Black Listing of Design Team Members.

  I must raise this subject, as its getting on my nerves.

Over the past few years I have been lucky enough to join Design Teams for various artists and Companies. When I started blogging, I was lucky enough to jump straight on a DT or 2, though I was completely new to blog land.

 I didnt understand blog land, I had no idea what was right and what was wrong, as there are NO RULES WRITTEN DOWN!
I also didnt think that people in the craft community behaved in a nasty fashion, very naive wasnt I?


I started working for a company, and was given a bit of information about something that was going on, some of the people who gave me the information believed they were telling the truth, they were duped like me, and it would seem we were lied to.
Something happened that resulted in myself and others finding out the truth and since then we have steered well clear of the company involved. We didnt know at the time that we were being lied to, would you? All we had were emails, some quite hysterical, and vitriolic attacks by people we didnt know. We were very confused.
Now it has been drawn to my attention that I am to be on a Black list because I USED to be on a certain Team. Even though I and others left when we found out the truth? I never said anything nasty, never left nasty comments, never got involved in the vitriolic goings on, I left when I knew, quietly. Now there is talk of a proposal going around that ANYONE who has worked on some of the more unscrupulous Companies Design Teams, is Black Listed, and should NOT be allowed to be a Design Team member on any company that sign up for this proposal.
EXCUSE ME! That happens to be a defamatory proposal, and damaging to my relationships to my Peers.
I had no knowledge of what was going on, when I found out, I behaved with impunity and withdrew from the Team. I have never left nasty messages, or been involved in any of the nasty goings on, which are still on going. But because of that you want to Blacklist me? And anyone else that comes into contact with a company you disapprove of? Future, Past and Present design team members all over the world are affected by this!
Can you please explain what gives you the right to damage my reputation in such a way?
Have you EVER had any contact with me?
Do you know why I left?
Have you EVER asked me about it?
The answer to all those questions is NO! You have NOT!
Yet you now claim the right to blacklist me?
Who made you Judge and Jury?
Where's the Innocent until proven Guilty?



I only started watermarking my cards when I realised that other people were taking the cards and posting them as their own challenge entries. I only started Copyrighting my blog when this was pointed out to me. There is no set of rules for crafters entering blog land. MOST crafters are genuinely good, kind, sharing,  law abiding, generous citizens. However there are those out there who dont abide by the unwritten code, and it would seem are taking un-watermarked images and using them without paying the artists for them. I suspect that generally, the people posting the images on Pintrest arent aware that they need to watermark them, or that they shouldnt share the image that has inspired them. Yet instead of doing the sensible thing and trying to come up with a set of guidelines for Crafters in Blog land, Crafters new and old are insulted, dictated to, and informed in a very condescending manner of what we are expected to do by some one who believes they are the only person who can say anything?
There's a lovely quote by Thumper from the Bambi film, "If you cant say anything nice, don't say nothing at all." If you're upset fine, but think about what you are doing and how you are saying it, come up with a CONSTRUCTIVE means of getting the message across instead of being sarcastic, and insulting those who you should be educating.
People draw in many ways, and gain inspiration from many sources. Some of the Main digi artists with a certain style have obviously been influenced by Disney Princess films, Big eyes, flowing hair, yet it would seem that only one or two people are allowed to draw in that style? Personally I'm NOT a fan of the big eyed digi's or stamps, I prefer proper artwork to work with, which is why I have withdrawn from many teams, but I do NOT see why only a select few are allowed to draw in that style, if anything I should think Disney and other companies should look at certain Digi artists, to see if THEIR copyright has been breached.
But I do NOT agree with taking an image and altering it slightly then re-selling it. If its your own work, then you have the rights to it, just as I have the rights to the pictures of the cards that I make. If its not yours, then you DONT have the rights do you?
 I do NOT think its okay to post unwatermarked digi's or stamp and scanned images to Pintrest. If you want a digi, go buy it, they are reasonably cheap. If you want the Stamp, go buy it, you normally get more than one for your money, even if you have to save up for it.
I do NOT agree with theft.
I do NOT agree with the idea of Blacklisting Design Team members, or Artists that had contracts with other companies.
I do NOT agree that there are only a few people who have the right to decide which person or company is Blacklisted or not!

I do not agree with the idea that a select few can be Judge and Jury, with no trial, on wether a person has acted with impunity. That they alone can decide wether or not others were duped. That they can merrily allow defamatory posts and comments to remain visible when they have been contacted about the defamatory nature of the content, insulting and hurting others business in order to draw more business to their own by playing "Poor Little Me".
There is a world wide Recession, in case you hadnt noticed. Many business are being hurt by customers finding their pockets shallower than before, or simply by the fact that they have moved on from one style to something else, Playing unfairly damages you more in the long run!
I have also noticed over quite a period of time that some of the people involved in creating this Black List have also been accused of copying others work, wether these accusations are founded or un founded is moot, as far as I am concerned.  If you live in Glass houses then dont throw stones!
This proposal affects EVERYONE who has or will ever have a desire to work on a Design Team. Who knows what company will be the next to feel the wroth of the people running this list? The fact that the people proposing this action have been accused in the past of breaching others copyright, fairly or unfairly, makes the whole thing a sham as far as I am concerned.
Quite simply this is an attempt to increase their market share at the expense of others reputations! Which in all honesty STINKS as a business practice!

Please dont think this is an off the cuff response to the talk of a black list. It isnt, this has taken 4 days for me to write this post, and is my considered view on this subject.


Lou

Edited to add this link: http://lexiesblogstardate.blogspot.co.uk/ another unhappy blogger!