Copyright Issues!

It has come to my knowledge that my images are being copied and painted by others. I will no longer be putting up large images. I did that so you could see what I was doing and learn but it also has allowed people to print off these images and use them. This is an infringement on my ownership of this image. I am surprised that so many do not understand this principle. ALL photos are owned by the person who took them. So if you copy out of books and magazines you are breaking the law. Copying my images is breaking the law. If you are a true artist, you must create your own work. Many artists have copied in the past to learn...but then that piece is never shown because it is truly not their created piece and it must be stated somewhere in the title. It is also wrong to enter such pieces in shows...even those produced at workshops. These are still not your images or done completely by you. When you begin to get input on how to improve your painting and guidance, you no longer can say it was entirely painted by you and that should not then be entered into a show. Many art clubs help each other and have critique sessions and then upon those suggestions things are changed in the painting. It now is a club painting and should not be entered into a show. If a judge discovers that this is a copy or was a critiqued piece, it cam be disqualified and you can be asked not to exhibit there for 3 years. I hope I have impressed upon you the importance of doing your own work. Get your cameras out and get your own references...that is part of being a real artist. CREATE YOUR OWN WORK!