Artists Using Doll Likenesses without Crediting [Mijn Schatje discussion]

Well, she put that page up after she was outed and Radiotrash's site was on the first page of a Google search for 'Mijn Schatje'.

Previous to that, she claimed she had never seen an abjd and her images came directly from her imagination.

Once Radiotrash's site presented all the evidence, she suddenly did know about abjd, and had permission from doll owners Tanya and Barbara Canepa to use their images for her art; however, she never had permission to trace over doll company photos, Kallisti's, or anyone else's photos she nicked off the internet.

Basically, closing the barn door after the horse was gone.

 

Yes, I know, that's sort of what I was implying. Sorry if it wasn't clear.

 

I have created video where it I did an overlap of images from The Radio Trash site. Where the images fade/transforms into her "tracing". I even got permission from MS herself if I could use her images in this project. (Though she never did ask me what kind of project it was.)
The video project was for a late art school assignment that focused on a 'revealing' type of transformation, I got the highest marks in the class.
My accompanying presentation was about the topic of plagiarism in the art world on how easily it had become accepted in the non-art circles.

I posted it on Youtube for a few hours so that My friends could view it then took it down.(on a locked channel so that no-one else could see.)

 

Why'd you take it down? Why didn't you leave it so that others could see and be presented the same evidence that your class and friends were

 

And risk having my youtube account closed?

I could remake the video that shows a screencap of her Email to me. But it's too risky to put on my Youtube account. She might accuse me of slander and have my account closed.

However if anyone else wants to view it Feel free to PM or Email me and I'll send you the video. If it can be posted as part of a video-blogg then that would be just dandy.

It might be safer that way, since Bloggs are more about personal opinion and can't be taken down as slander.

Does anybody know of video Bloggers who would be willing to post up my video and speak their own comments about it?

 

You could post it with a shadow account. I have two YouTube accounts linked to two different e-mails for a number of reasons.

 

Ok, I've found someone who's willing to Blogg about it and post it up on their own YOutube account. but it might take some time since they are currently traveling and I'll be sure to link it once it posted.

 

This pisses me off. As an artist myself (though I'm certainly no professional xD) it totally rubs me the wrong way. She seems to have some good talent for vector work - so why does she feel she has to completely trace a photograph? I'm sure she has her own artistic talent and doesn't need to do this. Obviously, she doesn't feel any remorse or guilt though. I've traced a thing or two before (years ago, and usually for practice) and I just couldn't see the drawing as mine. I didn't truly create it myself and didn't feel comfortable looking at it.

But Mijn doesn't seem to care (I wouldn't be surprised if she'd trying to protect herself from being sued, though). She is definitely nowhere NEAR a true artist and has no love for creating her own things and going through the creative process. Not only that, but she's SELLING her traced work?

She gives serious artists a bad name.


AND. On TOP of that, she attempts to trace Audrey Kawasaki's work. Gtfo, b*tch. Audrey is one of my favourite artists, and Mijn has no right to even GROVEL at Audrey's feet.

I haven't read about it yet, probably because I haven't been following the debate for a long time, but has anyone contacted Audrey and told her about this art theft, and if so, has she replied? Since she's quite a well known artist, I have a feeling she'd have a better chance of doing something to stop Mijn's theft than obscure doll making companies based in Asia. xD

 

I was really surprised to find that out too; Totally agree, Mjin is less than NOTHING of an artist. she has some nerve copying Audrey Kawasaki.

 

I feel bad for the people that buy her work, and credit Mijn for originality. I hope they will find out about this very soon as well.

 

She might not have any "artistic" ability. If you gave her a blank piece of paper she might not be able to do anything any better than the average person on the street. In my art schooling there were plenty of people who could collage or copy step by step instructive work, like the one stroke stuff on tv, but were unable to translate any skills to original work. Or they can do it on a computer but not in real life. I'm the other way, I have no computer art skills and do my work by hand.

 

Based on RadioTrash's website, Audrey Kawasaki has already been contacted about it. If ever Audrey had responded before, it was not disclosed on the website. Perhaps like Luts, she wishes not to let it go public so that she'll have a stronger ground when she decides to take legal action against this art thief.

 

Has anyone thought to report Mijn Schatje to the IC3? (Internet Crime Complaint Center) It seems to me that this case would be right up their alley since there is a place on their complaint form for copyright infringement etc. Just a thought...

 

The people whose art was stolen would have to be the ones reporting, but that is a very good idea.

 

Victoria Victrix - Oh yes, people not involved directly shouldn't be reporting anyone of course. I was just wondering if anyone had already.

I got the idea after getting the feeling I was getting scammed earlier today and wondering how to report it... Then I realized that site might be useful in reporting mega art-thieves like Mijn and came here--since it's the only contact I have to the actual people involved.

Thank you for the reply Victoria. I'm glad it wasn't a stupid idea to bring it up, I was actually kinda' worried. *glee*

 

Sad Sad...she seems to have some interesting design sense...but its so wasted by making this huge mistake.

 

Has anyone tried approaching one of the major news outlets, such as the NYT, CNN, Washinton Post, etc? Or even one's local news media? This has to be a pretty big deal, given that Sony contracted her for stolen work, and exposure of her theft in a major media outlet would be a death knell for her.

 

Yeah, I was wondering about this, too. Since Mijn Schatje's work was commissioned by Sony--and there's strong evidence that she traced Audrey Kawasaki's work for that particular piece.

Mijn Schatje needs to be put under a microscope using the mainstream media. The blogosphere and the interwebs can only do so much when it comes to exposing the true nature of how she operates.

P.S.

Also, has Sony indicated any awareness that Mijn Schatje's work for them was a derivative from Audrey Kawasaki's (as well as other people's work) illustration of two girls lounging on the sofa?

This is a long thread and I only read the first 2-3 pages...

 

Let me start by saying how wrong I think that this is, I think it is completely inappropriate to use artwork in this way and Mijn is definetly doing something Illegal.

But being an Illustrator, I know for a fact that Audrey Kawasaki has way bigger fish to fry. That peice Mijn did for Sony? She probably got paid....somewhere between 2,000 to 4,000

Audrey's paintings, go for at least 5,000 a peice. For her, going through the trouble of trying to prosecute this person (for which the tracing could be aruged in court as being parody, since it is less than 30% the original) Would cost way more than what Mijn's fee for the illustration for Sony was. And Sony, probably couldnt care less.

I know if it were me, I would probably send a stern letter but wouldnt take it any further.

 

Any updates or new developments on this situation? I hope she's at least refrained from pilfering any more pictures, but from what has been revealed of her actions in this thread, I suppose that's not too likely