USING OTHER ARTISTS WORK--THATS A NO NO

SEAN SAYS NOT COOL
GROOMING BY ME

"PER-PER-TRAT-TING A FRAUD"

When I was a kid  if I would see something a little shady going on I'd say--

"Wooooooo they are perpetrating-a-fraud"

When I see "makeup artists", (I use the term loosely), post other peoples photos on their sites I scream it all over again. Really? True artists don't post others peoples work and claim it for themselves

Now as for the so called artist out there snatching images off of a site and using them as your Facebook profile pic, or anywhere else  I guess my question is Why?  Why do you do that? Do you think you're fooling someone?  Do you think more educated people wouldn't know that wasn't yours?  Do you think because you found it in another country we wouldn't know? 

When I see this I say clearly this person isn't an artists cause you're ripping off someone images. Now,  I totally understand inspirations I really do and that is great if a picture moves you. Create a file of inspiration shots and save it on your hard drive to look at whenever you like.  BUT to use it as any kind of representation of your work is unacceptable.  The funny thing is people who do it , don't think anyone would figure it out and call them out-WRONG! and now with Google pics you really could be busted

Countless artists get their work stolen everyday and the thieves are discovered everyday  I have had a lot of my work ripped off and its annoying. I found my work on a site for a makeup studio.  I contacted them and they pointed me to another artist who claimed to have done the makeup.  They were dealing with that artist based off of my images and once they were found out they were fired from their job and the pictures were removed along with their deepest apologies.  BTW this studio was based in London.  You will be busted its just a matter of time

MY big-a$$ lesson learned

In my first year as a beauty/fashion makeup artist I lucked up and got an amazing assisting position with Sharon Gualt (Mama Makeup)  on a David LaChapelle shoot --hello!!!  When the shoot was over I was given permission to post my portion of the shoot on my website by the Key and of course I did and proud of it. 

I was my own webmaster at the time--and didn't fully understand the rules or programming--clearly.  I first started out giving credit everywhere I had it on my site in 5 different locations--lol  BUT there was one day I missed putting the credits everywhere---wwwoooooooo DeShawn is perpetrating -a fraud.  It wasn't intentional it was just a stupid-a$$ mistake.  

I was labeled a thief, liar  and fraud -- honey it got ugly.  BUT in reality I did make that mistake so I had to own it, explain and apologize.  Mistakes do happen but, good Lord people, I don't want any of you going through that mess like I did.   No one emailed me or called me, they blasted me publicly and these are people I knew.  Not one of them gave me the benefit of the doubt--and really why should they.  Thievery happens all too often in this unregulated business and people are getting tired of it.

People will not email you and ask you politely, they will not take a moment and joyfully school you on etiquette.  They will blast you before you even get a chance to answer. If these people/artists are in the position to hire you-- do you think they will forget you're using someone else's work.  NO, they won't and you won't be hired and you may find yourself blacklisted before you even start. I came across so called artists using others artists work  when hiring for the 24 Hour Cotton Show this year--those people did not get hired and I have already begun contacting artists on said individuals.

OK so lets just say you didn't know the rules--it can happen

HERE YOU GO--  Now you have no excuse!

Please follow these golden rules and your be-hind will stay out of trouble

• You are not allowed to post work that isn't yours  (period-point-blank)

• You are not allowed to post work if you were hired by a "Key" artist or you assisted unless you get permission from said "key" and give credit everywhere --every time
• Credit should read-- ("assisting key-insert name" or "key artist insert name")   
• Even if you did all the work you cannot use those images.  I was an assistant on a major ad campaign, did tons of makeup and when the print ad came out they used my makeup and not the "Keys"  I couldn't use it 

• You are not allow to have inspirational shots on your professional website,  pro Facebook pages or any other page that is representing you as an artists.   Really your professional page or site should just be of your work anyway If you re Facebook pages title is Makeup Artist insert your name-- you cannot use anyone else images ever.  It is not a scrap book of your life  BE PROFESSIONAL

• If you are a newbie and have nothing to show then don't show anything at all wait to build a series of before or after shots or your first shoot but do not under and circumstances fill your site/page with other peoples images.  You get me? 

• IF YOU TRULY WANT TO NOT WORK--  KEEP DOING WHAT YOU'RE DOING!!!!

Don't say I didn't warn you
What do you think?