Art Business: avoid your photos being stolen

Hi to all,

I started a yahoogroup name Monochrome at 2004 and maintained it until 2009, where I was discussing with many artists on how to get a good business in art.
At 2009 when I was visiting website, I noticed a question, that I never discussed about it before. Website use for displaying artworks and the international frauds. Frauds can be frauds on copyright etc.. I think today on 2019 this question is still valid.

I guess I have many solution to help you.

Photography stealings, unconsented use etc..

First of all, about selling your art on the internet, just few small tips you must use: don`t use a photo with high definition , don`t use a photo over the size of 10x10cm. If you worry that your customers will ask to see the detailed version of your artworks, and so displaying10x10cm picture will fear them off… hey tell them to have a visit on your atelier. If they are really good buyer they will not hesitate to visit your workshop. All scam buyers are kind of mud, they will not stop their requests, and will ask endless efforts from you, and then the result will be a big zero.
A good eye critics can be made also on art pics sized 10×10.

And so a customer frequent buyer of work of arts, can eliminate or retain very quickly a work of art even on the size of thumbnail.

Another thing you can do is to play a bit with photo edit software. I use GIMP , it is freeware and you can create amazing things with it. I recommend it, but there are many other free software you can use. For payable software ask your retailer to get advice.

Also you can find many free photo editing applications at google playstore, and use them to edit your photos. So even if you don`t know how to use desktop photo editing software you can use these android applications.

So now that you have a photo editing software, you may place the word “Sample” or your logo or your brandname or your name big on size on diagonal and semi transparent, on the photo.
You can be reluctant on placing this ugly word on your work of art when displaying it on your website, but read the following, I think I can convince you on that.

Choosing a category of your work

You must ask yourself the following: “What is the purpose of your website”

first case : My website is itself a work of art

Here you do not put any word like “sample” on the picture of your work of art and also you display it with high resolution and size like 30 x 30 cm. Your purpose here is maybe to sell, but your primary objective is to attract the customer, you take a high risk of being copied, but hey the work of arts that you display in here can be the ones that are already sold out!

second case : My website is my business place

Here you sell, you just sell, and you don`t really worry on the artistic side of the website, even if it is ugly as hell, it sells your artworks.
This kind of website are very usefull if you are on the business side of the art.
You display here the artworks with words”sample” on it and with sizes like 5×5 at maximum, low resolution etc..

third case: My website itself must be an artwork and selling my artworks in the same time:

Typically your case: image with semi transparent big word “sample” pasted on it, low resolution pics, and 10 x 10 cm maximum display size.

fourth case: website not intended for sale. This is using website for advertisement purpose.

No need here to display the picture in details, display your pics like in the third case, here you use your website to communicate with your clients, and to convince them to come to your artgallery.

Other suggestions

My advice here is visit the website of other artists on the web, I am sure they will give you many ideas. But the problem you will be always facing is as follows: the much time you spend on the business side of art, and the less time you will have to make your artworks.
So for a good artist like you, I suggest you get in collaboration with an art business lady or businessman. and check their works, get reports on activities.
A good businesslady/businessman will always do this, even before you ask them.

Also you can CROP your pictures. This means you display a portion of your picture in your website.
For example you are Leonardo da Vinci and you have painted “mona lisa” and want to display it on your webpage. You can display it as thumbnail 5×5 cm, and when user clicks on it, only the mouth portion is displayed on screen with size like 10x10cm.

You must also be carefull with other thieves on the internet. Some website says they can display your work of art, but you upload your work of arts, they use it without your consent etc.

There are also some professional website that can display your work of art and also protect your copyright. They do it because they earn money if you sell them over their website.
you must find them. I only know this kind of websites for fashion modelling photographers.

What you must say to yourself, is either you find a good businessman in art business, and stick to him or her, whatever the percentage you have to pay to him or her on each sell.
they will take you to the top if you are a good artist, because they earn with you. These businessman or businesswomen do manage these professional websites.
So it is up to you to find art business website businessman/businesswomen.

All these advices are from my past experience, they may not be suitable in all cases. Always ask more advice from professional people around you.

All the best to you all

Alorya Art