I’m seeing it all too often…people complaining about art theft. The invariable response is a bunch of the artists’ friends get together and start a nastygram campaign via email.

Now, just so you understand how futile and laughable this truly is…

The person who stole the art looks at these, ctrl-selects them all, and hits the delete key.

They will probably laugh while doing so.


This is because, there is absolutely no weight to these emails. They have no force, no bind, no weight. The wasted effort does nothing, and the person is still profiting off of your hard work. So, I want to ask you…the artist…why is it you’ll spend $300 on an AA table, and maybe $400.00 on a wacom tablet, but you don’t consider that your computer is connected to the biggest damned network on planet earth? Why is it, you’ll drop a C note on Copic markers, but you wont do a simple Google search in order to protect your rights as a creative talent?

There’s no nice way to say this, so I am going to come right out and say this: If you’re an artist and your portfolio and works are important to you, you need to get up off your dead ass and start arming and empowering yourself to deal with people who would steal your livelihood.

“Well, how am I supposed to do that, Azrael? I’m not a business person…I’m an artist!” To which I respond, very simply with the standard response from Col. Potter: COWCOOKIES!

If you’re an artist, and you create things…how to defend yourself, and protect your hard work are just as important as what brush size you choose for a line. Period. Not a business person? Okay. So what. You better start learning how to deal with some business functions or kiss your profits goodbye.

Here are some things you need to acquaint yourself with…

WHOIS: This is a tool that let’s you look up domain name registration. You can find a great utility for that right here.

NSLOOKUP/DIG: This is a tool that will return an IP address for a web server, presumably the web server where your stolen artwork is residing. Geektools has a tool for that too. Once you get an IP, you need to search ARIN, to see who the IP belongs to. Usually its the provider or webhost. Even if it’s not, they can usually point you in the right direction.

DMCA Notice: You need to learn how the Digital Millennium Copyright Act works. How to file a notice. How it protects you. Believe it or not, if you follow the law you actually have a powerful tool to protect your work.  Learn by searching…the greatest network mankind has built.

COPYRIGHT: Learn how to file your copyrights. In the eventuality you do need to take them into a court, you cannot walk into a court for a copyright case without first registering the copyright. It’s only $35 bucks. While you have a copyright that’s implied with a circle C, you still need to register it. Especially if you want to sue.

As an artist, if you’re putting your works on the web, then you need to be armed with the information you need to defend your works. Nobody is going to do it for you. An e-mail campaign from all of your deviantart followers is not going to make the thief see the error of his/her ways, stop stealing, and join a seminary or convent. No matter what you think, the only way you’re going to get their attention is by taking a measured, thoughtful and legally backed response.

So, now…you need to stop whining, stop moaning about that guy selling prints of your work for $1000, and actually go after them. This is planet earth. Nobody is going to protect you, your work..especially if you wont do it yourself. Arm yourself with facts, knowledge of the process and the will to do what it takes to protect your hard work. If you’re not willing to do that, then you can’t complain, and perhaps you should find a new medium other than the world wide web to exhibit your work.

Harsh words, but true ones.