The Topic Remains Open

First of all, I'd like to thank each and everyone who has commented on my last post. It was quite an ugly thing to discuss, but crucial, nevertheless.

I realize that at the beginning as I started watermarking my work, all I wanted was to 'protect' them from being taken and used without permission. However, after further observation and having the art of vandalism being 'demonstrated' to me so boldly a few days ago, I have seen a new light in the purpose of watermarking. It may only act as a veil-like shield for our work, but with no doubt works effectively as our 'claim' on them. Our name, written on each piece of art that we publish will function as a label, an information of the rightful creator and owner of the art. Thus, being spread widely throughout the internet, people who view them would automatically have this information stored in their memory. It's quite certain how the work of one artist with just one group of friends could be recognized in that particular group. So could you imagine if the artist had more than one group of friends? The label will be recognized in an interconnected chain link of people throughout the world. Frankly, with this in mind I could let out a tiny breath of relief.

So this is not a lost battle. My voice may be small, but I will not falter or surrender quietly into the night that easily. Yes, the topic will remain open for I suspect to be quite a long period of time. So please, lets look out for each other, as I will look out for you. Just as wolves do in their pack.

I must also point out that every human being has their own spatial rights. With our mind working differently from each other, I'm certain that we all want just a little bit of respect from one another. So friends, artists especially, lets always remember that permission comes before borrowing, not after. No matter how strongly you need to prove your point and especially if you plan to tamper with it. Of all people, we should know that better than anyone, don't you think so?

All in all, again, my deepest gratitude for sharing your brilliant thoughts on each of my posts. My perspectives on things are widened because of people like you, and I'm more than grateful for that.

All my best,
Amalia.

Pirates and Pickpockets Prevention 101

Image Theft. Ugh. Not a very tasty thing to digest, I'm afraid. It's something that I was taught during college years (by brainwashing and subconscious tampering) to fight against and prevent at all cause. A strange kind of education, especially if what you want to do is to share your work to all human kinds through the internet, where pirates sail the oceans and pickpockets roam the streets.

So shrugging this off, at the beginning I started publishing my work with only minimum protection. None of those huge watermarks covering almost the entire area of the work, no flash animation implemented to cunningly prevent the images from being nicked, or even the innovative yet annoying 'no-right-clicking'. Which for people such as myself is like second nature, considering you can navigate through the pages by doing that.

Then came the day when I saw my own work used, by... lets say a hamster. Published without notification or even permission, and for personal profit use, I might add. Funnily, I felt the strangest kind of feeling. Like having a flock of my own hair cut off and taken away without asking. Exaggerating, am I? Well, I'm just trying to be honest. So after seeing yet another one of my work used by a much larger hamster, I decided that maybe I should just give a stronger protection to my work, not because I felt overly protective about them, but because I think that there's a lesson to be taught here.

That IT IS NOT OKAY TO STEAL.

No matter how subtle. No matter how discreet. Besides, I would've given the permission anyway, if only they had asked.

So now comes the part where I need your help, all of you wonderful and generous kind of hamsters. I was asked by an observant blogger friend if I could somehow find a way to minimize the signature watermarks that I use on all of my work. Why? Because apparently it's getting in the way of the viewing and probably  annoying to some people's eyes? Well, since inputs mean a lot to me, I've decided to come up with a couple of options. Ones that I could still use to teach those pirates and pickpockets not to go home full handed, whether for them to use as a whole artwork or even partial by cropping.

Now, which of these do you think works best? (Please click away if you need to...)

Again, thank you so much for reading this. I realize some people may feel that image theft on the internet is something which is inevitable, especially for those working in the art area. But I don't think I could ever just watch or even walk off while someone takes away something of mine without permission.

Ask. It's all they need to do.

Cheers,
Amalia oxx

Sweet Delirium (IF - Artificial)

All right, I'll admit it. I am a hopeless romantic. And by that, I mean 'utterly hopeless'. To me, the feeling of finding love romantically is like discovering a new land. Boundless and full of excitement. How can it not be? When your head spins and blood rushes as your brain releases 'pleasurable' chemicals to take over your whole body completely? When the urge to smile and sigh lives strongly in you like an alien form, even when nothing else was working out in your life? It's quite obvious. Love is like a drug, and we lose ourselves willingly inside it.

Unfortunately, every good romance has its dark skies. If you could find love, you could always lose it. When you give it to someone, you may not receive the same in return. Alas, your heart becomes a playground and not all games have their share of fun at the end. But just like a drug, love's pleasure is a permanent resident inside your brain, ready and waiting for the next chapter of discovery. Which, to no surprise that some people may say, only 'fools' fall in love. Blind, nonsensical and silly as they are. Rightfully deserving of the painful jabs and kicks clobbering them out of their wits. Their only heart, black and blue, sadly with no supply of artificial hearts to help them through.

I was one of these fools. Blind, nonsensical and silly that I was. Always eager to find love, always excited to embrace it. I've tasted the joy, the bliss, the tears and the yearning. All mixed in together in a bowl of bright red bitter sweet punch. Though amazingly enough, it never stopped me to open the door for love. Again, and again, and again. So much for self inflicted pain,some may say. But it didn't matter to me, because despite of the pain, I was happy as I could ever be.

And now, older and hopefully wiser, with love safely harbored and mounted, I still think that there has never been a greater drug to man than the overwhelming feeling of being in love.

Sweet Delirium is inspired by my beloved and talented sister, Mita, whose art is like a charm filled with the magic of love. Both yearned and longed for.

Always,
Amalia

PS: Anana, proud is one heck of a feeling to bear. That's how I always feel when I see your art. 
Ok, kapan nih makan baso bareng??? :))