Sorry - we have had to remove all large images of the Baroque Bohemian Cats' deck

[baba-prague]

Thank you. It's really good to know that people have enjoyed the images.

sorry - again I have edited out what I said on this thread. I'm sure you will understand that it's safer for us to say nothing right now.

But again - thank-you for the support and kind words. This is very important right now.

 

[skytwig]

When my husband and I were very young, we were the starving artists. Our home was a living museum, literally!!! Art was our world!!

We lived in DC at the time and my husband got a sitting with a very famous artist. Being very young and eager, my husband showed his work to this person, fully trusting him.....

Mistake!!!!

The artist stole my husbands technique and style. It was incredible!!

Now my husband has been dead for almost 20 years and when I see his influence in this famous artists' work, I grin to myself.... My husbands work is everywhere, now, through this man who was desperate.......

My husband, by the way, did the technique much better than this "Artist".

 

[catdoc]

I just want to get back to normal as quickly as possible. The problem is that it pitches you into a real fortress mentality, which I don't like. I'm quite an open person.

My son was explaining to Alex some months ago what he thinks about his parents (we are still on very good terms so my son is pretty unselfconscious about this). He said "My dad is suspicious about everyone" (it's true, though he is a lovely man in fact) and - he went on "But the greater problem is that my mum is suspicious of NO-ONE".

At the time when I overheard this I laughed, but now I see that he was showing a good deal of insight. So - a lesson for me too.

Having only met you recently, and only in this somewhat limited medium, it is still very apparent to me that you are indeed an open and generous person. No doubt when this present assault has been redressed you will fall back into your habit of trust. It is hard to remember that there are people who would steal the work of another when such an act is so alien to your own nature.

I am glad to have been visiting this forum at a time when I was able to view your beautiful images and having seen them to know that such a deck will be available for purchase. I will wait patiently and be pleased to be surprised by the images you and Alex create for the final product.

Deb

 

[M-Press]

Sorry to hear all this baba...
I was a bit surprised all this time to see how you posted to us all this art, in large size, and I was relieved everytime you had cropped images. That was a good idea.

I had a few times exlained why i don't upload my own art that way, and I have also gotten plenty of criticism about that too, but everytime I second think myself, something like this comes up, and you realise that your intentions for a "good" world, are not shared by all...

I think that your deck will sell beautifully, even if you don't put up all the cards, and i also see in it a great element of surprize to see the rest of the cards when I'll buy the deck. i'm sure I'm not the only one who thinks that.
Protecting your work should be a priority now, you already got your customers!

 

[Astra]

I've always been fairly careful to post images that were too small to be very useful for printing, but I know that image theft is one of the more common accompaniments to being able to display artwork on the web. I thought I knew all the ways it could be done.

When things have calmed down, Karen, I would like to hear, not the details, but a general outline of any of the technical bits that may have been used, to add to my collection of dodges that I may have to work around. (by email or PM, if you'd rather not post it.)

At least you caught it - which suggests either a wide network of people who are on the lookout for your stuff, or a clumsy thief.

 

[Ironwing]

I am so sorry this happened to you, especially since you have invested so much time in sharing the images and the intricate process of creating them. I hope you will be able to resolve the situation successfully and move on - don't let it spoil the fun you are having in making the deck!

I recently re-did my tarot pages with smaller images that don't show details...not that I'll be able to stop it if somebody wants the Two of Blades tattooed on their...well, never mind.

I've found stolen versions of my "Vulture Totem" poem on three different websites. My mountain lion skull drawing was ripped off my website and used for a CD album cover ("Mountain High" by the band Mountain, 2002). Fortunately I found out about it just in time, and got paid for it and got a contract stating that it wouldn't be used for anything else...BUT in 2003 the band's publisher, Lightyear Entertainment, ripped off the image for the DVD cover "Sea of Fire". They have refused to pay me and insist that they have the right to use it for whatever they want, forever. I can't afford to contest it, so I've just let it go. Oddly enough, nobody has any interest in buying the original pencil drawing, which was done as a scientific illustration! CD pics are here:
http://www.mineralarts.com/artwork/ScientificIllustration.html

Good luck with your deck. You're off to a great start!

Lorena

 

[Nevada]

The mystery writer in me is dying to beg for the whole stories--from both baba-prague and skytwig. But I'll rspectfully refrain from asking. (Drums fingers on table and reminds self that curiosity killed the--nevermind.)

I'm sorry to hear this happened. Intellectual property, artwork, and the internet--sometimes a very tricky mix indeed. Throw a con artist into the equation.... I have run into these types in the book world as well. Or at least one very slick suspect.

I'm glad you caught this early--I hope it was early enough. Yes, these kinds of things make us very paranoid. It's interesting that your son saw his dad and you that way--one as too trusting, the other as not trusting enough. Hubby is always warning me not to share my ideas too soon. I have this NEED to share, for feedback, and I don't want to distrust people. But you have to protect your own interests.

I will miss your wonderful cat images! Keep us posted so we know when we can buy our very own decks. (I haven't even started my new job yet and I'm fantasizing about what decks to buy once I have a paycheck.)

Nevada

 

[Melvis]

So sad that your faith in humanity had to get tested this way, BP, but I'm so glad you were able to put a stop to the stealing!

As much as we love those great big bohemian cat cards presented so far, we'll be okay without the hi-res images! At least we know we'll see them in print someday soon, so that's a great comfort to us!

I hope the process of creating the deck continues to go smoothly for you, despite this bumpy path!

Peace,

Melvis

 

[firemaiden]

(((((Baba)))

My parents function the way you do, one is guilless and one very guarded. They make a good team.

I too loved seeing the cat images, and will mourn their loss, but it only takes a few images to show how absolutely splendid your work is, and to make our taroholic mouths drool...



Love
Firemaiden

 

[Astraea]

originally posted by M-Press:

I think that your deck will sell beautifully, even if you don't put up all the cards, and i also see in it a great element of surprize to see the rest of the cards when I'll buy the deck. i'm sure I'm not the only one who thinks that.

I agree. I like to see all the images together, all at once, when I get a new deck, and to be surprised by the total visual/sensory experience. The Tarot of Prague is a continuing revelation and I'd buy anything you and Alex produce, with full confidence that it will done with skill, care, sensitivity and depth.

It worries me when I see any images of unpublished decks on the Internet, whether small/cropped or whole -- it's not only the image that can be stolen, but the idea (known in legal circles as "intellectual property"). Some of these wonderful artists might someday be confronted with a scenario in which they see their own designs staring back at them from a bookstore shelf. And the costs involved in proving and fighting copyright violations are enormous.