I like writing worksheets, in fact, it has become a bit of a hobby. Thinking  of my wss being used in far-flung foreign lands gives me a real thrill. I have �specialised �, if I may be so pretentious, in scouring the net  for action pictures and writing present continuous exercises around them. I always trace the copyright owner - it may be the artist, or the company, for example as in the case of jigsaw puzzle pictures. Only once have I had a refusal. Two or three years ago, I found a really great Christmas picture and I emailed the artist. By coincidence, he lives less than two miles away from me! He gladly gave his permission. Last night, I found another lovely picture of his and emailed again for permission, which was given. He asked where I found the images, so I sent him a slightly fuller answer, adding that I had used his  Christmas picture a while ago and had had over 2.000 downloads. (This site, iSLCollective and TES). Big mistake! Instead of congratulating me, he felt that this was akin to commercial use and he should have remuneration! He thanked me for my honesty in asking, but took permission back. I can �t upload the ws!

1) She who crows very loudly gets a slap in the kisser.

2) Honesty doesn �t always pay.

3) Pah! It wasn �t much of a picture anyway (sour grapes).  

4) We do need to be careful about copyrighted material.

Lynne 

 

  

6) Use free images - there are heaps available

 

Cheers

 

Jayho

�

�

Keep up the good work, Lyne.

Cheers, Peter�

2/ I would not say the man is not "reasonable" : I have a few friends who are really struggling to make a living with their work / art ; it is SO difficult...! I can easily understand his reaction ; He seems to have been honest with you - & I would not mind his step "backwards" ; I do feel very sad when I hear / see people just "taking" from the Internet. I am a teacher, not an artist. If I were one, I think I would resent people taking my work for free....Hope I am not hurting any feelings.

 

3/ I do not know about the "moral", but I �d say  you are both "right" :

You - because of your honesty ;

Him - because he has the right to defend his work - which to me is more important than a worksheet. Hope you won �t mind my telling you.

I don �t agree with your number 2, but I agree with your number 4....

Have a great weekend,

Val 

 

All of us got a brilliant lesson from your "tale".

 Thank you, Lynne!

 

Sad, but it was his right to do so. I understand him as well. Maybe he can make some money with his picture, who knows. 

 

Thank you for writing this, we can really learn something from it.  

Thanks guys or your comments - and morals;-) I do perfectly understand the artist, and I told him so. After all, we don �t teach for nothing! To be honest, I saw the humour in it - if I had not shown off about how successful my wss (yes, based on his great work) were, I would have been OK. Bit of egg on my face there! Serves me right!

One of my points is: most artists/companies have agreed, as long as they are credited. Many would like a link to the work, but I explain that that would be like advertising and I don �t think it would be acceptable on here. One artist even sent me higher resolution pictures. Another was amazed and impressed I had bothered to ask.

My number 2 moral, �Honesty doesn �t always pay � is correct in the sense that there are similar pictures on here and other websites, with just a few questions added that do not refer to the artist in any way. Consent has certainly not been sought. Jayho - for images, I tend to stick to clker, but there is nothing like the pictures I am talking about. 

No 4 was my serious point: we need to be careful about copyright. Quite rightly so, as Val explains.

Lynne  

Maybe I can draw my own pictures...  

Hi Lynne,

 

I am like you. I love funny, tender, unusual... drawings. I often (more often than I would like) miss time and I have to find pictures for my worksheets (as students - particularly beginners - understand better when there are illustrations).

 

On another hand I DO love drawing my own designs. But it is difficult to do when you know you are going to be interrupted ! Own drawings give a + to your work. For sure ! And your worksheets will be more difficult to copy !

 

I can understand the artist as I ask my students to keep my work for themselves as it is included in their private lessons. I would not like to see someone else earning money on my spending time !

 

But on another hand your work might have been a good publicity for his work...

 

Difficult to say where the right balance is...

 

Here is a true anecdote : once Picasso was in a restaurant. Of course the waiter recognized him and politely asked for an autograph on a corner of the paper tablecloth. Picasso refused explaining that the waiter would benefit of his fame knowing that this fame had been built upon years and years of hard work. So the best solution for the waiter to have an autograph was to buy one of his paintings...

 

Selfishness from Picasso ? For sure bitter frustration for the waiter ! Like for you !

 

Don �t worry ! This may give you more inspiration ! Why not ?

 

Have a splendid weekend.

 

Maryse.