February Blog Train Discussion

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February Blog Train Discussion

There's been a bit of discussion about another blog train here and I thought it was time to make it official.

So far the consensus seems to be for this palette and a retro kitchen/cooking theme. Feel free to leave more photos for inspiration.

I think we'll do more or less the same style as last time, I like that the blog train doesn't have to be a big commitment for anyone with an early sign up, people can just see what they get done. So I'll post the sign up thread a few days before the start of the train. I was wondering if we should have a hard deadline for signing up so we can lock that thread and thus not have people commenting in it.

The one thing I was thinking to change was that we should perhaps make all the parts CU friendly, since a lot of people who stop by DigitalScrapbook.com are coming for that reason. Also, simple licensing is a big part of DigitalScrapbook.com and it would be best if everyone agreed to the same license, and since this is a DigitalScrapbook.com blog train I think it makes the most sense to use the DigitalScrapbook.com CU license. I always make my freebies CU friendly and I've found it only makes people more appreciative.

Other Details to be Followed

  • Blog Train will go live Feb 1
  • Designers should rename their folders and pieces well. There's been some discussion here.
  • All folders should be zipped with .ZIP

If there's anything else from last time people want to change up, let's discuss it here. Please leave any other comments about how to improve this next blog train, and also any inspirational images you find to help get people going.

I'd like to contribute to this blog train! Do you have general info regarding what we need to do for blog trains? I like the inspiration for colors you posted above - which I believe Jessica originally posted.

Oh the changed rules about the train means that i'm out smiley

Not sure I'm going to participate this time - I think trying to come up with something kitchen-related would be too difficult for me.

Kitchen is a big challenge to me as a theme, but i can try. I confess that using CU limits me because, unfortunatelly, there are lots of users in my country that claim files as their own, thinking they have the right to sell what they got from free, when they see cu files. Here there are so many people that don´t have any respect for intelectual propriety and, if I don´t have a very strict term of use full of do´s and dont´s, I cant even report this kind of people. Unfortunatelly, Brazilians aren´t "reasonable people", and I´m very ashamed of my country on these matters. So, expect something very simple.

Yeah i know what you mean Lorien... It limit me so much that i can't use almost anything... Not styles, texture etc.. Cause most of the cu licence only makes you do pu with it..

Since there are so many that use other's "CU" items, why wouldn't it be acceptable for each participant to have their own TOU since they are posting it on their own blogs and not on the site itself. I would hate to see so many talented and inspired people not participate because of these terms. From the last blog train, so many stated they are not designers but gave it a shot and y'all did a fantastic job. Is it possible to bend the rules a little on the blog train?

I love the idea of having a CU blog train, though I must admit that a retro kitchen theme would definitely be challenging! It would be worth a shot though. smiley

I'm up for the challenge! Looking forward to it - and I support the CU aspect of it. Thanks everyone for the suggestions and feedback on the December Blog Train - I will certainly improve many aspects of my contribution, included file names.

1. I also don't want to keep people from participating because of licensing, but I do think it's a very important thing to think about. Once January rolls around I'm planning to start some discussion on the subject, but I suppose for now we could allow everyone to use their own license, but be sure it's well marked on your preview.

One thing I always keep in mind with licensing is that you can't keep people from misusing your stuff no matter how you label it. The important thing is to think about how you want to treat the people who do respect you.

2. Also, I wouldn't worry too much about the theme if it seems overwhelming. Basics are always important.

3. I don't have any specific idea of what people need to make to participate. I like that this blog train is more about inspiring designers to make something, rather than offering a really polished experience at the end. It's just to get people making stuff! So don't feel like you have to do something a certain way to participate. Just think of it as a way to get started and get some experience!

Its just an idea... Maybe we can sort out the Blog train list in "personal use" and "comercial use". Let´s supose, for example, that all thave posted their previews till a appointed time limit. Then, Marisa make a list on her blog putting, at first, all the previews and links to the parts that use feel good license, then a list to blogs that use other licenses, that may be strict PU or allowing some comercial uses as well (like the one I did for December blogtrain). The moderators can start making the list when people post the previews, so we simplify Marisa´s work. I think this will please people that only download CU things, people that download all-kind of licenses (like me, as I do lots of just-for-me things) and newbie designers that would like to participate, but are still dependent of CU elements bought on other sites.

Marisa, I know that people will misuse them anyway. What would make me more angry, however, is if anyone sell the elements online. This kind of people, however, don´t have brains enough to have their own online stores, but, as the sites that offer stores fear copyright process on them, they usually take off users that misuse things if you can proove it´s yours. As long as I keep the dated post on my blog, the kit with TOU inside and the preview asking to read the TOU before using, It´s enough proof to put them down. As "commercial use" in Brazil has a common sense that´s different from the sense we give it on scrap kits, I´d lose the cause if I put on these terms.

As Brazilians tend to "distort" things at their favor, I asked experienced designers to read my TOU, and they even descouraged me to use the abreviations as PU/S4H and to allow uses without credit (with, for me, is ok, but they say it opens a possibility for people that would like to abuse it)

wow, that is a lot to think about, with the cu/pu. i will have to collect my thoughts on it, although as i hope to possibly become a designer here i would work with the ps rules. as for the kitchen retro idea, is it crazy that i have a ton of stuff in my head already LOL

Good thoughts, Marisa - Especially the part about thinking about how we treat those that respect our designs and use them appropriately. I like to think of it as a "Karma License", rather than a PU or CU license. What we send out to the Universe, we ultimately get back in two-fold. The same principle applies here - If we imply that initial trust by freely giving our designs out, we will be rewarded with the friendship and trust of others. It's the ancient spiritual lesson of TEACHING a man to fish, rather than feeding them - by the CU agreement, we encourage the majority of women to express their inner creative self, which brings joy, confidence and independence to themselves and others.

Oops. Sorry if I am getting too weird or not expressing myself clearly enough. I think that I am going to spend some time this week writing out some details of a "Karma License" TOU, for myself. Something along the lines of..if you take freely, please pass along something free to someone else.

as we prepare for another blog train i would love some feedback on my part of the december one. did anyone like it? did anyone hate it? LOL. im not hinting for praise. this was my first ever time sharing my work with others and i just want some tips on improving it or what worked and what people look for......

Licensing is a tricky issue, and it doesn't help that we're experiencing the break down of old models. For now I'd just encourage you to do what you're comfortable with but know that licensing/copyright issues are something that Jordan and I feel passionately about and will be talking about!

Keep discussing anything you'd like here about organizing the blog train, around the beginning of January I'll take all the comments and decide on final directions.

oh goodness, those are fabulous colors!!! Can't wait to see what you guys come up with!

I use mostly CU to create my kits. Even though people will misuse them, I kinda feel like that's on them as long as I use my CU in accordance to the TOU from the designer...

I am very new to all of this - if I participate in this blog train it will be my first time designing something for someone other than myself - so I just want to make sure I have the whole CU license thing down. If I understand correctly, if I use anything to make my designs (brush, template, overlay, etc.) that I didn't make myself, then the license on whatever I use needs to be not only a commercial use license, but also one that allows me to make things that *other* people can use commercially.

So, for example, the license on an element I have says: "You are allowed to create a layout, design or product for your own personal use and enjoyment or for others where there is no compensation involved. You are not allowed to create a layout, design, or product for others in return for compensation without express consent from the creator of the works or commercial license." So I could use this element to make a blog train freebie. But I could not use this element to make a CU blog train freebie, because my CU license would let the people downloading my product use it commercially, and that would violate the TOU of the element I used to make my design. Is that correct?

Second question - that means if I use any DigitalScrapbook.com assets in creating the blog train freebie I need to upgrade their licenses to CU, correct?

Final question, this one might be a bit trickier. At what point does "use" dwindle down to "inspiration?" For example, I have made templates for myself for making journal cards by using preexisting journal cards. Like I'll take a journal card with a doily shape on it and use that as a pattern to make a journal card for myself with a separate doily layer that I can clip papers to or color however I like. Am I still beholden to the TOU of that original journal card? If I eyeballed the shape of the doily, I assume that would be "scraplifting" aka inspiration, rather than actually using the product. But if I'm using the original as a pattern and then making my own cards, where does that fall? Does it matter if it's something like a doily (for which the original designer probably used a CU pattern themselves) or something simple like a border strip along one side of the card?

I'm not sure if this question would be more appropriate in some other thread, apologies if it belongs elsewhere!

I've found TOU to be so confusing. The definitions of CU, S4H, S4O, and such are so varied from designer to designer. Out of curiosity, in general if an item is labeled CU, it can't be downloaded and added AS IS to another designer's kits...which they then sell as a part of a kit...right? I don't ever plan on starting a design store, nor think my work would be worth of 'lifting'...but I was just curious. There really should be some sort of standard definition of each term!

Licensing is confusing. Even though I've set out to make the simplest ones I can, I still get confused when people ask questions about them. I'm just going to answer little bit and pieces now:

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Second question - that means if I use any DigitalScrapbook.com assets in creating the blog train freebie I need to upgrade their licenses to CU, correct?

We just updated the licenses, so you DO NOT NEED A CU LICENSE FOR MAKING FREEBIES (as long as you are not a professional designer). You only need a CU license if you are making money, or are a professional designer.

@Violet's First Question: Generally I would assume that what ever license you download something under, would then transfer to the new thing you've made with it. So if you use a DigitalScrapbook.com template with a PU license, you could then distribute it under a PU license (or really a non-commercial license). We've just updated the license info with a note about derivative works licensing...

@Violet's Final Question: The fine line between inspiration and copying is one of the main reasons I believe in loose and free TOUs. There really are no new ideas, so we are all constantly inspiring each other, whether we are aware of it or not.

These are just a few quick thoughts, there's lots to say, that's why it's so confusing!

I have noticed on a lot of kits I've downloaded that are PU only kits, if you read the TOU, they do allow for Scrap For Hire/Scrap For Others as long as the final product is either a flattened JPG file or a printed physical item. This may ease some concerns about this if you are using them for card making or photo projects. I think I will add these terms to my own TOU for kits I give away on my blog. I'm working on a new preview design for the new year so I can easily incorporate this into my previews.

I've started working on the Feb. blog train (papers) because I'm so slow (full time job gets in the way, lol)....I think gingham patterns, stripes and polka dots are safe for this theme and pretty easy to make on your own.,,just tossing out ideas smiley

Quote:
you DO NOT NEED A CU LICENSE FOR MAKING FREEBIES (as long as you are not a professional designer). You only need a CU license if you are making money, or are a professional designer.

Oh. And I've been downloading tons on a CU license... Better become a professional designer than, lol. smiley

I hope it will be okey to have our own tou... That would solve my problem.. And letting me be able to join and be creative smiley And hope i get to upload and set the time on my blog befor the baby comes smiley I'm due januari 29 so it's pretty much on the deadline smiley

I would like to join in on the BT although I don't have a blog. I enjoyed my first experience but with all that was happening in November for me I had very limited time. With this one not going live until February I will have a month without a holiday and I might be able to devote some quality time in coming up with something.

As for the PU/CU, I am okay with CU as I don't ever plan on becoming a "professional" designer. For some time I have been collecting CU items/kits so that I can participate in BT's such as here at DigitalScrapbook.com and be able to make my own things. Last time I used some templates but when doing so I made sure they were "flattened" png or jpg items. I believe that falls within the CU terms of uses.

I really like the colors but I must admit that retro kitchen will be a real challenge for me. I will be googling retro kitchen and then see what I can come up with.

I am not an artist but I might even try using my pen tablet to design some elements. Trying to expand my capabilities and I appreciate the opportunity that PS gives me in this! A big THANK YOU Marisa for giving me an opportunity to do this!

Janet, I have to disagree with you, I loved your contribution last time and feel that your work is worth "lifting" - it was GREAT! Thank you!

Those colours are gorgeous. I'm not a designer, but I can't wait to see what all of you talented ladies come up with.

@Marisa: Thank you so much for your detailed answers to my questions! I'm confused now, though. I thought the idea for this blog train is that everything in it will be CU. So let's say I use one of your textures to make a paper. It goes into my freebie for the blog train. My freebie is under a CU license - I have now given someone permission to use that paper any way they like, including in ways that violate your personal use license. The PS PU license says "Derivative works should be distributed under a non-commercial use license of some kind." So my understanding was that if I want to use PS materials in this freebie, they should be ones for which I have CU licenses. (So you're all set, Melouise!) Am I missing something? This license thing is so confusing, it is quite possible I'm missing something totally obvious here...

@Janet: I am in the same position as you, in terms of finding opportunities like this PS blog train to be a great inspiration and opportunity for learning new creative techniques and stretching myself as an amateur designer. I know it's not til February, but I'm already having so much fun playing around!

Shelly-
Sorry, your post got lost in the discussion of CU/PU smiley
You did a great job on your part of the train. Your papers were the correct size and the elements were perfectly sized. Keep going!
See you on the next train smiley

oh wow, congrats jessica!!!

thanks for the reply tina!




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