Original Artists Unite
...to Protect our Copyright


I enjoy making a safe site for the kids to visit on the internet... but now... it takes so much time protecting our copyrighted work. It is nice to see that the majority using the internet respect works of others. BUT... due to those who take stuff because they either don't know better, or believe they have the right to say we should "share" our work in a way "they" decide... not "us"... how they can use it.

A Free program... Picture Shark... to use to watermark (add your logo and copyright) your pictures/photos.

Here are a few things that we do on this site...

"No Right Click" JavaScript!... works with IE and Netscape 4! Even though MAC users don't have a "right" button, this also works for them as well as PC users. It has been said... this script does not work... as there are ways to still get the images. THIS IS NOT the main goal of this script. Using this script... will pop up a little screen... on it I add... the copyright notice. They will see a REMINDER that my work is copyrighted. This shows them that my work is copyrighted... and if they still take my graphics... they have been reminded of this fact, and can be used in the courts to show that they knew my work was not public domain.

I have to chuckle every time someone sends me in an email... all my images from my index page... thing is... a few of the images are missing! HA! I have another script working here that prevents them from getting those images. Proof... that it does work to prevent them from getting those graphics protected by a cgi-script. A big thank you... and a chuckle... every time I get one of these emails... seeing that... in fact... this cgi-script is working. (cgi-script mentioned below)

I've started putting the "mouse over" on some of my graphics... when someone clicks to SAVE the graphic... they will end up saving the yukky graphic instead of the original graphic. I've also linked many of my graphics to my copyright page.

There are a few programs out there, that will let their users "take" everything we have on our site... ug! For this, I've placed a little banner graphic that simply states that the graphics are copyrighted. You can only see 2x2 pixels of this banner when you visit my pages... but those who download everything... including the sites that now do the "search engine" thing for graphics... they will see that banner... it can also be seen when you look in your "cache" file.

I've also started to use a cgi script by David called, Stop Image/Bandwidth Stealing This script stops others from direck linking my graphics. This script comes with an added plus... this is how I code my images... notice, you do not see the name of the image when looking at my html's "source".

IMG SRC="http://www.billybear4kids.com/cgi-bin/image.pl?image=maintitle&type=image"

... and, on those pages where I've used this script... it seems that the graphics are not saved in the "cache" file (unless a script you are using "preloads" the graphics). This script is on my main index page, and Easter holiday page. I plan to add this script to more pages of my site.

No one thing, that I know of... works to protect our work... but using several different ways, it does help. It's too bad that we have to use any of these to make people understand that this is our "work" that we've spent a lot of time creating.

The best thing I did was to hire an attorney.


SPECIAL NOTE: I've seen many clipart sites popping up using the phrase "Public Domain Graphis" ... do not believe this... this statement, for most, is NOT true... they've collected most of their art from sites around the internet... that are IN FACT copyrighted.

If it's not yours... if you didn't create it... then leave it alone... most clipart you find on the internet... is copyrighted.


Read what other Original Artists/Authors have to say, visit their page(s)...

Links to Copyright Pages ...know your Rights

Suggestions that you can do... to avoid others from Violating your Copyright.

Post your "License to Use" clearly on your site.
  • Put it right there on the top of each page so while your graphics are loading onto the readers screen, they can read it.
  • Add lil' graphics that will grab their attention


Things you might want to concider adding to your "License to Use Policy"

  • Let your readers know "How to Download" your graphics
    ...yes... they "should" already know how to do this, it's posted nearly on everyones site... but there are a lot of "new" travelers on the net every single day. Your page may be the first one they visit! ...or maybe they read the instructions on someone else's page, and didn't understand it. How you word your directions, they may understand.

  • What do you expect in return in order for someone to use your graphics?
    • Money... pay you to use them
    • A Link back to your site
  • What can or can't a person do with your graphics?
    • Add them to another Clipart Collection Site
    • Create their own banners, or backgrounds with them
    • Change them... like re-coloring them, enlargeing them, adding a shadow to them
    • Using one of your bullet sized graphics to create a ... example: a line
    • Can or Can Not use them for their own profit

    Things you can do... when creating your graphics...

    Use a Graphic Editor that will allow you to put your copyright information right into the graphic. I wish I had of known this when I first started putting graphics on the internet.

    • Type in your name right onto the graphic itself.
    • Use a graphic editor, where you (or the person you are "proving" your ownership to) can open the graphic and show them your copyright information. Here are a few programs that will let you do this...

      • Both GIF Construction and Microangelo's GIFted programs are used for Animations... but they can also be used to help YOU PROTECT YOUR GRAPHICS. Your users (and violators) do not have to have these programs to see your copyright information. They can open the graphic in a text editor (Windows Note Pad for example)... follow all of the computer gibberish to the end, and your copyright information is there.

      GIF Construction
      I use a graphic editor that I am use to working with. Then I open it in GIF Construction. Click on INSERT, then click on COMMENT... now add your copyright information and SAVE your graphic. Price: $20.00 U.S. + shipping

      Microangelo GIFted
      I use a graphic editor that I am use to working with, then I open it in GIFted. If I am using GIFted for an animtaion, I can use their program to draw and create the entire animated graphic or clipart, it allows me to view and play the animation as I am drawing it. But if I like what I've done in another graphic program, their IMPORT works great! Click on FILE, open PROPERITES, then add your copyright information into the TRAILING COMMENT box. Only Registered Users have this feature. Price: $29.95 U.S. + shipping

      1. GIFted will allow me to save my graphic using only the colors used in the graphic
      2. GIFted compresses the graphic, which makes the graphic load faster for my readers


      WebVise Totality
      WebVise Digital Watermarker is one of 6 programs, which allows you to type in your Copyright information which can not be changed by anyone by you (password protection). Price $129.00 US

      Digimarc Personal Solutions Register your Free Digimarc Personal Lite to receive a watermarking ID, your unique identifier. They even provide a "reader" which will allow other to view (but not change) your copyright information. Professional version, for $99 annual subscription, includes their MarcSpider (crawls the Web looking for your watermarked images and reports its findings to you). Their program is to be used with certain graphic programs listed on About Digital Watermarks

      Watermark Techniques shows you other ways to watermark your graphics, using graphic programs such as Paint Shop Pro.


    RETURN to the page you were on by clicking on your Browser's BACK button.

    Page created by Loraine Wauer Ferus
    Many of the ideas, suggestions, comments came from Original Artists