My Policies, Especially Regarding Stock

Hello!

This is long, but I am paranoid about correct crediting, linking, stock usage, permissions, and art theft, so I want to be VERY CLEAR how I work things.  This way, you can be sure that I am not being an ass or using your stock in a way you don't approve of!

If I am using your stock, you have a right to expect:

1.)  MY STOCK USAGE AGREEMENT.  If I am using your stock, I have read all of your rules regarding stock usage, regardless of whether or not they apply to my medium.  I agree to abide by your terms and rules of usage, and when I post a piece I often check to stock rules to be sure that they haven't changed.

2.)  CREDITING AND LINKING.  You can check my account to verify that I DO credit and link.  I also post on the referenced item's page, the main page of the stock artist, often send a note, AND, if the image is practice only, I INCLUDE SAID INFORMATION ON THE IMAGE ITSELF along with the date the piece was either started or completed.  (If the image is a completed piece, I only credit and link below the image, not on it, as I don't want to load two images.)  I want there to be no confusion!  Some pieces I'm working on now use more than one artist; in this case, credits will also describe what part of the image was referenced.

3.)  HOW I USE STOCK.  I only do traditional art, as in No Photo Manipulations.  I DO NOT TRACE ON COMPUTER OR BY HAND.  When I use your stock, I paste it on the background of my computer and stare at it.  Then I draw some.  Then I stare some more.  Then I erase some and draw more.  Repeat until I am satisfied with the piece.  Then, I scan the piece and finish in the computer as necessary.  If I need color samples, I will do so at this point.  If there are multiple stock images for reference, I may crop the relevant images and paste them all into one image along with title and stock artist names which then fills my desktop background.  I may tweak lightness/darkness, hue/saturation, re-size, and sharpen to bring out details if I can't see clearly.  Rarely, I will tweak my image by adjusting the height to width ratio; this is to correct proportion errors I have made.  THE STOCK IMAGE COMPILATION BACKGROUNDS I MAKE FOR MY REFERENCE WILL NOT BE POSTED ONLINE.  They live in my computer.

4.)  HOW I SAVE STOCK.  For your reference, I download your stock image to my unsorted stock folder, store it under the correct artist in their individual folder with the original DA name IE. A_Stock_Image_01_by_Stock_Artist, and sort by whether it's a piece I'm inspired to use or one for pose reference.  There is also a folder in the stock artists folder that holds all their stock images I have previously used.  The only time an image is not named like this in my files is when it is in a pack and was not so named originally.  I file them with name intact.  It will still be filed correctly, even if removed from the pack and the zipped folder it was in is deleted.  I file downloads once a day in case there is confusion so it is easy to correct any mistakes.  When I do a piece, it is stored in a separate folder along with a large size scan of the piece (I often throw out practice piece originals once I have a large scan backed up) and a copy of the image it was referenced from.  If I'm not sure of the artist, I DO NOT USE THEIR STOCK.

5.)  QUESTIONS ABOUT YOUR STOCK USAGE.  At any time, you may request a listing of what Stock Images I have stored of yours, what stock images are currently being used (if any), what stock images have previously been used along with what pieces they were used in, and, if it is not clear to you what I used your stock for in the image, what and why it was used.  Sometimes I use stock only to get a general idea of how a skirt falls, how folds shadow or some such, or even for color sampling if you take outdoors stock or portraits.  (I struggle with color theory.  A LOT.)  You probably won't see the stock you provided directly in the image in this case, but I credit regardless of how apparent stock usage is.  You may ask for just a listing, or screen captures of the requested information.  If you ask for screen captures, I ask that you provide an email I can send them to, as I won't post them on DA and I have no website of my own.  YOU MAY REQUEST FOR ANY REASON, EVEN IDLE CURIOSITY.

6.)  REMOVING IMAGES and STOCK AVAILABILITY.  If, at any time, you wish for me to remove an image, note me or email me immediately at addyrae dot heldt at g m a i l dot com .  I am more likely to receive an email in a timely fashion than a note of any sort.  I do ask that you provide a reason, especially if something in the image has offended you.  This is because I do not intend to provide offense or hurt feelings, but I am also not psychic.  If you are simply removing an image from stock availability, please contact me and we will discuss this; when I used the stock, to the best of my knowledge, it was available as stock, and so it is my feeling that OLD PIECES done with stock that was stock should stay but any NEW PIECES made with stock that isn't available anymore will go down.  Therefore, we'll need to talk about it.  IE:  If I did a piece with stock six months ago and posted it, and you remove stock from availability now, I may not be inclined to take it down.  If I did the piece six months ago and didn't post it until now and you are removing the image, it should probably go down.  If I post it after the image is not available as stock, it will immediately go down.  IF YOU ARE REMOVING STOCK AVAILABILITY AND CONTACT ME I WILL ASK TO KNOW WHAT OTHER STOCK IS NO LONGER AVAILABLE.

7.)  MISTAKES ON MY PART.  If I inadvertently do a piece with an image that was NEVER stock, please email me immediately so that I can take it down!  addyrae dot heldt at g m a i l dot com  This is a mistake on my part, and it should not have been posted or drawn.  If I incorrectly credit a piece, incorrectly link a piece, or any of the credit links are broken, please email me immediately!  addyrae dot heldt at g m a i l dot com

8.)  MY NAME.  No, AddyRae is not my real name.  Adelaide Rae Heldt is a pen and art name I have created based on old family names, common family names, and rarely seen family last names.  I desire privacy, and I have no wish to spread my personal information across the internet at large, therefore I put very little personal information online at all.  I do not have a Facebook page, a MySpace page, a Twitter (at this time.  This may change) or other social networking account.  I have a Live Journal, but I do not currently update it publicly.

9.)  MY CONTACT AVAILABILITY.  I am not always posting or online.  My health is shaky, and I am not always near an internet connection that loads faster than 12k.  Said connections don't support the heavy graphics of Deviant Art and time out.  For whatever reason, I vanish at times and neither post, collect stock for reference, or respond to notes.  If you need to contact me during these times, or I don't respond to a note, email me.  addyrae dot heldt at g m a i l dot com

10.)  QUESTIONABLE CONTENT and UNDERAGE STOCK.  I will try to contact the stocker before I post if I feel my stock may be controversial.  This would include things like front on nudity (showing breasts or genitalia in a manner that would not be appropriate in most places), blood and gore, death, or any other things I think might be upsetting to the stock provider.  If your stock image is of a child, (younger in apparent age than their teens) I will contact you in advance as well pretty much regardless of stock content.

11.)  WATCHING.  I watch many stock accounts, but I haven't finished viewing all of the stock available on these accounts yet.  I try to do one or two full account searches a week and then stay updated on the watch.  I only download images I feel may be useful to me!  If you watch my account in return, thank you, but don't feel that you have to!

12.)  MY COPYRIGHTS and IMAGE THEFT.  The images I produce, in accordance to your stock rules, are mine.  I will ask you if I want to sell them as Print, show them offsite, or anything you require permission for in your account.  If you don't touch on what I would like to do, I will contact you.  In return, I ask that you contact me if you wish to use my image on your stock account or in general.  As you provided stock, I am likely to say yes immediately, but I would like to have the option to refuse uses I feel are inappropriate.  If you see an image of my on an account that is NOT THIS ONE, check to see if the account holder is a stock image provider for my piece.  If they are not, chances are they do not have permission to use my work OR it is outright stolen.  Please contact me if you suspect either of these things are true.  addyrae dot heldt at g m a i l dot com  This is less likely to happen with my practice images, but still.  If they steal from me, they are likely stealing from other artists as well!

13.)  LLAMAS.  I'm not sure what is up with the llamas, and I'm not particularly interested in finding out.  I don't collect them, and I won't send them.  Thank you, if you sent one, but I'm sorry that I won't be playing!

14.)  COMMISSIONS.  I don't, generally, take commissions.  Were I to start, I would contact stock artists prior to using any of their work for permission.

15.)  ORIGINALS.  If you like my originals, and you are one of the stock artists used in it, and you want to buy it for some reason, you may certainly request the piece pricing, assuming I still have the piece and haven't chucked it to save space (or set a coffee on it.  This happens sometimes.).  I'll let you know at this point if I tweaked after scanning, or if I CGed it.  I will send you a photo of the existing piece as it is NOW.  I will need you to email me for this information, and I will need your email, your stock account, the piece requested, and later, a name and an address to mail it to.  You will be responsible for shipping, packing, and if you would like the item insured or verified delivery, but I will get an estimate to you in advance of payment.  I AM RESPONSIBLE FOR ALL RELATED TAXES ON THE SALE.  I have not had this happen yet, so I am not sure how payment would work out.  Money Order seems best as the amounts would be very small.  I prefer NOT to use PayPal if possible, but it can be arranged.  Pricing would be 4 dollars for every full hour spent on a piece.  (This allows me to include half hours and 15 minute increments without coin increments.)  If I finished it on the computer, the sketch may not be elaborate, so ask for the time spent on the sketch ALONE and an image of it!  Sometimes, there will be more than one paper image for one digital piece, especially if I drew parts separately.  I will make a point to list the hours in the description and the number of paper pieces and start listing them on the image if I am citing other information on it.  IF YOU ARE NOT THE STOCK ARTISTS I WILL NEED TO CONTACT ALL INVOLVED FOR PERMISSION TO SELL THE PIECE.  Yes, this will take time.  I will need responses from all of the stock artists I used stock from!  I will also do my best to list if an original is already sold or was just thrown out in the description!  If you live out of country, you will want to also ask if I ship to your location.  If you are interested in an original, thank you very much and I would be flattered!

16.)  PRINTS.  At this time, I have no prints available.  If you would like a print, contact me and I will contact the relevant artists for permissions.  If any involved stock artists say 'No' or do not reply, and they don't have a clear permission for prints in their rules, I WILL NOT RELEASE THE IMAGE AS A PRINT.  Sorry, but stock artist copyright trumps.

I WOULD be very grateful if you were interested in buying originals or prints at some point, and I would be willing to re-post works without text on them for prints purposes with stock artist permission.  However, I know times are tight, so I'm not expecting this.  Do know, if you buy any of my pieces, that any monies I receive WILL go directly to rent(not currently, I am homeless, but I hope this will change), required bills (required payments only), or medical (hospital bills and medication costs.  I have no insurance or job currently to provide insurance).  I do not spend money currently on food (food-stamps), clothing, toiletries other than cheap shampoo, toothpaste, toothbrushes, and bar soap, or anything else I deem frivolous.  I do not currently buy art supplies.  The work you see is done with supplies and paper I already own.  I cannot do commissions at this time as I'm not always sure where I will be living or if there will be room for me to work and use my computer.

Thank you for your time and patience!

AddyRae