The Art of Sharing: My Take on Copyright in Face Painting

As a face painting teacher and an artist, I’ve always encouraged creativity and am happy to share my designs freely.

After all, in the world of art, there’s no such thing as complete originality. We all gather inspiration from somewhere—be it Pinterest, Google, or that delightful clipart from the 90s. So, if my designs spark your imagination and help you create your own masterpieces, go ahead and run with it!

However, let’s address the elephant in the room: my photos. While I’m thrilled that my work inspires others, it’s very disheartening when someone slaps my photos onto their website or advertising boards, claiming they painted those designs. Let’s be honest—it’s a bit like copying someone’s homework and saying, “I totally did this myself.”

Once something is out in the public domain, I know it’s nearly impossible to control who sees it or uses it. That’s just the nature of the digital age. But there’s a difference between being inspired by a design and outright pretending you created it.

Now, about my teaching videos—that’s a slightly different story. Those are my bread and butter, the thing that keeps the lights on and the brushes clean. Sharing what you’ve learned from me? Go for it! Passing along skills is part of the art world’s magic. But copying and posting my paid teaching videos? That’s crossing the line.

I also get it—sometimes my work might pop up on websites in far-off places like China or Russia, proudly displayed as if painted by someone else. Sure, I could email a cease-and-desist, but let’s face it: the time and energy it takes to chase them down could be better spent painting something fabulous.

So, here’s the deal: I’m not precious about my designs. Nothing is truly “new” anyway. I’m happy to share my skills and ideas, and I hope they inspire you to create something incredible.  Just don’t forget to add your own flair—after all, that’s where the real artistry lies.  Oh, and if you happen to remember that I helped you with a certain design – yes – please feel free to credit me.  But I promise I won’t be angry if you don’t.

 Keep painting and keep it honest. Let’s share the joy without the drama!