Good Bye Deviant Art: Update

A month ago I shared with you the straw that broke the camel's back in regards to my usage of Deviant Art. Not unexpectedly, DA has an archaic process to delete your own account. After going through the list of questions regarding the reason for deactivating the account, multiple verification that you in fact want to deactivate your account, you then have to wait an entire month before DA will actually remove all of your content from their servers. Well, it has been a month and it now looks like all of my content has FINALLY been removed. This all took far too long, but thankfully it is over. People will now have to come to my blog or website to steal my work from now on. I wish I felt better about all this, but I fear too much damage has already been done and I have simply killed the patient in an attempt to stop the bleeding...

So long and good bye...

That is all for another exciting Monday on the blog, see you back here on Wednesday! Until then...

For more samples of my work or to contact me regarding my availability head over to my website: www.christopherburdett.com

Good Bye Deviant Art or: From Russia With Stolen Art

In 2009 I started my Deviant Art account and in 2017 I have ended it. Well, when the 30 day "are you really sure you want to deactivate you account" period ends my account will be no more. Why am I doing this? Because of the toxic theft ridden environment that I have endured for far too long. Here is the straw that broke the camels back...

One of FAR too many...

This was the response I received after this person contacted me to use my art in their indy game and I told them that client work was not available, but some of my personal work is and I would be more that happy to discuss licensing fees and to set up a contract. This is put one of SO many of these that I have received lately. While most are on Deviant Art, some are not. The interactions I have on DA are not always so blatant, but the subtext is EXTREMELY clear:

"Hi I like your art, I want to use it. (Actually I have already stolen it, but I am being nice!)"

"Okay, you can't use client work, but you can pay me to use my work."

"Uh, sorry, I have no money. (So I am TOTALLY gonna steal some more of your art)"

"Sorry to hear that, well when you have a budget, I am more that happy to talk, just don't steal my work."

"Sure thing! Will do! I love your work! Would never steal it! (I am TOTALLY gonna steal every last bit of art you have on Deviant Art!)"

Over and over and over again. Finally have had enough. Not too mention I have not been able to find ANY proof that I am getting any kind of return from my Deviant Art account or that it is helping me achieve my goals in anyway. All it seems to be is a time sink and a stress creator. So, after more than 8 years I am packing it in, closing up shop, and getting the hell out of Deviant Art Town. It is not worth my time and it is definitely not worth this stress. Also, if you are wondering about this person or any legal actions I can take... I have to have proof that they have actually stolen work and are using it without my permission, which I don't have, and thier account on DA is blank save for their alias, FuriFull, and that they claim to be n Russia. Not a lot to go on and no recourse to be found. Oh well. Also, I will NEVER watermark my work. If I have to mar the image to keep it safe when showing people I will stop making art. This is why we can not have nice things.

That is all for another exciting week on the blog, see you back here on Monday! Until then...

For more samples of my work or to contact me regarding my availability head over to my website: www.christopherburdett.com