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Message 1
From: "rosie bergeron"
Date: Wed, 7 Feb 2007 09:20:34 -0500
Subject: [Baren 32748] Copyright
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Hi,
This website has a lot of great information for artist this article is
on copyright for artists
http://www.nyfa.org/archive_detail_q.asp?type=6&qid=173&fid=6&year=2004&s=Winter

good luck-

Rosie

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Message 2
From: JENN JENNIFER ZALEWSKI
Date: Wed, 7 Feb 2007 06:21:59 -0800 (PST)
Subject: [Baren 32749] Newbie Carving Question- Sore wrists and hands!
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Hello Everyone,

I have what is, perhaps, a very silly question from a
"newbie" carver... how to deal with sore hands and
wrists from carving a block! :o)

I have recently been trying to experiment with block
carving (Dick Blick's "golden easy-cut linoleum
blocks" as a first step, maybe wood in the future!).
After a 20 minute carving session my hands and wrists
feel ready to implode--even with the "easy carve" type
of linoleum. Microwaving my linoleum blocks make it
easier for a few minutes, but the blocks harden right
back up, and I have to admit going to the microwave
every few minutes kind of disrupts the "creative
flow." I DO hold my carving tools a bit different than
most people... I hold them like a pencil instead of
holding them from over the top. Could this be the
source of my sore hands? Do I just need to build up
muscles? Are sore hands just part of the "carving
game?" Am I just a wimp?? LOL!

Does anyone have any advise for getting through a
carving session without your hand feeling like it's
ready to shrivel up and die? Ouch, ouch, ouch!

Thank you!

Jen (newbie carver)

Jen (with ex-racing greyhounds Lucy & Cliff!)*~*~*~*~*~*~*Jen'z Studio fine art: http://www.jenzstudio.comOur art blog: http://jenzstudio.blogspot.comThe GREYHOUND blog: http://trailhoundz.blogspot.com

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Message 3
From: Annie Bissett
Date: Wed, 7 Feb 2007 09:42:43 -0500
Subject: [Baren 32750] Re: info re copyright
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Hi Louise,

When a company talks about "full rights" they usually mean exclusive
rights -- that they're the only ones who can use the image
commercially. If you agree to a full rights buyout or a "copyright
purchase" then you are legally transferring any and all of your own
rights of ownership to them. You may no longer use the image in any way.

If you don't mind losing all rights, then go ahead and sell the
copyright, but sell it for a lot of money! Total copyright transfer
is a separate purchase, usually calculated at 150% to 300% of the
original fee for the artwork. How much to charge for the original
artwork depends on the size of the company, but the range of prices
for logo design in the Graphic Artists Guild pricing book is $2,000
to $7,000 for a small company. A very ballpark figure.

If I wanted to retain the right to make and sell more prints of the
image, then I'd negotiate with the client to sell them exclusive
rights with the stipulation that "artist retains all rights in the
fine arts market." In this case, don't agree to sell the copyright.

Feel free to email me privately if you want to talk about it more.

Annie

http://www.anniebissett.com

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Message 4
From: Charles Morgan
Date: Wed, 07 Feb 2007 06:53:43 -0800
Subject: [Baren 32751] Re: Newbie Carving Question- Sore wrists and hands!
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Just a few suggestions:

1) Do NOT over do it ... when your hands start to hurt, STOP ... it
is easy to cause long term damage which takes forever to heal.

2) See #1

3) See #1

4) You need to strengthen your hands. Try to carve a LITTLE every day
... 15 minutes at most ... after a week, extend your carving times. See #1.

5) It may help to exercise your hands a bit ... squeeze a tennis ball
or something similar for 10-15 minutes a day ... gradually increase
the time ... if you watch TV or movies, that is a prime time for this
sort of exercise. But see #1.

6) Stop frequently during your carving sessions and stretch out your
fingers. Place each finger, one at a time, on the edge of your table
and gently bend it back toward the back of your hand. Then massage
your wrists and forearm. My Yoga instructors constantly warn about
the dangers of shaking out your hands ... use gentle massage instead.

7) For aching hands (or any athletic injury) the best prescription is
aspirin and ice. The aspirin will aid your circulation, reduce
inflamation, and help control the pain. Use the enteric coated stuff
to keep from harming your stomach. At the drug store you can buy
"freezer packs" that contain a gel that stays flexible when frozen in
your freezer. After your pack has been in the freezer for a couple of
hours, place the freezer pack (with a piece of cloth between it and
your skin) on the aching part for about 10-15 minutes. Do this a
couple of times a day. I have had this advice from several different
sports medicine docs over the years ... simple, but effective.

8) Instead of using a microwave, you may find it easier to use a
warming tray for hors d'oeuvre. I find them all the time in second
hand stores, and generally they are quite cheap. You want to get one
with a variable heat dial. You may be able to arrange some cloth
padding that will allow you to keep your lino on the tray while you
are carving it. Alternatively, just keep the tray plugged in next to
your carving space and just plunk the lino on the tray whenever it
starts to cool. OR, a much better solution is to get a couple of
slabs of steel, aluminum, copper, zinc, or some other kind of metal
or even marble cheese boards the size of your lino or larger. Place
them on the warming tray to heat them up. Take one off and put your
lino on the metal/marble slab while carving. When it starts to cool,
just swap the metal/marble for the hot one on your tray and carry on.
That way you will always have a nice warm base for your lino. The
metal/marble will hold the heat much longer than your lino alone, so
you can keep carving. DO NOT PUT METAL OR MARBLE IN YOUR MICROWAVE.

9) See # 1

10) See # 1

Cheers ..... Charles

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Message 5
From: "Mark Mason"
Date: Wed, 7 Feb 2007 15:05:11 -0000
Subject: [Baren 32752] Re: Copyright.
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Hi,

As the originator and creator of a piece of artwork, you automatically hold the copyright in that image.

Selling all the rights to an image is not really the best way to go, as selling the "copyright" does infact mean selling the right to copy.

In that instance you would be able to reproduce the image as part of a portfolio to promote yourself, but you would no longer have the right to make additional copies to sell.

By far the better option, and one which your buyer may or may not be aware of is to License the image.

This is very common in the work I do.

You do this by issuing a licence, an agreement on paper, that states that you are giving your client exclusive use of the image for a set time (1 month - 50 years or so.) for a specified number of uses, i.e.: stationary, publicity and advertising material, but make sure in this instance that you exclude any merchandising: where your client can earn money from the sale of items with your image applied to it; a T-Shirt with your print on the front, for example. (If they want to include merchandising you need to negotiate a royalty fee per item sold, or a one off buy-out fee.

You also need to add if the licence is for a particular country or if it's worldwide. (Worldwide would incur a higher license fee.)

When this is done your client will be able to use the image for the uses specified but you will retain the copyright of the image. You won't be able to sell that image to another business client during the period of the license, but you will be able to reproduce your image during that time, and as long as sales of that print aren't going to be huge, there should be no problem. Bear in mind though that your image may become so closely associated with your client's business that your sales of reprints may be effected negatively. "Why would I want a print of a Dentist's logo hanging on my wall?" People may say.

When I need to issue a license I usually make it Worldwide for a period of 1 to 10 years, depending on the use of the image. I specify that any additional uses required during the period of the license would be subject to a further license, and payment.

I wouldn't go over 10 years, and you can make a good argument with your client that in 10 years time they will very probably want to revamp or update their image, and that you'd be more than happy to supply them with a new design.

As to fees; this is the hardest bit. There is no real fee structure, and put most simply, charge either whatever you'd be happy with, or what you think you can get away with, but base it on your estimation of your client's use of the image. i.e.: What is it worth to them? If you think that your design will make a real impact and economic difference to their business then it's worth a lot to them. Don't go ridiculous though.

Here's a couple of examples. (The fee shown is just the licence fee, and not the design fee): 4 cartoon characters to be used on all publicity, store fronts and instore packaging and promotions for a UK national DIY chainstore. 10 year UK licence £2000.00

1 character design for national UK power supplier for use on their internal intranet. 10 year Worldwide license £100.00

In each instance I retained the copyright. As you can see, there's a huge difference, but in the first case the characters were more valuable to the store's earning power because the characters sold the store to the public. In the second case the character was only seen internally and so didn't effect the revenue of the company.

Some client's find it very hard to grasp copyright and licensing in particular, and it's best to hold their hand and guide them through it. Some, because of their ignorance that artists and designers have to benefit from their work will just walk away.

I hope this has been of some help.

In the UK the Association of Illustrators publishes a booklet on Copyright which includes a sample commissioning and licensing form. I'm sure there must be a US equivalent.

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Message 6
From: "steffan ziegler"
Date: Wed, 7 Feb 2007 08:06:56 -0800
Subject: [Baren 32753] Re: Newbie Carving Question- Sore wrists and hands!
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A lot of it could come from using dull tools, as well as "holding the
carving tools different." I can see how holding the tool like a
pencil would exert (a lot) more pressure on the fingers, I can also see how
it would allow you greater control. You might consider getting some "power
grip" knives, since their handles are shaped so that they can be used
comfortably with different types of grip. They are more expensive than
normal student tools, but they are good to start with, (plus, you can
sharpen them when they get dull.) I am a member of another forum that
consists of a lot of beginning and student printmakers, and the consensus
there is that the power grip tools are the best bet for the beginner.

You should also try to re-learn to use the tools properly, since this will
allow you to transfer the forceaway from your fingers to either your forearm
(for the european push style tools) or your wrist (for the japanese
style tools.)

Finally, for when my hands ache, I take alleve, since it seems to work
quickly. Ice is probably not a bad idea.

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Message 7
From: "Maria Arango"
Date: Wed, 7 Feb 2007 08:22:22 -0800
Subject: [Baren 32754] Re: Copyright.
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I agree with Mark, I would not sell full rights as that means you give up
ALL rights to your image forever. They don't even have to credit you after
they own the rights, it would be as if you created the image for them
exclusively.

For much more on licensing and handy ebooks and CD's with forms and
contracts, go to www.nolo.com and find their vast section on copyright. I
use their customized forms in all my dealings.

Maria


Maria Arango
www.1000woodcuts.com
www.artfestivalguide.info

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