Advice post

[ansitru.livejournal.com]

I may probably just be worried about nothing, but here goes. I'm keeping it vague to not offend the other party involved, but I'm kind of ... uneasy about he whole ordeal.

Quite recently I had a user comment on an icon I had submitted to my gallery, saying they would be interested in getting something similar as a commission when my slots opened again and also asking for help with animation. I told them commissions for that type of icon were open and gave them some advice on animating. They said thank you for the advice & linked tutorial, re-stated that they would be interested in an icon like that, so I again said that I had slots open for that type of icon and linked my commission-info this time. I thought all was fine and dandy.

However, this morning I got a note with a title giving me thanks for the inspiration and in the note they linked to a very similar-looking icon that they had made themself, stating that they are grateful I had provided the inspiration and that when they can get the money together, they'd be commissioning me.

The issue I'm having with this is that I did not give express permission for them to copy the icon, I merely linked some tutorials to help them with animating. The icon-description itself does link to my account with a "They are a great inspiration for my pixel-art", but they do not link to the exact submission and say they were inspired by it.

I know I can't copyright poses or icon-design and I have checked the pixel to see if any lines matched up, which is not the case. It's just a bit too close for comfort, really? Plus, it kind of gives off this vibe of "You were to expensive, so I copied it and made my own." I'm not quite sure how to respond as I don't want to cause drama or seem like I'm throwing a fit, but the entire situation has me quite baffled and I'm not quite sure how to respond to the note.

Comments

[cyiakanami.livejournal.com]

I might be wrong in this and please someone correct me if I am. But as far as I'm seeing it, they didn't make money off the "close copied icon" and thus aren't really in any wrong doing.
Sure it would leave a sour taste in someone's mouth after that happened but to be fair a lot of people do this with a wide range of things.

Say you see a table at Ikea and know you can make something similar if not exact for cheaper and you do and use it personally in your home. It's the same instance.

As long as it wasn't traced, and or trying to make money from it. And they did resource back, I don't see an issue at all with what they did. Just my 2 cents on the matter.

[ansitru.livejournal.com]

M-hm. I get your point and it's why I made a post to ask for some advice & finally send them a polite note to settle everything privately. I didn't feel like this needed to be dragged out in journals and back-and-forths.

I will be keeping an eye on it for now (just for the sake of being safe) that they do not sell copies of the icon, though I sincerely doubt they will. But as you stated they aren't really in the wrong and I agree.

I just tend to be of the idea that asking before doing something like this and posting it publicly is maybe politer. Plus, I wouldn't have been as baffled at them using the icon for practice had they given me a small head's up first as opposed to the commission-convo that went down instead.

//Apologies for the small wall of text. D:

[cyiakanami.livejournal.com]

I would agree. Asking first would of been the more polite thing to do for sure. I'm glad to see they apologized though and things were cleared without complications.

[mazz.livejournal.com]

While shady and pretty rude I'd let it slide and in your reply say something similar to this: "I'm glad you learned some stuff it's a nice icon, but I'd appreciate out of respect if you didn't sell these icons yourself since they are so similar to mine"

[teekchan.livejournal.com]

This. ^

For personal use, despite it being shady and rude, I'd let it slide.
I'd be very upset if they tried to sell them though.

[ansitru.livejournal.com]

I did end up sending a note and they apologised, saying they did not intend to make me feel uncomfortable with the icon they posted, so that's good I reckon.

I sincerely doubt they'd start selling them, though to be safe I'll be keeping an eye out for now.

[sigilgoat.livejournal.com]

I personally would leave it alone. People will nip at your heels and unless they are directly copying your work, there's not much to do. Just know that people who do these things are usually a flash in the pan, and will usually move on to nipping something else until they get bored.

Good luck!

[ansitru.livejournal.com]

M-hm. As long as they don't start selling them, I'm okay with it.
Though I just wish people'd have the courtesy to ask before doing / publicly posting something like that.

It's not that it sends me in a frothing rage but it's kind of disappointing. Especially because I would dare to guess they'd be kind of uncomfortable too if it happened to them.

Thanks for the input!

[wuvvumsoc.livejournal.com]

This is off topic but can I see those tutorials at all? I am curious. O:

[ansitru.livejournal.com]

Sure thing! The one I linked was this one (for Gimp): http://hardrockangel.deviantart.com/art/Animated-Avatar-Tutorial-178042627

It's a very basic one, though, aimed at people who've never animated pixel-art before. I do have some more in my favourites-folders on deviantART, so I could always send you a PM with more in-depth tutorials if wanted (so as to not go completely off-topic here)! c:

[wuvvumsoc.livejournal.com]

I wouldn't mind a PM and some tutorials, I also got a new tablet to play around with too C: