Free the Stock!
Journal Entry: Wed Oct 8, 2008, 2:17 AM
I'm appalled and ashamed at deviantArt right now. For my first time ever I looked threw the stock category to see what they had to offer. As a grad from commercial art I know the fine legal line between Stock and Art. Art is protected for the creative interests of the artist and or family of the artist. This is in order to ensure ownership over a creative product and protect the rights of the individual who has created the product. Stock does not have these protections for very good reasons. It's a tool. Stock is no different then a pencil, paintbrush, or Photoshop brush. If one artist creates something with a pencil another artist does not have to ask permission to create something different with a pencil also. It is wonderful that so many here on deviant art are willing to let the person who first posts and provides the stock what it is they are using it for as this helps to encourage those willing to provide stock to provide more of it but the drastic limitations that are currently being set on stock usage have to stop! Today I even saw one individual who teased his viewers with beautiful previews of the available stock but then wrote in it's description that he will only give the code to unlock it to those who have donated da subscriptions to him.

Be aware of your rights
If something is listed as stock then you have full rights to use that image as you see fit as long as you are not taking an unedited version of it and claiming it as your own. Changes must be sufficient to be able to label the work as it's own entity.

If you post an image under stock you are giving full rights for that image to be used in any way see fit by any person who wishes to.

If you do not want anyone at all to be able to do anything they want with your image post it under photography and state that anyone wishing to use your image must first seek permission from you.

Please anyone who reads this copy and re post it on your own journals. Get the word out and let your fellow deviants know what their rights are.

Lets Free the Stock!