[Woodcarver] Copyrights

[Steve Lankerd Sr]

Here is an added twist....

What about if you see a great picture on a calendar or a greeting card?  I've heard from a master scrimshander that if you change the medium, like art from the two mentioned, to say a carving or ivory scrim, that you are legal.  

The following is what I was told by one of the country's top scrimshaw artists.....
"Altering something by 10% (or some figure) is enough to comply with copyright. When we do scrim, we change it 100%. Artists can use anything for a model. If you put the photo on a copier, and try to sell the copy as the original, then you've got  problems. I've been to some of the best art museums in the world, where they allow painters to make painted copies of masterpieces. They just can't sell them as the originals." 

As a scrimshaw artist and gunstock carver, I am faced with this all the time.  There are times when I see a great looking picture.  And maybe at that time I only want the deer, moose, etc... and then create my own background.  Not all the time but occasionally.  I don't think there is anything wrong with the concept of being inspired by a picture and then changing it.  The one thing I do when I sell a piece of scrim.... I include a card with the information on it that "This scrim was inspired by the Native art from Jack Hudson.  Native design by Jack...scrimmed by Steve Lankerd"   

Any thoughts?


Best Regards,

Steve

Steve Lankerd Sr
Metlakatla, Alaska

http://www.stevelankerdstudio.com
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