Legality and etiquette question

[dashhall]

Hey guy,

I'm working on my website and I'm in the process of posting pictures of signs, banners, and the like. I have sold one banner, that I lost thirty odd dollars on BTW. Anyway, I know how bad copying someone else's work is, from extensive reading of this forum. I pulled a mistake off the get go and was making window decals from every popular copyrighted item known to man. After joining this forum and reading about the reality of my mistakes, I threw all of the decals away. Now, I want to do this the right way. I wanted to be respected in this community, local and on here. Back to my current conundrum. I don't have any pics of my work. I did one banner that I can rightly call mine which was for a 24 hour gym. Which is exactly what it said. So, I'm halfway through my website and you know what I did, yep, half the images are not mine. But, I'm not making the art or selling it. Just showing what the signs look like. Is it legal, and if it is, is it alright from a professional stand point. Any info would be greatly appreciated. Also, can I post my web address for critiquing? Thanks guys,

Spartan Signage
Mitchell Hall

 

[Techman]

do not put other people's stuff on your website

 

[dashhall]

Good enough for me. That's what I thought, but didn't know since I wasn't making money on their art. But, thanks for the reply, and like I said. I want to do it right.

 

[Kentucky Wraps]

signshopwebsites.com (not sure if they're still a vendor here) offers pre-designed websites taylored specifically to our industry and has a bunch of sign photos available from signs they've done as part of the site filler etc.
Just an option.
Also, there are generic stock photo sites out there.

 

[Techman]

Never put other people's stuff on your sign makers site. We put our own stuff on our signmakers sites because it is what we make. Our work does not fit well using stock photos or generic displays. Those items will never match our own work.

 

[dashhall]

Thanks for the replies

 

[Sign Works]

Take some time and design some layouts/signs/banners yourself would be another option.
Nothing shows your capabilities quite like your own work.

 

[Rick]

Just saw the signshop websites... woof!

I don't think it's a good idea to have crappy work posted in
your portfolio by someone else when you can (hopefully) design
better work.

I also think that "stock" work is a dead giveaway because the
area codes are in California and quite a few of the shops have
the same work that Kentucky Wraps has.

I read your introduction and you say nothing about your
experience or background. I assume you are new to design
and signs. A portfolio is to showcase YOUR capabilities. It
should be the best work you can do, and have a variety of
sign types. Like what Sign Works mention, I would start
designing layouts of made-up projects. If you need guidance,
post your work for critique (just make sure you have a thick skin)

My portfolio still has a few fictional jobs and some work where the
client picked a different direction that I had hoped. Still my work,
and helps in attracting my kind of client.

 

[Gino]

I used to blast people like you, but you know what..... its not worth it. If you don't know a simple right from wrong, then just do whatever ya want, cause with your answers so far, you're not worth the air you take up. With your reasoning powers, you are doomed.

 

[TheSnowman]

You gotta make your own layouts, or pay a designer to do them. When I was ready to set up my showroom, just paid someone to make sure it was done right, and would upsell itself. Best move I ever made. If you are a good designer, make some stuff and get it on the site, if you aren't good, sub it out, and give people a good first impression of your work.

 

[Jwalk]

Its a tough world out there kid , people will step on you any chance they get. Do whatever will let you sleep at night. On my commercial painting web site I used a few stock photos but I also had a lot of my own work which was at the same degree of caliber if not more. For my mural site all my own work

 

[Gino]

Its a tough world out there kid , people will step on you any chance they get. Do whatever will let you sleep at night. On my commercial painting web site I used a few stock photos but I also had a lot of my own work which was at the same degree of caliber if not more. For my mural site all my own work

So, you tnink, as long as you can sleep at night, you're Okay, regardless if it's right or wrong ?? Legal or illegal ??

Toughness of the world stepping on you or not, what has that got to do with the OP'S question ?? One doesn't go around bending the rules to fit your personal situation. How lame is your reasoning, if you walk into a grocery store and say, I'm gonna pay for this, this and that, but I don't wanna pay for these things, I just don't want to.

In your world, a little evil or illegal is alright, if YOU say so. Stealing a pen or pad of paper is alright from the store........it's perfectly fine, just don't steal a whole lot.

Dislike all ya want, but don't be spreading ridiculous crap like that. Stealing is stealing at no matter what level you are doing it.

Go back to sleep...............:Sleeping:



Seriously, we shouldn't even have to discuss things like this.

 

[knucklehead]

Would you want to see your stickers , on someone else's website?

 

[Billct2]

There are ways to get legit work on your site as has been mentioned.
Do some generic designs and use those.
Many wholesale manufacturer provide stock photos of their products as sales aids.
Buy some legit stock photos.
Just make sure whatever you put on your site is something you are capable of actually producing.

 

[Jwalk]

I appreciate your passion for the subject! The problem is it will never be a level playing field. Those who are at the top didn't necessarily get their through good morals. That's not to say I play dirty, however the more jaded I get the less I care. Either way you can use me as your scape goat.

Those who are without sin cast the first stone.
This song comes to mind. Have a nice day

[video=youtube;VeBb-gTjWKA]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VeBb-gTjWKA&list=PL3w_yd3mVJ100ccG7VigyvK45u67-cOcq&index=32[/video]

 

[TimToad]

I leave the moral judgements to others, but will keep it honest. Our type of business is completely results oriented, so its pretty hard to fake anything, unless you're doing faux painting or trompe l'oeil murals. And even in those genres, you still gotta be able to do the work competently. What a client sees is what they get.

My suggestion at this embryonic stage of your business is to photograph each and every job you do. You'd be surprised at how fast you'll build a body of work if you are doing this full time everyday. You also can break up photos and show several photos of the same job, just from different crops, angles, distances, etc.

You also can illustrate your professionalism by taking some focused shots of your super clean work area, work truck, etc.

Get creative. I'm assuming you got into this because you're a creative person.

 

[TimToad]

I appreciate your passion for the subject! The problem is it will never be a level playing field. Those who are at the top didn't necessarily get their through good morals. That's not to say I play dirty, however the more jaded I get the less I care. Either way you can use me as your scape goat.

Those who are without sin cast the first stone.
This song comes to mind. Have a nice day

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VeBb-gTjWKA&list=PL3w_yd3mVJ100ccG7VigyvK45u67-cOcq&index=32

I don't know where you came up with that load of dung, but this craft more than almost any other is one of the most level playing fields you could wish for. You have some talent, you work hard, you ply your craft consistently and treat customers well, guess what? You succeed!

Those at the top of our craft got there by decades of hard work and maintaining their professionalism in the face of both economic adversity and having to compete with neophytes and hobbyists bound and determined to "learn on the job" while cutting prices to levels which has helped drive our once highly respected craft into a dogfight for survival.

Most of us here, give our advice freely and for the betterment of the industry. I suggest you get out and try to meet those like us in your area and see if you can't work on that cynicism of yours. Its hard enough to succeed at killing the unfounded perceptions of our customers, but to have to attempt it with one of "our own" seems ridiculous.

 

[Marlene]

what do you do? I saw that you made a banner so I assume cut vinyl? decals? banners? if so, just do some mock ups of each, take a phtot and psot that for now until you get some work done that you can post. the advantage of that is you can do your best stuff as no customer is demanding something horrid that throws the whole thing off.

 

[GoodPeopleFlags]

You could purchase stock photos until you get photos of your own items to use instead. I personally like Dreamstime for stock stuff.

 

[shoresigns]

Why not make a sign from each category with your logo on it and take pictures of them?