I admit it has been a long time since I have blogged on this site…I have been working through a lot of technical difficulties of late. I have also been revamping the site to be a little more user-friendly. And one more thing…
The truth is that I was terrified of copyright, and I almost gave up the whole Digital Art Teacher idea altogether. Ironic. Since my latest blog post was all about copyright. Anyway, I found out that I had unintentionally broken the copyright on something, and I pretty much ran away with my tail between my legs.
Now I am trying to be much more careful, being aware of just how vast the realm of copyright extends.
Below are some things I learned through this process; I would hate for you to go through my heartache and confusion.
- Check and double-check your content. See, when I started putting my lessons online, I had been teaching for five years already, and some stuff that I thought I had created myself, I had copied from somewhere else. So copying content for educational purposes is okay. It’s even good! Nobody needs to reinvent the wheel. But since I started this website with the intent to sell, This was a big issue. Which brings me to the next point:
- Identify your purpose. Suppose you are using content for your classroom. In that case, you have the right to copy what you need for your lessons as long as that content is made readily available (on the internet or any other form..if anybody uses different forms of information distribution anymore). If you aim to sell that content, things get a lot stickier.
- Don’t be afraid to ask. This is my best piece of advice. If you want to use a bit of someone else’s work but don’t know if it would be okay, ASK! Most people don’t care, especially if you leave a link to their site somewhere. And if they say no, no problem! The internet is so vast; surely you can find another solution to your problem.
Those were the big points. Hopefully, that helps you clear the muddy waters of copyright at least a little bit. 🙂 Here is a link to my blog post where I talk about how to find free images and another website that I find particularly helpful when deciphering what is under “fair use.”
So…now I am back online, selling my curriculum to anyone who needs them. I thank everyone who has already purchased from me, and if you have not, I thank you for your interest. I am writing this blog post to demonstrate my honesty and hopefully help you understand why I have been so absent.
I believe the lessons on my site are good and will simplify your life. However, I also want you to understand that I will do everything possible to be as original and transparent as possible.
Have any questions for me about this journey? Send me an email; I’d love to chat! Also, do you have any copyright questions or want to rant about it? Leave a comment below!