Making Use of My Artwork

 

As a professional artist, I make my living by selling my artwork and its use. Letting people use my work for free does not assist me in this. In fact, it works against it.

Therefore, please don't waste my time or yours by asking if you can use my artwork for free in any commercial project, whether it be a web site, TV show, book, CD, magazine, or whatever. If you want to publish, distribute, or reproduce my work, I reserve the right to control and charge for that. My work is copyrighted, and will be protected.

You may feel that your use is so worthy, so different, that I should make an exception for you. You may be right, but I don't have the time or the inclination to sort through all the requests trying to evaluate them. I prefer to just keep things simple.

Perhaps you feel I should let you use my work so that I may gain valuable exposure. Unfortunately, the only exposure which is of value to me is exposure as a paid, professional artist. I do not wish to be exposed as someone who considers his work to be of no value. When people see free artwork, they are likely to think, "Gee, he got that for free? I bet I can get it free too." That does not work in my favor. Artists need to be paid, or we will stop being artists and move on to something that enables us to eat. Sorry!