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--- Really?!?? (http://www.gatchamania.net/threadid.php?threadid=4536)
Posted by Springie on 26-02-2014 at 06:09:
Really?!??
I don't understand why people think they can steal my fanart and use it to try to make money on T shirts. Although I am flattered that they thought it was worthy of using, they never asked my permission to use it. Many of you know that I've been down this road before. I don't mind people using my pictures, even without permeission, but trying to make money with it is a whole 'nuther thing...
I found two of my pieces on a Tshirt website called Redbubble. I see some other work on there that I recognize from Deviant Art. I plan to let those artists know when I figure out who the pics belong to. I have already contacted Redbubble. We'll see if they take it down.
Look familiar? I did get a good chuckle out of "Battle of the Eagle Riding Gatchaman"...teehee...
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Posted by ElectricWhite on 26-02-2014 at 13:57:
Unfortunately, at some point somebody got it in their head that "Free exchange of ideas on the Internet" meant "I can take whatever I want off the 'Net and use it as my own work" . Most people don't realize that taking other's people's work and passing it off as their own -- even if there's no copyright mark on the posting* -- is plagiarism.
I hate to break it to you, Springie, but right now you're just going to have to keep doing what you're doing now (and I'm sure all your friends here are glad to help). I don't know what else can be done until there's an education campaign to let people know about copyrights and a more effective means to prosecute those who don't care about copyright and continue to violate.
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* Each time you create a piece, it's protected as intellectual property.
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“There are worse crimes than burning books. One of them is not reading them." --Ray Bradbury
Posted by Cep on 26-02-2014 at 14:30:
As long as you can prove that the work is yours you can legally request compensation or demand their removal. Tescos and Walmart have had claims successfully made against them when their designers used artwork taken off the net, even photos of a person without their permission.
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Thanks Cep
Gatchamania.net Administrator 
Posted by Transmute Jun on 26-02-2014 at 16:40:
I'm sorry this has been happening to you, Springie. At least you know that they appreciate your artwork! This is reminding me of that guy who had your artwork tattooed on his arm. At least he wasn't making money off of it!
Why don't you contact Redbubble, inform them that this is your artwork, and ask for appropriate compensation? 
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Posted by Becky Rock on 26-02-2014 at 23:30:
Mention that you're consulting your lawyer on what actions to take. A civil suit sounds interesting.
How did you find out?
That's one fear I've always had about putting things on the internet. Too many unscrupulous people.
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I'm writing a book. I've got the page numbers so far...
Posted by ChrisW on 26-02-2014 at 23:40:
I find it difficult to believe that people don't KNOW on some level that what they're doing is wrong. They just think they can get away with it. (Unless they're from a country where copyright is more lax.) Definitely something worth pursuing and it's completely within your rights, Springie, to ask for a % of the income from your work.
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Eagle Whisperer
Posted by ChrisW on 26-02-2014 at 23:41:
Mentioning a lawyer is a good idea. Even better, sending an official-looking letter on legal letterhead. 
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Eagle Whisperer
Posted by Becky Rock on 27-02-2014 at 23:48:
Springie, did you have them copyrighted? I was talking to a lawyer at work who is in our work writing group. Since he's a writer, he knows a lot about intellectual works.
If you don't, you have to prove the work was yours first. If it was posted in Deviantart with dates, I would think that would be enough.
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I'm writing a book. I've got the page numbers so far...
Posted by jublke on 28-02-2014 at 05:12:
Oh, Springie! That's awful. Although I have to say, your art does look cool on a T-shirt.
Every once in a great while, I will find an article that I have written plagiarized on the Internet. If I'm remembering correctly, two times I wrote the page of the person in question. One was a non-profit and I reminded them to ask me next time (no response). One was a successful children's book illustrator who took my words directly and appropriated them in her blog. I can't remember how I found out about that - I stumbled on it somehow via a Google search - and I was livid. She definitely knew better. She never responded, but she deleted the post. A third time, I had a lawyer friend help me with a website that had no contact info. I believe we contacted the web host, said it was copyright infringement, and asked them to remove the page (which they did).
Good luck & big hugs. I try not to worry about plagiarism too much or it would drive me batty. But T-shirt sales, frankly, is a whole other level of violation. So sorry this happened to you & other artists.
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