DIP Online
Designs Ink
Publishing Article Archive and Reference Library
Articles
by Chris A. Paschke, CPF GCF CMG
PFM Guest Editorial "Defending
Artist Copyright"
December 1999
In the September issue of PFM
Stuart Altschuler wrote the article "Selling Up Strategies"
which featured the "Winter"
image from my Four Seasons series available from Wild Apple Graphics. I was
flattered he selected my artwork and pleased he was promoting advanced design
within the industry.
As a professional custom frame designer who specializes in
creative framing applications and selling up, I agree the idea of showcasing upper
end designs is very good. When a
customer sees the possibilities and differences between an inexpensively
mounted/laminated unglazed poster placed into a simple metal frame compared to
a floated, triple matted, accented strip, filleted, 2" wide high-end
bamboo moulding, well there is no comparison.
Selling up sells itself.
As an educator and friend I applaud Stuart's design ideas, but
there is a problem. I have written before about the importance of not infringing
upon a piece of 'fine art'. A framer's job is to enhance and protect. I have
also stated that 'decorative art' is just that, inexpensive open edition poster
art that is much less restricted to design limitations.
I have cut and accented
poster images for the sake of decorative art and I would be a hypocrite to say
Stuart should not have duplicated or pulled a portion of my image into the
design. After all they are only posters.
But when creating an innovative decorative design that literally
duplicates part of the poster image on outer framing boundaries (i.e.:
embossing, surface painting, contempo panel designing, glass etching) there
still need to be limitations and observations.
Even when it is just
decorative art there is an issue of copyright and more importantly accuracy. The
issues I have with Stuart's featured glass etching design is two fold.
As an artist my copyright has been violated. I created the
image as a visually textured rice paper collage layered by the Chinese
character for winter. In order to have copyright freedom to duplicate this
character onto the mat, or in this case glass, the publisher should have been
contacted for permission. This is really no different from the rules
surrounding a canvas transfer. In turn Wild Apple may have called me for
permission or release.
This is of utmost importance
especially in this case because of using this piece in an Internationally
educational venue, a published article in Picture Framing Magazine.
The second issue that
concerns me involves the duplication itself. There are many versions of Asian
script from 'clerical' (structured) script to 'grass' (freely written) script,
all being different styles of writing the same character. All of the 4000 basic
characters have specific elements that create the word meaning. Dots, short
down strokes, horizontal bones...are all intricate parts that make up the word.
Though I have been studying Western calligraphy for twenty-five years I have
only been involved with Asian characters for the past fifteen and I will never
be able to read or speak this beautiful language. I do however recognize characters, can tell
when they are well written forms, and often when they are written incorrectly. The important thing is that when dots or
small strokes are forgotten or eliminated it can drastically change the word,
or make it illegible.
The Chinese character glass etching in Stuart's
sample has been changed. By eliminating the two lower dots the word no longer
says 'winter', in fact I can't determine what it says. If he had called for
permission to reproduce this as an etching first I would have warned it would
need to be duplicated exactly, then I would have requested he not reproduce it
in any way at all.
Yes as a fine art
calligrapher and framer I realize we often write and carve words, names and
letters onto mat board, but at least we know how to spell them and what they
mean, they are in English. In this case we could very easily bastardize or
damage the beautiful Asian language. And as in all cases 'ignorance is no
excuse'.
Please framers, be careful
and sensible when designing creative applications to increase the value of a
framing job. Just as Stuart, I teach you how to enhance decorative art framing
by decorating mats, applying laminates, and expanding the artists image from
within the boundary of the painted poster...but every time I have done this I
have requested permission.
Only the artist or publisher
can give you permission to go that far with a design. Remember that Disney
would not let us use Mickey or Minnie Mouse in any way to enhance the PPFA
competition pieces last year. It was a copyright issue then, and it still is
now.
Chris A. Paschke, CPF GCF
Industry educator and Wild Apple
Graphics artist
For more articles on design
see the Design Series under Articles by Subject.
Additional information on
mounting basics is found in The
Mounting and Laminating Handbook, Second Edition, 2002, and The
Mounting And Laminating Handbook, Third Edition, 2008. Creative Mounting, Wrapping, And
Laminating, 2000 will teach you
everything you need to know about getting the most from your dry mount
equipment and materials as an innovative frame designer. All books are
available from Designs Ink Publishing
through this website.
For live consultations with
Chris Paschke, CPF GCF call Designs Ink, 661.821.2188. A flat fee of $25 will
be charged for each new technical problem. Unlimited calls or emails are
allowed for each established mounting problem.
Chris A Paschke, CPF GCF
Designs Ink
Designs Ink Publishing
785 Tucker Road, Suite G-183
Tehachapi, CA 93561
661.821.2188