i have some crazy personal ties to this piece. i got feedback and encouragement from some artists i really admire while working on it, i met so many wonderful friends in the wake of attention that it originally got, and i sorta had my career and confidence as an artist kick-started by it.
it’s going to be really hard to top how much this piece of art means to me. :)
They promptly go back to bed for another hour after this because they’re tired old men who deserve to rest
ID: A greyscale comic of Bob and Helmut laying in bed together, covered by blankets up to their shoulders. The comic starts on a shot of Bob sleeping, one hand poking out from under the covers. In the next two panels Bob yawns then has his eyes slightly open. Helmut’s hand reaches out from just off frame to hold Bob’s hand. Helmut says “Goooood morning” in a musical tone. Bob replies “mornin’” before making a confused noise at the fact his hand is being held. The next panel is a close up shot of Helmut’s face; his eyes are half closed, his hair is messy as it’s pressed up against his pillow, and he’s smiling dreamily as he looks at Bob. Three little figments of hearts float above him. The last panel shows Helmut and Bob together in bed, still holding hands. Bob smiles as he says “You look so cute when you’re sleepy.” Helmut replies “Back ‘atcha, babe.” End ID.
If an artist provides a service such as painting on a thing for a certain fee, but what this person paints are almost all copies of other artists’ works (including and almost exclusively famous artists who are no longer living but who have foundations or estates that manage the copyrights/ licenses for the artists’ oeuvre)—
I mean, this is art forgery/ piracy, right? And the fact that this artist continuously profits from these custom paint jobs, and somehow no one in that community he’s in seems to be calling this out (they keep ordering from him, even).. and i mean it’s not *exactly* a carbon copy of the works, but the colors and subject matter are the same, only cropped or not as detailed, and the pieces are named after the original pieces too and he is marketing them under the original artist+artwork’s name
It just doesn’t sit right with me and I don’t think I can just let it slide. What do I even do next? Report this person? Are there any legal grounds for this? Do I contact the artists’ estates?
Input, advice, reactions, ideas etc appreciated
Also, if the works have become public domain, what’s the rule on that? Does it apply here?
