Why do I share my art?



This is a good question. It deserves a good answer.



I share my art because so many other people have shared with me. People are sharing with you right now, and you may not even know it.



Is your ISP using Linux, the free version of Unix? Hundreds of brilliant programmers have shared their time (and believe you me, programmers are paid a LOT more than artists in this world) and given everyone this incredible 'net FOR FREE!



Is your website run on an Apache server? This is another free program used throughout the web to allow people to share their thoughts and views.



Do you play MUDs, MUSHes, MOOs or other online games? Again, these are free programs painstakingly written and debugged by programmers who could be making a LOT of money for their time.

There are other free programs out there...too many to mention. But the people who made these programs are why I share my art. If they can share so freely, so can I.

I can't program well (yet.!). I can't give anyone tools like these, but I can share my art. I only hope that some of these programmers and developers can use my art and enjoy it as much as the programs they've given me and the rest of the world.

Why I don't Share my Bandwidth: Aka: How to use the art without bankrupting Dee Dreslough.

Some folks, usually unknowingly, have been linking *directly* to my pictures here on Dreslough.com. Much as I love to say the phrase 'It's Okay!', in this case, it's really, really, really not okay.

I've instituted Mod_Rewrite on my webserver so no one can accidentally directly link to me now...so no worries. If you have no idea what that means, check this out! BigNoseBird's Tutorial on Using Mod_Rewrite to protect your bandwidth!

It's fine and great to have links to http://www.dreslough.com/main/something.HTML <- HTML pages. I welcome and encourage anyone who wants to link to my site and it's HTML pages...but linking directly to the artwork doesn't really help me at all because it doesn't actually send people to my page, or let them know that the art they're enjoying is mine.

I am no longer taking them right now. *lesigh* But, you can go in there and see what my rules are when I do take htem. 50% of all proceeds go to the charity of our choosing. I give you a list of my fav. charities, and you select the one where you'd like the money to go. I've been flaking badly on commissions, though, so I've stopped taking them.

Use the Art!

If you like the art, feel free to use it. I know my digital works are never going to make me any money, and I love to see people using and appreciating them, so please do! I make a living selling the hard copies (prints or originals on paper) as well as working as a computer artist for a small company owned by my husband and others . Please buy my originals and prints to help me keep this site alive! They will be worth quite a bit someday. :)

I will occaisionally crawl out of my little web-nest and take a look to see who's using my stuff, and be assured, I get a wonderful warm feeling every time I see one of my pieces in use on someone else's page. You don't need to let me know you're using the art. This page is the official permission - feel free to copy it or download this page to your hard drive if you worry about anyone hassling you about using my art.

Dee Dreslough Hereby and Forthwith permits YOU: (Your name here) to use my art on your web pages (both for and non-profit) and to create derivative products from this art (needlework, stamps, stationery, other digital art pieces, etc.) The only restrictions on the use of this artwork is that you do not trademark or otherwise restrict other people from using it, or claim that you drew it. I retain ownership/copyright of my work (but not derivatives) and ask that no one try to lay claim of ownership through copyright or trademark to MY pieces. They are for everyone.

Specific restrictions on certain art pieces may apply - check each web page where they appear.

A Note to Other Artists

Do feel free to imitate and learn from my pieces! You don't need to mention me - your work is yours. If you study my pieces, as I have studied the works of other great artists to develop my style, and then create your own work from your studies, they are yours. If you want to mention me as an influence, go right ahead. I'd be flattered. (As a general rule, I don't mention my influences publicly although any fantasy/SF fan can spot who I like. :-) I don't cite my influences either, because I've learned from experience that if they aren't dead, like DaVinci or Michelangelo, they WILL eventually sue me.)

Copying: I do encourage verbatim copying of my work - HOWEVER - please do not say 'I made this up all by myself' or anything like that. Just say, 'this is inspired by Dee Dreslough's work, and this kind of use is allowed by her'. A few people are copying my work (either from digital to another medium, or just copying the files themselves and not drawing anything) and then passing the work off as something they came up with all on their own. I will never sue anyone for doing this kind of thing, and I don't *require* credit, but this practice is causing these artists, and myself, a lot of headaches.

It does make people who know my work, and see this deception, very angry. They then mail me about it, or email the person doing it, and it never ends particularly well. Plus, it's totally not fun for me to deal with this kind of thing. I don't like it when people do this copying/lying thing. I don't *require* credit, but if you're copying something of mine exactly, or so nearly that people know it's inspired by my work -- just mention it. Then people don't have to get mad, and no one's reputation is hurt.

If anyone hassles you for using a part or all of one of my pieces in yours, you send 'em to this page. I will never sue anyone unless they demand that I stop drawing. (Basically, I'll sue to defend my creative freedom, but never to limit anyone else's.)

I'll never sue anyone for drawing pictures, copying my work, or anything like that. To me, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. I just need to be free to express myself, and I respect that need in other artists. Anyone who tries to take this right from me or anyone else is itching for a lawsuit, and I will happily oblige them.

Be Warned: Other artists may sue you for appropriating parts of their work for use in your creations - INCLUDING TEXT! If you're inspired by a book, you ARE asking for trouble if you mention the author in relation to your work without getting their permission in writing first.

I'll also try to put up as many art lesson pages (dragon physiology, shading techniques, etc) as I can manage, but I can't make any promises.