Collages and copyrights

In reading about copyright issues in this forum I have become concerned about a particular point, and I wonder if anyone could shed light on it:

Collages and Sampling. It is a common technique in graphic arts and entertainment today to pull small samples from other images and music, and combine them together, manipulate the scale color etc. in creating a new image.

The image is then a new work, but depending on the ideas of others (as are virtually all forms of art).

So the question is this: Does the new work violate the copyright of the previous creators from whom samples were taken?

Don't take this as gospel but it's my understanding that if the sampled image is substantially changed enough that it's no longer recognizable as the original then it's not a copyright violation.

Like Chip said, if someone creates some form of art weather commercial or non-commercial, and the image is changed so dramatically that it isn't even noticeable how would the original creator even know it was their work?


Not only that, but think about the millions of images available on the net, in print, media ETC ETC. There's so many people creating new images or art that how can you justify owning a certain piece of art if it looks exactly like millions of other forms of art? In the end it comes down to who gets their underwear in a bunch over it.

God, God will know and has a special place in hell for people who violate copyright laws.

This message paid for Metallica Inc.

Metallica? that's funny you should bring them up. They totally contradicted themselves when they were crying about fans ripping them off. If you don't believe me have a listen to And Justice For All album. Everything they are against with fans stealing their music is what they sang about positively on AJFA album. Metallica sold out big time, will leave it at that.

Sounds like this is a big gray area - except where Metallica is concerned. I'll continue to create my own textures this way then, until someone tells me different

hehe throws a big wrench into the mix.

lets say for example that i take a blank 256x256 graphic and change the color to a standard med. blue then upload the image to SL is it then copy written? its my original art work isnt is?

My point being I can see both sides of this issue and there is no firm answer here to be had. If you feel your art work isso valuable that it needs to be protected then do not upload it to the game. thats it.

Cat

Hehe that's not really my issue here. I'm not worried about what happens to textures I upload since they become the property of the Lindens anyway. In fact if anyone wants a texture I made all they have to do is ask - imitation is the sincerest form of flattery ^_^.

I just want to be sure I stay on the right side of the law myself.

Content that you upload does not become the property of the Lindens, but you do grant them a non-exclusive right to use it however they want.

On the other side of things, collage, pastiche, parody and fair use all have strong grounds in US law, the current legal climate not-withstanding.