Vulgalour Arts - Commissions OPEN and a Vauxhall Tigra Prints and Original

[vulgalour]

That's part of the problem.  Just because everyone does it doesn't make it right or legal.  I do agree with the protection of original content, as an original content creator it's something that, theoretically, protects me.  I cannot therefore willingly be a hypocrit about it just because a company is bigger than me.

 

I'm hoping this has made people aware of the legalities of this.  A lot of the merchandise you see with popular classics on, even the stuff produced by bigger companies, isn't actually legal and most folks don't even realise it.  The other nastier side of this are companies like Zara who take the designs of independent artists and, often without altering them at all, sell the designs in their stores and never credit the artist.  Those artists that have tried to get legal representation and compensation for this theft of their work simply don't have deep enough pockets to fight their corner, much less the time needed since they're obviously working full time to create more stuff to sell.

 

I don't want to knowingly contribute to a problem that many fellow artists face.  I cannot in good conscience condemn a company of art theft if that's the very thing I'm doing without realising it.

 

I do try my best to be professional and ethical in my work, even with the most trying of customers (thankfully rare).  It's not going to make me lots of cash, but at least I know I'm being a decent person and honestly, being a decent person matters more to me.

[barefoot]

If it's any help, this is a website that has the full approval of VW. All of this complete tat is officially sanctioned.

 

https://www.campervangift.co.uk

 

So presumably you only have to speak to the correct person & you can be put on the approved list.

[vulgalour]

Asking permission is the plan when I've finished drafting up my basic template to send to the various manufacturers that may have a problem with this stuff.  And yeah, I'm being a bit soft, but experience has taught me it pays to be over the years.  Ignoring a problem or pretending it's not a problem has never, ever, ended well.  Worrying about stuff has always seen it sorted.  If I get permission I'm sorted, if I don't I know what to avoid.

 

I might seem to over-react a bit here too with replies on the scale of my response to the issue, that's because I'm getting info and advice from other areas and people too, so I'm learning stuff between replies here and learning just how bad things *can* and *have* got for artists in a similar position to me when they've ignored the issue.  I'm also learning how little of a problem it is when an artist has put a hold on things, investigate and addressed the problem.  In some cases, the artist has done quite well out of it so I'm hoping that's the outcome here.

 

As has been pointed out, if my work is good enough that it's been flagged, that means I'm doing good enough work to actually be noticed.  It might not be true, but it's a nice way of looking at the quality of my work.  Silver linings and all that.

[Saabnut]

If it helps at all, I can comment on one manufacturer. Saab Automobile is defunct but SAAB is still going making planes and underwater vehicles. Just before the automobile side collapsed, I asked them for permission to scan and display their old brochures on my site UKSaabs. They sent me an email saying I could do whatever I wanted. I kept the email, so I can extend that permission to you There is no one left from Saab Automobile to argue the point anyway!

[DodgeRover]

Asking permission is the plan when I've finished drafting up my basic template to send to the various manufacturers that may have a problem with this stuff. And yeah, I'm being a bit soft, but experience has taught me it pays to be over the years. Ignoring a problem or pretending it's not a problem has never, ever, ended well. Worrying about stuff has always seen it sorted. If I get permission I'm sorted, if I don't I know what to avoid.

 

I might seem to over-react a bit here too with replies on the scale of my response to the issue, that's because I'm getting info and advice from other areas and people too, so I'm learning stuff between replies here and learning just how bad things *can* and *have* got for artists in a similar position to me when they've ignored the issue. I'm also learning how little of a problem it is when an artist has put a hold on things, investigate and addressed the problem. In some cases, the artist has done quite well out of it so I'm hoping that's the outcome here.

 

As has been pointed out, if my work is good enough that it's been flagged, that means I'm doing good enough work to actually be noticed. It might not be true, but it's a nice way of looking at the quality of my work. Silver linings and all that.

Was it a cease and desist notice? A friend also

received one from a company that could only have found his site by web trawling the company name (it was mentioned as compatible) I think a lot of these things are done electronically with no human input, a conversation with a human at that company may be helpful if they give contact details.

Isn't your art bespoke at the request of the vehicle owner or is it another line that is causing issues?

[Craig the Princess]

It's a real shame Vulgalour as your work is very, very good.

 

I'd agree that doing bespoke artwork inspired by a vehicle is many leagues apart from the art thieves, but if you don't feel comfortable then that is your choice.

 

I think the BMIHT at Gaydon hold the historic BMC/BL copyrights (and can detail the existing holders of required) so you may get authority even though Rover went bang.

 

Hope you can work something out.

[New POD]

If it's any help, this is a website that has the full approval of VW. All of this complete tat is officially sanctioned.

 

https://www.campervangift.co.uk

 

So presumably you only have to speak to the correct person & you can be put on the approved list.

My mate is on talks with this lot to supply them with bars.

 

I'll upload a photo later when i am not on my phone.

[Squire_Dawson]

German car manufacturers are assholes. Nothing new there. It sucks and I hate the legal crap they hide behind, the monkey-killing bastards.

[Timewaster]

the monkey-killing bastards.

That was Hartlepool.

 

Still bastards though. That's why they are successful.

 

As others suggested, maybe register a company name in China where copyrights can be found on a nail next to the bog.

 

Vulgalor Dogwang Auto Etchings Concern.

[Rod/b]

So the TL:DR i’m getting is that Volkswagen are cunts, right?

[captain_70s]

I think the issue here is Vulg doesn't want to break the law as much on moral grounds than any practical reason.

 

This fair enough, but it should be taken into account that we're dealing with mega-corporations here who have multi-million dollar legal depts in place to bend every single law they can to be in their favour. In the end laws only really exist for us losers at the bottom of the food chain...

[richardthestag]

I think BMW still own most of the ex BL brands from when they bought Rover. They certainly own Triumph

 

I seem to recall when the BINI was launched the legals when fucking mad with cease and desist letters to any business that contained the word Mini.

 

It was eventually decided that Mini and MINI were entirely different. go figure

 

Probably the main reason why there are so many countryman BINIs with the letter O missing

 

iCunt may also get me into trouble with a trillion pound company that regards design as more important than functionality 

 

At Le Mans a few years back we fell foul of Austin Martin, we printed up our own t-shirts with AM wings on the back. AM marketing woman and two heavies cornered us and insisted on us saying where we got them from. One of my mates told the aggressive woman to fro in no uncertain terms.

 

Some of us went along to corvette and bought stickers from them which we plastered over the top of the wings on our shirts. A couple of the lads went back and mooned the Austin Martin official merchandise shop.

 

Alas the whole debacle was a most fucking unpleasant experience for me it soured the weekend. But then I do worry a lot

[SierraMikeHotel]

FWIW Vulg I think you're approaching this in exactly the right way. You mentioned not having much time - let me know if there's anything I can do to help on the admin side (sending the letters off, keeping track of replies etc).

[vulgalour]

I may take you up on that once I've got the letter the way I want it.  I'm aiming for a broad permission with minimal restrictions that is also specific in what it allows me to do.  If I can get a "draw whatever you like, it's okay by us" reply that's the ideal.

 

I strongly suspect nothing will really change and I'll carry on as I was.  Most of the work I produce is from manufacturers that don't actually seem to care looking at the info I'm getting back, or who don't actually exist any more.  I have learned that Ford and Chevrolet tend to be quite favourable towards artwork of their products both new and old and that it is, mainly, the German companies who get a bit upset about it.  The only continental manufacturers I've had info back on is Citroen and it seems they don't care about the older stuff, just the brand new line up, and even then they're not that fussed.  Absolutely no news good or bad about any Italian manufacturers, nor any Japanese or Korean manufacturers.

 

Generally speaking, the stuff I enjoy creating is the least likely to cause offence from the information I've had back, so we should be okay.  I'd just like confirmation that I'm good and approved and, if possible, some sort of approval from the manufacturers that I can wave about a bit.  I'm still being positive about this, as much as I can.

 

Also, even though I haven't replied to everyone, I have read all the posts and they too have helped give me an insight into what people know and think on this subject which itself has been quite enlightening.  Thank you everyone for your input thus far, and your support.

[richardthestag]

Perhaps ASTON Martin were concerned the shirts might damage brand recognition

 

The aggressive Marketing woman did mention something about AM being very particular about where their logo appears.

 

My suggestion that it was ok on both ends of vehicles being driven badly by chav footballers didn't improve the situation

 

when we asked Corvette for bumper sickers and explained why they were very amused but not enough to give us them for free.

 

When I got home and increasingly nervous of the predicament (we were identifiable by a website logo on the shirt) I looked into the situation further. I found that a biere 33 label stuck over the middle of the wings might also make the issue less clear as only the logo as a whole and as a direct replica of the registered logo was cause for concern. 

 

Had we bought "Bumper stickers" from AM and stuck them on the shirt we should have been ok. Had we cut the AM wings from a book or magazine we may have fallen foul of the "no part may be reproduced ..... " because even though it was a piece of paper removed from a document bought by us the licence to use the logo was for a print publication and not a t-shirt. etc etc

 

I did wonder at the time if I had drawn the logo with a crayon wedged in my butt cheeks then I should have been ok...... 

 

but any of the above would likely have resulted in a Cease and Desist notice with a nice QC on their side would be unlikely to see me push it.

 

AM merchandise has "official merchandise logo fitted" and must be used in the context it was sold under

 

Now educated I dont get involved with home made shirts any more, as a dirty protest we did add a U and change the O to an I on our "official merchandise" Le Mans flag over our campsite hense Austin Martin

 

Oh and despite 1970s DBS being high on my bucket list I shall never buy a product, I don't really want to be associated with chav footballers you see

[Sloth in a bowl]

You need to bring out a range of items with a cut out shape on the front and "the front of this (item name) is blank because (manufacturer name) is a cunt" on the back.

[vulgalour]

Hmm... I could release a learn-to-draw/colouring book that has all the identifying marks removed from the vehicles and you have to draw your own in.

[sierraman]

God these car makers sound like a right set of fascists. Why would they give a shit about some drawings of their cars, it’s not like you are depicting a scene where Fred West is lugging a dead cadaver out of the back of an Amarok and pasting it on the windows of the nearest JCT600 is it?

[Craig the Princess]

God these car makers sound like a right set of fascists. Why would they give a shit about some drawings of their cars, it’s not like you are depicting a scene where Fred West is lugging a dead cadaver out of the back of an Amarok and pasting it on the windows of the nearest JCT600 is it?

The temptation to request a Harold Shipman MK1 Renault Espace is strong.

[vulgalour]

NEW from Vulgalour Arts!

 

Horrible people and their horrible cars: volume 1

 

Included in this edition is the Shipman Espace, Bundy Beetle, Gacy Delta 88, and MANY MORE

 

Horrify your family with this terrible gift this Christmas.

[sierraman]

Who else could you do? What about Steve Wright shagging a hooker in his Doom Blue Mondeo. Ford would just love that... loads of cubby holes for stuff like hammers and rope.

[vulgalour]

Mr Savile and his Range Rover another completely tasteless candidate.

[sierraman]

Peter Sutcliffe in a tobacco brown P6, swinging a ball pein hammer into an unwitting victims head. Doubt Roewe would be bothered about that.

[vulgalour]

You're drifting off into Jim'll Paint It territory here.

[New POD]

You're drifting off into Jim'll Paint It territory here.

I can see what you did there cobba

[vulgalour]

And now for something completely different: https://www.redbubble.com/people/angylroper/works/33295971-blue-hourglass?asc=u

 

[vulgalour]

I've been experimenting this week with new ideas, new ways of making images.  The hourglass above works really well on a black tee-shirt as it happens, while this stylised fountain works on both black and white backgrounds across a wide range of stuff. https://www.redbubble.com/people/angylroper/works/33296125-fountain?asc=u

 

[vulgalour]

Finally, Wiggledots. https://www.redbubble.com/people/angylroper/works/33296302-wiggledots?asc=u

 

 

 

These are all experimental ideas.  I like them as designs, and it was fun learning how to approach my work in a completely different way to usual.  I couldn't do these as commissions, they're very organic in creation.  I start with a blank page and just add shapes and details until something starts to appear and once I have an idea I'm happy with, I run with it until it feels done.  The three designs above all started on the principle of just using simple dots to see where it would go.

 

Let me know what you think.  They're quite a departure from my usual so I don't really know how they'll be received.

 

[Christine]

Wiggle dots ...I'm colour blind , so I read the word "Porsche " .  

That AR Princess logo is ace !

[PhilA]

I tried looking at them like stereograms. They don't work.

 

Phil