Copyright Disappointment and Judge Judy Terrorists

A while back I decided I had better research copyright issues in the internet age and was quite surprised by what I found.  Like many art students I was taught that if a photograph was changed by 10% an artist could use it in an interpretive work of art.  Not so anymore.  If it can be proven that an artist used someone's photograph the artist can be sued.  If an artist wants to make a portrait of a celebrity then the artist needs permission from the photographer and the celebrity to make a portrait.  I decided I wanted to make a portrait of David Garrett so I contacted the photographer for permission and David Garrett's estate for permission.  I figured I wouldn't be able to sell the portrait or sell prints and I stipulated that in the request.  After I finished the portrait I found several artists selling prints of David Garrett so I contacted the estate again for permission and was turned down.  I guess all those artists that are selling prints of celebrities either have permission or they don't think they will be taken to court.  I'm way too chicken to try to sell the prints so I have the portrait on my page as an example of my portrait ability.  Oh well.  I don't think I will make any more portraits of celebrities unless the celebrity contacts me for one.  That would be nice!

My husband and I are probably one of five or so people in the world that don't have cable and don't want cable but I think digital TV was started as a conspiracy against the few hold outs that refuse to have a cable bill.  If there is any kind of strong weather the TV reception starts and stops which is really irritating but we don't watch that much TV so it isn't that big a problem.  I do like to watch Judge Judy when I am fixing dinner.  I like watching her rant and rave and some of the idiots on the show are great entertainment.  The other day the weather was fine but the show wouldn't come in.  My husband thought it was probably Judge Judy terrorists that couldn't take hearing her say one more time, "That is the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard!"  They took her out.  Actually, the show came on the next day so he was wrong.  We still don't have cable and I think we can hold out forever in spite of all the fancy offers on TV.

So Excited about my Current Painting and a Bucket of Fudge

A lot of artists do portraits of famous personalities that they have never met. I assume they have never met them so they rely on photographs and either stick rather closely to the photograph, modify it somewhat, or completely change it to accommodate their individual expression. It has never occurred to me to paint a portrait of someone I don't know. Recently I decided there was one personality I greatly admire that I haven't seen a lot of paintings of and I thought I would give it a try. I am enjoying the experience and am using a number of photographs to get the likeness but the painting is all mine-my expression, color, and brushwork. I hope it turns out as well as I want. Painting is always a crap shoot between skill and what happens in the process. So far, so good!

Whenever I see a report in the newspaper that politics are working out the way I want them to I become very excited. I see hope for what is important to me and I like to discuss these things with my husband. The other day I mentioned an improvement and he said the results are based on a poll and you can never tell about them. He said one party probably calls up twelve members of their party and tells them to answer yes on five questions and they will get a bucket of fudge in the mail. So much for polls and good news. I think I will just believe the poll results. That makes me happy.