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Sunday, May 04, 2008

4th May 2008 - Who's made a mark this week?

A day in the life of Cosmo
12" x 16" pencil
copyright Katherine Tyrrell on behalf of Cosmo

It's my cat Cosmo's turn to have his art featured and he's now completed a cartoon record of a typical day. (Like Dermott he developed an opposable thumb!). He says he now has a LOT more admiration for artists who are illustrators and produce cartoons. If you click the picture you can see a much bigger version and will be able to read the captions for each of his drawings.

Art Blogs
There are some brand new blogs from coloured pencil artists and one which has recently gone public. If you're a CP fan why don't you go and pay a call and say 'hello'.
art business - orphan works (MUST READ)

An orphan work is a copyrighted work where it is difficult or impossible to contact the copyright holder. The proposed legislation for Orphan Works (see my earlier blog postOrphan Works and copyright: should you be worried (still)?) is causing much consternation amongst a lot of copyright holders at present. In response to my earlier question - the answer is 'Yes'. It seems to me from what I've read that some people are only looking at part of the bigger picture - and that there are a lot of issues which have not been adequately addressed.

Sites to keep an eyes on include:
Imagine this: anyone in the USA can use your copyright work without asking, and should you somehow find out they’ve robbed you, they can escape all legal liability by claiming they didn’t know who they were stealing from, and then only paying you whatever they consider reasonable.

..........consult this Copyright Office report of early 2007 which concluded ‘While corporate copyright owners were generally in favor of a reasonable compensation approach, individual authors like photographers, illustrators and graphic artists noted that under current conditions, obtaining a lawyer to even file an infringement case is prohibitively expensive, so much so that only where statutory damages are available is it possible to file a case. If compensation were limited to only a reasonable royalty, they fear that it will likewise be practically impossible even to recover that compensation given the cost of litigation.’
Why the Orphan Works Act is Uncle Sam's thieves' charter
  • A lot of this seems to be being driven by libraries in relation to the preservation of digital images - see the Digital Preservation site of the Library of Congress. It looks like preservation is up against current commercial interests - and livelihoods.
Art competitions

Two new developments in relation to the Threadneedle Figurative Prize
  • The Threadneedle Figurative Prize website now has a blog written by Jack Harris. Click the entries to read them in full plus the comments.
  • Answers have been provided - to all those who have registered to a number of the questions which were frequently asked at the recent open day. These should be appearing on the website sometime soon but in the meantime these are the important points
    • They want to attract the best figurative work being produced in the UK. You don't need to be a UK citizen and are welcome to enter the competition as long as you're currently living and working in the UK. (My guess is that probably includes those who maintain an address here and live here for part of the year)
    • works started before 1 January 2007 are eligible so long as they were finished after that date
    • it's not just another portrait prize - see below for extract from the feedback
It’s a competition that we hope will attract every form of representational art: still life studies, landscapes, figure studies as well as portraits. It’s about real object sources that motivate us, excite us or move us, conveyed in a range of different media. Our definition of ‘figurative’ art was lifted from the Tate’s own definition about ‘any form of modern art that retains strong references to the real world and particularly to the human figure’ Therefore, the human figure may play an important part in your representation, but it’s not essential. To make this point clearer we’ve made a small amendment to the rules online (rule 3) by excluding: ‘and, in particular, to the human figure’
Threadneedle e-mail: The TFP Open Day - and some Q&A feedback
    • all representational themes are welcome
All representational themes are welcome, whether traditional or contemporary. However, the reason why we’ve encouraged artists to use this show to highlight contemporary issues is because commentaries on topical issues by figurative artists have tended to be sidelined. ‘Conceptual’ artists have enjoyed a free run. We want to provide a platform where figurative artists can use their work to speak loudly on subjects that are important to them. Unlike the national collections, we don’t have the constraints that might lead to certain ‘difficult’ themes being excluded.
Threadneedle e-mail: The TFP Open Day - and some Q&A feedback
Art exhibitions
Art Marketing
  • For those who want to see where visitors go when they visit their website or blog - check out the service offerered by Crazy Egg.
Art Studios/Offices

I hope you're not drinking or eating before you read this next link.
  • When was the last time you cleaned your keyboard? The BBC news carried a news item about keyboards last week about research which has suggested that some computer keyboards harbour more harmful bacteria than a toilet seat. It had an item earlier in the year about deep cleaning for work stations. OK - hands up who eats and uses the keyboard at the same time? I confess to a leisurely breakfast at mine while reading e-mails and Bloglines!
Blogging and website
........and finally

I'm taking a week off from blogging for a Spring Clean of home, writing associated with another project and a break - plus outings if the weather is any good!

I'll be back next Sunday with a new 'who's made a mark this week'? It might be quite a bit shorter than usual - it'll depend on how successful I've been at staying away from the computer!

In the meantime for all Anglophiles - take a look at this - pictures of Britain in colour for the first time.

14 comments:

  1. I love seeing your cats day! Very funny.
    Have a good break! Good luck with your computer diet.

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  2. You know, if Cosmo and Dermott got together they could be bigger than Milo & Otis!

    I love your cartoon, Cosmo - so elegantly rendered.

    Have a great week off, Katherine. I'm thinking of doing the same thing. I suggest you put your computer in a bank safety deposit box! Give He Who Must Not Be Bored the key.

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  3. Katherine what a lovely surprise to be mentioned in your post, thank you!
    Enjoy a well earned break!

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  4. You like a big sleep, Cosmo?

    I can arrange one for you.

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  5. Katherine,
    The Orphan Works Bill does seem to be a big deal. Recently, I stumbled upon a link regarding this bill and I had no idea what it was all about until I listened to the interview with Mark Simons on the Illustrators' Partnership of America. Here is the link http://www.illustratorspartnership.org/. However, the next day in my email I also received a message regarding the Orphan Works Bill and their opinion on it, but to tell you the truth it did not make me fill warm and fuzzy. When the author said "don't worry", I still had many unanswered questions in my mind....here is the link to that blog http://www.clintwatson.net/blog/3629.

    So am I worried...yes. I think everyone should take a look at the big picture! MaryAnn

    P.S. I love the cat drawings!

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  6. Hey Katherine, thanks so much for the mention.

    I love this Cosmo grid. Great idea. I especially like 'cuddles'.

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  7. Cosmo sure has a heavy schedule! Thanks for all the great links!
    ronell

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  8. Another busy week, for Cosmo that is. ;)

    Have a great week off, enjoy the peace of not having to pull together a list next weekend! I really enjoyed those early colour photos particularly this week, especially the one of Picadilly Circus.

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  9. The Cosmo drawings are terrific. Your blog is an absolute treasure trove, Katherine. Enjoy your week away!

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  10. Just found your mention of my blog on IMP--thank you so much!
    Coincidentally, I just wrote about being foster care providers for stray kittens & then found your beautiful cat sketches. Synchronicity! :^)

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  11. Okay, that settles in. Next life I'm coming back as a cat!

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  12. Love the cats! Also, have you noticed that when people study the cleanliness (or otherwise) of things, they always seem to find that they have more bacteria than a toilet seat (wasn't it chopping boards a while ago?).

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  13. I always love to read your blog. It's so informative. Love the cat's day!!

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  14. Hi, Katherine. I was just looking at your website. Your paintings are all beautiful. I especially like the colored pencil ones. Lovely!

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