, had a photocopy of ''Whistlejacket'' blue tacked under the lid.

Miss Jones, the Headmistress, strode over.

''Catherine! Look at that appalling copy! Did you use the school copier to did this?

At the very least go to the National Gallery and study the painting in person""

Miss Jones hoicked her ample bosom and gave the withering putdown:
''People like you don't deserve nice art''

ItalianHat · 02/10/2020 15:54

She isn't a known artist so I really didn't think it would be so expensive

Your posts just get worse, OP. Stop digging yourself into that hole which is getting deeper and deeper each time you post.

You're not that famous, so why should you get paid for your work? I think your boss should use your work, but not pay you. After all, you're not that well-known, and who would really care?

Do you get it now?

MoonJelly · 02/10/2020 15:54

OP, I think you really need to put this query in the Legal section. Also maybe copy @Xenia in - I think this might be her area of expertise.

I question whether the legal position is as clear as people suggest. I'm not an artist, but I work in a field where quite a lot of stuff I've written is online. I work on the basis that I only put online what I'm happy for people to print off and use elsewhere. If I don't want that, I either don't put it online or make it very clear that it's my copyright and, generally, put in place arrangements so people have to pay upfront.

Therefore the question in my mind is whether the same applies to artists - if they publish something online without making it clear that it is their copyright, are they either accepting the likelihood that people will print it off or even giving implied permission to them to do so?

I fully appreciate that I may well be talking rubbish, but that is why I suggest you get an opinion from a lawyer who knows about this area of the law.

TheBeesKnee · 02/10/2020 15:54

Confession time: at uni I once made a home calendar from art I nicked online. The only people who saw it were me and DP and my mum, I think.

It's a bit of a victimless crime, imo. Although I do buy prints when I can now that I have a job etc.

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