Picture time... No it is not my next caricature :)

[Matt2584]

I am posting this not only to show off but also to let amateur_writer (Siobhan) have a look.

So no one else is aloud to have a look :).......... I'm joking.

Come, come. Come and see my wares :).

[sporan]

Hi Matt,

Shame you didn't post this as a caricature because with this pic becausre 'Rhino' exactly what it is.

Sorry couldn't resist the pun. As long as you don't let your pic 'charge' me I'll be alright.

The caricatures are brilliant but this is outstanding. Time to get some prints of your work done and sold.

Geoff

[cat3]

I agree with Geoff (especially about the commercial part, as you know). Great drawing Matt, once again. xx

[Matt2584 in reply to cat3]

Thanks to you both :).

I do want to print my stuff and sell it publically, I really would but the whole copyrighting laws is what I want to avoid.

The caricatures have come directly from other people's ideas, I just copy them using my own skills.

Some pictures like the rhino have come from photos.

If the photographer saw that picture, they could take me to court for it, which I really would not want to do.

But on the other hand, what if that picture of the rhino is what I took myself.

The copyright law is so so complicated.

Saying that though, I have artistic friends who have sold there work and they copy from photos, so why can't I? We'll have to see.

I just feel very wary about this copyright law.

[iforget]

Matt nobody can copyright the general image of a beast in nature (the creator alone can claim credit for this) ...they can however copyright a composed image such as a photograph they took (they will have taken time to get angles, light, beast, background etc all as perfect as can be for their shot and nobody will have that same shot hence the image belongs to them and is protected)

but if you are not replicating the entire image ie replicating their photograph in terms of beast, background, light, shades, depth of composition etc but rather simply using the photo for inspiration for your drawing of the beast itself then you should be fine...

But like you say copyright law is a minefield and it pays to double check with a person qualified to give accurate legal advice.

I think the drawing is amazing... what medium did you use for this? Do you have a specific technique for reproducing the basic image? Copying from a photo requires talent...I wish I could do something even half as good as this but sadly my "arty side" runs in a very different direction

[Matt2584 in reply to iforget]

Hi iforget,

I replied to you yesterday and instead of clicking 'submit reply' I hit 'cancel' instead and lost what I said :|... Very annoying.

I agree with what you said about using a photograph as inspiration for a drawing and I will check with more qualified people about this matter.

If I drew from a photograph, I might be drawing the same image as the photo but it would not be an exact copy of the photo. Nobody could ever draw an exact copy of a photo, to my knowledge anyhow.

I have some artistic friends who have sold there work and may be able to help me further.

I know it is perfectly fine if I took a photo and used that as reference for my drawing it is not against the law but it is not everyday that you see a rhino in your back garden is it haha.

I'm glad you really like the drawing :).

I used graphite pencils to draw that. I use a Tortion (a paper stump) to blend/soften the pencil. You can also use tissue or a cotton swab or something similar, but it really helps with the drawing.

To get a drawing to look really good it is all about getting the light and the dark colours right. I also use a pen eraser to highlight some areas.

[iforget in reply to Matt2584]

I really hope I don't see a rhino in my back garden - which is only about 30 feet long and 20 feet wide. Unless a rhino can jump a 7 ft high wall the only way it could get in and out is through my living room, down the hall and out the front door...

I wasn't sure from the image on my screen if you had used graphites charcoal..so thanks for confirming... its great work.

[Matt2584 in reply to iforget]

It does look a bit like charcoal. Graphite can get very dark.

I like using charcoal as well but it can be quite messy.

[sporan in reply to iforget]

Rhinos don't jump walls... they just walk straight through them.

Longleat lost a Hippo many years ago now and a local farmer found it in his barn happily grazing with the cattle however he wasn't too chuffed with the Hippo sized hole in the barn gate!

[malalatete]

Matt, could we send you pictures to draw from? That would get round it for you. I had a fab one somewhere of some lemurs (or something, furry animals with black and white tails) in an amazing zoo in Holland somewhere. They were all lined up on the rail of a fence or bridge, with their tails curled round the one in front.

I don't know about rhinos, but we got some pretty good ones of other wild animals. Almost as good (?!?!?) as having them in your back garden.

[Matt2584 in reply to malalatete]

Yes Mal, that would be a good idea if you could send some pictures and I could draw them.

That would be great, thanks :).

[lloydyuk]

That's superb, nice talent you have there my man.

[lloydyuk]

Is that Rhino Neal by any chance.

Oh the old ones are still old and rubbish....myself excluded of course

[Matt2584 in reply to lloydyuk]

Neal? Neal the rhino :).

I'm gonna have to Google this, I'm not familiar with this :).

[Matt2584 in reply to lloydyuk]

Ah wait, it's not a cartoon rhino called Neal or anything like that haha.

According to my brief search, Rhino Neal is a photographer.

So as Rhino Neal is human and the picture shows a rhinocerous, I don't think it is rhino neal haha.