Didn't you say you weren't able to make PNGs? Whatever, it looks very good and smooth, thanks to many levels of transparecy in PNG.

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I can make them; I just can't save them. Oddly enough, I could make this kind of thing, and put it here, delete it from my computer, and try to save it again. All I'd end up with is a tiny 1x1 pixel dot of transparency. No big fuss, I'll back this one up with the others maybe in case DA ever spits out one of them (as DA sometimes does without evil intent), but I can't save them. This could be my browser. But I think it's probably more a settings kind of issue... Or maybe it's the program (PhotoImpact 6.0) that makes them that way. All I can tell you is that I haven't figured out a way to save them.

I'm crazy, busy right now, Fox! I'm running a contest... [link]
Maybe you'd like to enter??

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_{★ Stock Resource Providers (see description)
★ Free Avatars: =FreeAvatarProject & ~FantasyStockAvatars}

Hm, I read all through and have to say, that I'll participate - if you can explain me all things about stock in general, actually I didn't get it to know >>completely<< up to now, so for following the rules with an right image, I need to know it very right. Then I'm up there ^^

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My stock rules are here: [link]
ANY visual art media can be used as long as one of the stock in my "inventory" (on that same page as that link above.) is used as a focal point in the art. That's part of the challenge.

The rules of the contest [link] are very specific because part of the first prize is so sentimental! (I want to make sure that my old camera goes to someone that can follow the rules, produce good art, and stay within the theme in an original, creative way.)

I admit, it is a challenge. But, Fox... What good would a contest be without a challenge?

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_{★ Stock Resource Providers (see description)
★ Free Avatars: =FreeAvatarProject & ~FantasyStockAvatars}

I guess you didn't get me right, I do know exactly about the rules, I don't know exactly what stock is. What does an stock-image explain, what makes a stock-image? This I don't know for sure.

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I want to explain this in a simple way, but this is not a simple question to me...

I take photographs, I make them available on DA [link] (stock), and DA artists use those photos in their art, usually [link] (a type of digital art, called photomanipulation). Then these artists link back to me when they use my art, etc, per my rules. (I hope that made sense.)

_{(The reason I mention "rules" so much is for a very long reason, which is much more complicated.)}

But for stock...

Example: My matching avatars, were made with my [link] stock, and these are the result of that work:

Another Example: In DA, these are all the artworks (that I know of), which people have used my stock to create: [link] Does this help explain what it is? ...And what it is for?

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_{★ Stock Resource Providers (see description)
★ Free Avatars: =FreeAvatarProject & ~FantasyStockAvatars}

Yeah, now I guess I got it. So in that reason, stock is that you serve your own art for others to build in into their images, so if they need an object in an image, and you have a photo of such an image, they can take it to build it in, by saying where this piece comes from. In that case, I've already done pictures in a stock-way, many of my images have backgrounds, which are built together out of many free wallpapers from the net. For example here: [link] There I used someone's photo (some random photo from the net) for the background, what came out very good. I think that is stock, isn't it? And here [link] is what I mentioned with the wallpapers, several ones are built together to one background. Haope this is right, if it is so, I can see for starting.

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Yeah... Any art that you use in your own art, it could be considered stock, and then it's proper "netiquette" to link back to the original source whenenever, wherever you display the work. But the law is new... And without rules, you can "rip" the art (meaning when the original artists doesn't get credit for their part of your art. Then everyone can assume you made the whole thing.) The law part is something I've studied for years, and it's a long topic, one of my passions in a way. Also, there isn't such a thing as "international copyright law" - YET!) But linking back is part of giving respect to the artist that contributed to your work. Even if it's just a small element that you borrow, stock artists usually want a little credit. Right now, the international laws of using stock are based on an honor system. If you honor the artist, and let them know their work was used, it's considered the "right thing" to do. Haveing permission is good too. Otherwise, it can be considered a "rip."

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_{★ Stock Resource Providers (see description)
★ Free Avatars: =FreeAvatarProject & ~FantasyStockAvatars}

I see. I always give credit, but at these examples I linked there, I got the wallpapers a looong time ago, and I don't know the creators of those, most I found randomly by google. I wouldn't ever say a work is mine as someone else did it, you make your own a less good artist as you do so. So don't worry about your art, if I'm gonna use it ^^. And besides, besides this contest, I guess you know I don't do much art with photos. I prefer to draw.

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