There are many sites on the Internet that offer free graphics for use by people who are ONLY using them on personal, non-commercial sites. If a company wishes to use them on their site, they usually have to pay a reasonable FEE for the use of the graphics. Many artists also offer custom graphics for a FEE as well. This is a great service and these artists are the people who make the Web beautiful. I feel it is very important to respect the wishes of individual artists. This means carefully reading what they write about their policy on the use of their graphics. Please make sure that you read the artist's wishes and follow through if you choose to use some of their FREE graphics. Here are some general rules though,
- Read what the artist says about the conditions under which you can use their graphics.
- ALWAYS DOWNLOAD the graphics, do not link to the pages where the graphics appear. This is called Bandwidth Robbery! Right-click on your mouse to download and "Save as..." ! What a devious deed you will be doing if you link to someone else's server!
- DO NOT download graphics that are used by the designer to create their own site. Those are their personal page decorations!
- If in doubt as to whether you can use an image, ASK! Drop them an e-mail and ask for permission!
- Provide a link back to the artist's graphics site if they ask for one. Use one of their buttons, or provide a text link, PREFERABLY on the page where their graphics appear.
- If the artist has a guestbook or provides an e-mail address, drop them a note with your URL (page address) so that they can see how you have used their work. It is nice for them to see how their graphics are used to add to the beauty of people's pages!
- DO NOT change or alter the artwork in ANY way.
- DO NOT claim the graphics to be your own, and better still offer them for money.
- DO NOT include any of their graphics in any kind of archive whatsoever!
Having said my piece, go ahead and visit a list of fantastic graphics sites!
|
