This is about copyright issues. Please read it carefully & with an open mind. I often come across rants by some young graphic designer or digital artist about how his/her idea was copied, or work was stolen or was used by others with out permission etc. And as an artist myself, my natural reaction I guess should be sympathy but it’s not. It just gets my blood boiling as to how self absorbed people can be.
Yes it sucks to have your work stolen, provided that it actually was… you are not as original as you think, there is a world creative consciousness, especially with the internet where we all laugh at the same Youtube videos & read the same articles & admire the same artists from years gone by… but I digress (that is another point entirely)…
Yes it sucks to have your work stolen.
But the bigger question you should ask yourself is… are you innocent?
And I don’t mean just mean passing off other people’s work as your own…
I mean…
Do you use original software?
Do you think it is fair to rant about your art being stolen when the software you used to create it is illegal as well?
Think about it please… and I’m not just talking about software… artists are so quick to raise hell when their intellectual properties are violated but have you not watched a fake dvd? Played pirated games on your PS2 or Wii? Downloaded MP3s ?
If you buy stuff from Greenhills then you have violated so many intellectual properties already! (Even fake brands of shoes & clothes are violations). If you enjoy Greenhills then stop ranting.
The only ones who can rant are the truly innocent ones.
Fonts that you love to use on your posters & print ads have copyright too you know... they are graphic elements designed & owned by some one on another part of the planet, did you pay for the font (most of them are not free!) or have you at least given the creators credit?
If you have not violated ANY intellectual properties then by all means raise the hordes of hell for your cause.
I recently read this post on how a big brand stole the graffiti of a bunch of street artists for their print campaign. Yes that sucks. That was unethical on brand & ad agency’s part. But to the street artists, I ask you this… did you own the wall that you drew on to begin with?
This to me, is a karmic matter.
Do you people not constantly dodge policemen in pursuit of your art? I love street art, don’t get me wrong… but I just find it silly when you people get mad that you have been wronged when you know that most of your art is based on using other’s property with out permission & “wrong” in itself.
It’s like being a stand up comic whose humor relies on insulting others but cannot take being insulted himself.
It is a different matter of course if the wall was yours or you had been given a permit to decorate. But even if that were the case, are you still completely innocent with regards to other intellectual property matters? The music on your ipod that was playing while you were tagging… did you pay for all of that?
Yes it sucks to have your work stolen.
But hopefully my open letter gives you another perspective on the matter. If you have been wronged, then make an effort to do things right yourself… strive to be pure… but if you love your free movies & music so much, then think twice before you get mad next time.
That is all. Thank you. 
