ART THEFT - report here

[Randis ::]

Feel free to post any related info in this thread Spreading the word is always a good thing. A while ago i also have created a FB group regarding art theft, you can find many interesting links there. http://www.facebook.com/?sk=messages&ti ... 5051725808

[bungy]

Hey guys! I start here the second post because I have just been rip-off Not kidding! So this is the story : I get a commission from a guy on DA called : YaBoi2020. He needed a rush album cover to be done in one day for some rap-artist .The amount was not much : 85$ I worked like 10 h straight and I keep in touch with this guy on mail . From time to time I send him examples of how the work develop. I did finish the job - my mistake was that in this rush I did not ask him for an advance .Anyway I finish the job and I send him a small jpg file - not at the resolutin I did but smaller . I did tell him that i would send him the full size when he pay the 85$ - which he did not sent .The job was done sunday .Now this guy stops answering tomy mails . I did a little check on the raper guy page and my art was there on many sites that promotes his album. Interesting that he used the small res file that I send - I have the full size . Now I dont know what to do ???? Thanks for reading this and I need your help, suggestions etc. here is my art that i did : and here is on some sites: http://www.mimslife.com/ http://hear-it-first.net/index.php/mims-open-bars/ http://www.hottesthiphop.net/mims-%E2%80%93-open-bars http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wdJVS4BgqsY Cheers !!!

[Keppo]

#1 Billboard's Hot 100, #1 R&B Mainstream, #1 Top 40 Rhythm that mims seems to be somewhat famous. 85 dollars is way under priced for a cover for someone as famous as he is. Did i see correctly that his record company is EMI? I would advice to contact EMI asap, its a HUGE international record company. To them, 85 dollars is nothing. http://www.emimusic.com/

[bungy]

Thanks Keppo ! Seems like this music artist is famous but in this case I think he hired someone or other company to do this cover album .So if I contact EMI probably they will say I have no contract with them or something - its a really messy problem ... And - can I do anything since there is no contract between me and this guy who hired me ; ok I have some evidence like mails he send me and also the high res file and some step of the cover ... Cheers!

[Mugshotpro]

what's done is done. from this point it's his word against yours. what ever you do stay professional with your language, no cursing and such. let the DA community know about it, your watchers and such, they are really good about letting the art thief know what kinda of whores they really are(so you don't have to). Post a journal and a news article with the story you wrote in this thread, Title it "ART THIEF on DA" and link to his DA account(if he has one) or his site. Artist hate that kinda stuff, and they will start tearing his name a new butt hole. If DA members are good for anything it's doing that. hopefully he won't want his name to be trashed like that among such a popular site, and he will settle the debt. that's my advice to you. BUT any project like that you do in the future, you need to create a Watermark. I won't go through the process I did to create this as you can probably figure it out only that when your text is ready drop the text opacity to like 15-20%, add drop shadow and change layer style to "soft light" see the image below to get the idea. tell your client payment is due before you can release the final image into their possession (This should all be written up in a very simple contract or statement of intent before you even start the job, so both parties know what they are getting into) . this way you are protected from theft and your client can see that you have done the work to their satisfaction. best way to protect yourself is to come prepared. and trust no one, especially in online dealings.

[bungy]

hey Thanks Mug this are really good info : the watermark is a great ideea . I didnt use it before but now I will.

[Randis ::]

you do not have a contract... owww Ok, at least there is a positive site, they also have no contract but they are already using the image and since there is no contract the guys have no price statement in writing so you can claim more than that. You should contact the label and ask them to pay you 1000 USD, they are already using it without having made the payment. Tell them the contact who commissioned this work. Keep the price at 1000 USD, if they say something: - they have no contract and no price in writing - they already are using it - 80 USD is a joke, a waiter earns more, that dude is a lier. Tell them that you expect the payment done asap or you will have to take legal action and the law is clearly on your side. Keep the mail short and very clear, stay cool and professional.

[Meteorskies]

I'd be careful with that if you talked by email as it could be considered as a proof you agreed on 80 USD

[bungy]

Thanks Randis ! I have tried again to contact this guy ask him politely when can I have my payment made since I saw the cover art on many sites without autor writs . He just ask me if i send him the paypa mail - which I did and I send it again .That was yesterday (friday). he said he's sorry but that was all , nothing about money .He didn't send it yet .I think I should wait until monday to see if something happens I could go your way but as Meteorskies says he does have the mail from me and the mails that he send to me so... Messy shit Thanks again guys !

[oren90]

this is a lesson for life when you agree to work you ask for half the amount upfront and the rest when finished this way you'll know how serious the guy is and you'll get some of the pay, also like mugshot said you need to watermark your work and if the price is high get both sides to sign a contract stating all that is needed to be stated in the contract, hope you'll get your money from this douche, and see this as a learning expirience