Using someone else's work...

joe gracey

I was wondering if there was any legal problems with taking someone's concept art like Dylan Cole or Feng Zhu and modeling it and putting it in my portfolio? I'm not planning on making any money off it.

MoP

If you do that, I think it's common courtesy to either email/contact the original author and get permission. Even if they don't reply, it's probably safe to do it as long as you put the original artwork into your portfolio and making it clear who the artist is (provide links to website etc.) and make it clear that the concept is not your work.

killingpeople

... i think i have more MoP and Gauss in my kp, than there is kp!

i make sure to credit the artist in the image (in case someone saves the image)

gauss excepts payment in booze and women if you need some hot conception.

seforin

mop Ill buy you a beer if you do some concepts for me

East

I wouldn't worry too much about getting permission for this, but it wouldn't hurt. In my book it would be worse form for the concept artist to say no, than for you to make a derivative work based on his/her concept without permission.

Then again, I see myself as a bit of an anarchist, not believing things like copyright is good, as it, in the end, hampers creativity more than it helps protecting the artists' rights. Leading to big legal boo-boos such as the DMCA.

So, it in all likelihood, comes down to how politically correct you want to be. If you respect the artist in question, you are likely to want to come off on a good foot with them. Me, personally, I would probably get annoyed with them ("them" possibly being a known industry person) and tell them politely that I don't give a damn, and possibly ruin any chances of getting hired in the future :P

joe gracey

Hmmm... I think I'll just credit the artist, but not worry about contacting them... I don't want he/she/them to say no.

Illusions

[ QUOTE ]
Hmmm... I think I'll just credit the artist, but not worry about contacting them... I don't want he/she/them to say no.

[/ QUOTE ]

And if they find out later after its done?

Joseph Silverman

Yeah, really, you're not going to ask their permission because they might not give it to you? If that's your mindset, you may as well just use their stuff even if they tell you not to.

Joao Sapiro

ask them, if they say no find something as cool as it to model

Ruz

just take the concept, change it a little then claim it as your own. Thats what graphic designers do:)