Interesting story at Kinko's...

[UnboxingTreasures]

Well, I went into Kinko's so I could use their large scanners. I wanted to get scans so I could post the images on my CAF page. Well, the lady who was operating the scanner was either having a bad day or just didn't like the looks of me.

 

I don't think I've ever received a nastier look in my life, as the attendee said "I don't think I can scan these. Did you draw these?"

 

As I told her that, no, I was not the artist, and these were recent acquisitions I made, she said "Well you don't have copyrights for these pieces. You aren't allowed to sell them and redistribute them as your own."

 

I was at a loss for words, but after asking several questions to find out why 1) she was being such a person_without_enough_empathy, and 2) why she would assume I was going to do something unethical without asking me the reasons for wanting scans, she proceeded to have me fill out a paper that said I wasn't breaking any copyright laws.

 

Has anyone else had any trouble scanning your artwork at a Kinko's/Fed Ex store?

[easyt63]

I had the same thing happen to me once at Kinkos, in fact it was right after the San Jose con. I was trying to get a scan of the Adam Hughes "sketch" I got, and had to deal with a less than desirable employee. They asked me the same questions, if I had drawn it, I said no, she said they can not scan it for me and I said like hell you cant. I told her I purchased this with my own money and I will do what I darn well please with it, so scan it. She did. I left very happy and shortly there after uploaded the image to my CAF.

 

[DStorm]

Yep, same thing happened to me. Except I was wanting to scan some images from a Disney book to use as presentation backgrounds for some animation cels I had. I got a bunch of questions but I don't think I had to sign anything and they eventually xeroxed them for me

[Mighty Hal]

Same thing happened to me. Unlike easyt63, I didn't get my comic art scanned -- the manager was called and absolutely refused.

 

I went to our local Office Max and the art scanned without a problem. And, since then, I don't ship FedEx unless I don't have a choice.

[mister_not_so_nice]

Had something similiar happen at Wal-Mart.

 

My wife makes jewelry with images from paintings she has done. I scan the paintings and resize them, then we go to Wal-Mart to print them out. SO when we go to pay the clerk says something like, "These look like someone painted them." Well No mess ! So we had to explain that yes, in fact someone did paint them and that person is standing right in front of you. It was a big ordeal. So no we have some copyright paperwork on file there so we can print out these pics. I love the Wal-Mart employee that is also a copyright expert. Apparently no one with an inkling of creativity is allowed in the store and they are shocked if someone like that gets past to greeter.

[MONSTER]

I had the same problem a couple years ago at Kinkos. They refused to scan a few pieces of art since I was not the artist. Ever since then I go to Office Depot and I've never had an issue.

[*paull*]

Don't bother dealing with those dolts... get your own large scanner or scan in sections and combine it.

[CollectingFool]

Has anyone else had any trouble scanning your artwork at a Kinko's/Fed Ex store?

 

I love how everyone told the truth to the copy monkeys and made problems for themselves! Whenever they asked me (rarely) I just said "Yes, they're mine and I need the f***ing copies back at the office in an hour so we can update the website." Anyone who recognized what they were and questioned me further I'd just start saying (very agitated) stuff about fair use and reproducing for archival/insurance purposes. The more legal it sounded, the faster they shut up and started copying.

 

Ruben

http://www.collectingfool.com

 

 

 

 

 

[artcollector9]

A Kinko's employee hassled me for scanning an "IDYL" logo for a piece I had that was missing it.

 

I bit my tongue and turned on the charm, and she relented, as if she was doing me a BIG favor.

 

What I don't do for art.

[Nexus]

Kinko's is notoriously anal about copying/scanning art. If it looks like a professionally drawn piece, it's a red flag to them. The only two times I wasn't hassled were when I asked for scans of something my four year old did, and a page by Rob Liefeld.

[Mushie]

Kinko's is notoriously anal about copying/scanning art. If it looks like a professionally drawn piece, it's a red flag to them. The only two times I wasn't hassled were when I asked for scans of something my four year old did, and a page by Rob Liefeld.

[comicartcom]

I love how everyone told the truth to the copy monkeys and made problems for themselves! Whenever they asked me (rarely) I just said "Yes, they're mine and I need the f***ing copies back at the office in an hour so we can update the website." Anyone who recognized what they were and questioned me further I'd just start saying (very agitated) stuff about fair use and reproducing for archival/insurance purposes. The more legal it sounded, the faster they shut up and started copying.

 

Ruben

http://www.collectingfool.com

 

.. so true Ruben...

[comicartfan]

scans of something my four year old did, and a page by Rob Liefeld.

 

It's practically the same thing !

[Unca Ben]

It is a problem that you can have trouble getting scans of artwork that you own, but maybe we are shooting the messenger(s) in this case. A quick Google on lawsuits for copyright infringement for scanning art brings up quite a few results:

 

'Finding instances of infringement may be easier for some fine artists than for others. Les Kelly, a photographer who specializes in images of Amish life, using various internet search engines?employing such keywords as "Amish furniture" and "Amish life"?picked up instances in which his photographs were plucked from his website and used by various different companies to promote a variety of products and services. Over the years, Kelly, who lives in Huntington Beach, California, has brought several lawsuits against infringers, resulting in settlements in excess of $300,000.'

 

'The Software & Information Industry Association (SIIA), the principal trade association for the software and digital content industries, today announced the filing of 17 new online piracy lawsuits. Three cases in this new round of lawsuits represent SIIA’s first-ever legal actions against graphics pirates, who illegally copied, altered and/or distributed copyrighted computer images commonly known as “clip art.” '

 

 

[Unca Ben]

Another long post, sorry. But interesting... is it true?

 

...discussing how hard it is to not infringe on copyrights, noting that the original system was not built for a digital world:

 

As copyright was originally enacted, it was next to impossible to accidentally infringe. In the good old days in order to infringe on a copyright you had to physically publish a song or a book without permission by printing it onto paper via a printing press. There was no other way to copy or infringe on a song or a book and there was no such thing as a performance right protected by copyright.

 

Nowadays we infringe copyrights numerous times throughout the day without even thinking about it. Watching an unauthorized SNL clip on YouTube. Playing the radio in the background at work where customers can hear. Loaning a copy of your Finding Nemo DVD to play at your kids' daycare. Downloading clip art to use in a personal scrapbook. Scanning your own wedding photos. Forwarding a funny photograph to a friend. Loaning a co-worker some software. Etc., etc., etc...

 

Copyright laws are so utterly pervasive in our lives that we simply cannot reasonably function without at least some innocent infringement. I personally think it'd be easier to avoid jaywalking and speeding than it would be to avoid infringing. So my question to you guys and gals, how long do you think you could last without infringing a copyright?

 

 

[mrpunch0]

I took some PDFs of front pages from our local paper to get blown up poster size.

 

Kinko's wouldn't do it because the newspaper held the copyright on the pages. The only way they would do it is if someone in a position of authority from the paper told them it was OK.

 

Telling her I am the design director for the paper (which I am) and that I was doing this at the request of my publisher (which I was) did nothing to persuade her. So I came back an hour later with signed letterhead and asked to speak to the manager.

 

Haven't had any problem getting anything scanned / printed since.

[AKA Rick]

I'm not sure if this is any good, but a few people including artists have recommended a somewhat affordable Mustek ScanExpress A3 USB Flatbed Scanner for under $200 that can copy/scan 11" x 17" sized standard comic art board. I think professional large scanners cost upwards towards $2,000.

 

Scanning the art yourself also is better because at copy stores like Kinko's the scanner beds and glass tops of the copy machines can be filthy, leaving marks on your originals, just as the hands of the employees and level of care they put forth in handling your originals can result in damages due to their neglegance, which they have zero accountability towards.

[almoe]

I had the bright idea to scan several of my books and then send the image to Walmart to have 8x10 photos made - figured I would frame and display these instead of the actual comic. Well, when I went to pick them up, the clerk advised that she couldn't sell them to me because of copyrights.

 

She did advise that if I wanted to get around it, just send the pics in for mail order. She said something to the extent that no one ever looks at them.

 

Well I actually had already done that for a poster I wanted to make to display Fallen Son sketches that I had up to that point. Long story short - the poster arrived no problem.

 

[Artemaria]

'Finding instances of infringement may be easier for some fine artists than for others. Les Kelly, a photographer who specializes in images of Amish life, using various internet search engines?employing such keywords as "Amish furniture" and "Amish life"?picked up instances in which his photographs were plucked from his website and used by various different companies to promote a variety of products and services. Over the years, Kelly, who lives in Huntington Beach, California, has brought several lawsuits against infringers, resulting in settlements in excess of $300,000.'

 

So who says you can't make money as an artist. Wow.

 

Getting back to the thread, I've encountered resistance similar to that of one of the other posters, but at Staples. However, I insisted, and then told the clerk, "So, you want me to go to Kinko's or what?" (or something to that effect), and they relented rather quickly. Now that they have picked up some oversized scanners at work (up to 11 x 17), I just scan stuff at work.

 

Certainly, I would not sign a copyright form to make a copy or scan when there are numerous other avenues available.

 

Best.

 

- A

[The Troll King]

I had a Kinko's employee handle a piece of art as if it were an ad out of a newspaper.

 

I screamed at her to properly handle it and she ignored me.

 

I won't go back. I just piece them together on my own scanner now.