fix spelling
Love love your deck! It is evident how much time and effort you spent on it.
I'm also making a deck and already before I could even complete it someone else began using the same idea. I almost didn't continue my project because of it.
You mentioned copyrighting. I'm curious what can be done to prevent this from happening with other deck ideas. In this case I wish I had shown pics of my idea everywhere instead of just a few places because now I worry folks will think I am copying the other deck. I feel a bit paranoid about that. I am fairly sure I had the idea first because I saw posts on Facebook where this other person was just getting into the style. I wonder too if some of my posts inspired her. Unfortunately I was held up by all the things you have to figure out when you've never done something before while she has already produced several decks.
I thought with art though that as long as it wasn't an outright copy anyone can use the same concept- correct me if I'm wrong. In the end her deck and mine are really different from each other though the form is similar. This will be my first deck and first public art project so I'm green as grass. Any tips are surely appreciated!
Okay well first things first. you said you posted a few pics. up on few places right, well that is dated, so it comes down to check the dates, is your work well before theirs?
The copyright process is a bit of a pain but well worth it. It is done in stages. so for you, you will need to if you can write out a letter in great detail of your ideas, concept etc. send it to self via registered mail. DO NOT OPEN, and get a safety deposit box, which does cost money.
Then if you have any drawings copy (Printing company) them and sign with date and notes, along with the receipt send to your self registered mail. If this is not going to work for your project take pictures with camera, settings (show date) of your work, go to a professional to have them developed then send registered mail to self.
then do same with a portable usb storage data, send to self registered mail.
Also your computer has files which are dated, sent copy of those to self, via registered mail, burn cd, or what have you.
Then once you have done all that you will have to find in your country a place that does copyrights, It does cost a lot of money. depending on country. there will be lots of places in your country that will do copyrights. find one that suits your needs.
I have done this I even sent off drafts of my works, sketches of my ideas, written notes of my concepts, stages of what I'm doing etc. yes an over kill, however I am protecting my hard work.
When I did my books, I sent 3 different drafts, registered mail to self, and 3 final copies to self registered mail, then about 20 letter to self about what my ideas and concepts were of how I was doing my book. and paid money to have each one copyrighted, cost me approx 250.00, but those are books. Then after publishing I again sent a self registered copy of my published book. I even went to the cop station and had them put my finger prints on my work. however that is an over kill but when someone steal from you the first time around you will do what ever measures you need to protect yourself.
cover your butt is all I can say.
With making these decks I visited the post office once a day sending stuff to my self registered mail. then I paid for my copyrights, then the printing company also has all my stuff as well. Printing companies do (protect copyrights) they follow copyright laws. Then when I get my decks, which is a total of 4, two of them will get my finger prints put on them, then they will be send to my self registered mail. then they go into my safety deposit box, along with all my other stuff. I even send the receipts and put them with my book and decks and sent self registered mail. why cause It is Dated and has My Name, order, and number of copies, etc. Make sure the receipts are hand written out or a proper printed invoice that doesn't fade over time. Also when I received my copyrights certificate I had my finger prints put on them.
Hope this is helpful.
La Force
