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A Guide for Contributing Artists: Understanding Your License Commitments

When you contribute text documentation or supporting media (photos, diagrams) to this wiki, you are making a powerful commitment to open knowledge. All text you write describing your artistic process is automatically released under a mandatory dual-license: the GNU Free Documentation License (GFDL) Version 1.3 or later and the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike (CC BY-SA) 3.0 or later license.

Understanding these licenses is essential for protecting your work and intellectual property.

While this article covers your practical needs and commitments, for an in depth dive into the topic you can refer to NotfoundWiki:copyright

I. CRITICAL DISTINCTION: Artwork Copyright vs. Documentation Copyright

This is the most crucial point to understand before contributing:

!!! CRITICAL WARNING: THE LICENSE APPLIES TO THE TEXT, NOT THE ARTWORK !!!

Your Artwork is Protected: The GFDL/CC BY-SA license DOES NOT affect the copyright of the underlying artistic creation (the finished painting, the physical sculpture, the unique conceptual design, or the performance piece). You retain full, exclusive copyright over your unique, finished artwork. The Documentation is Shared: The license applies ONLY to the text (your description of the process) and the media files (photos, diagrams) you upload.

   Example Clarification: If you upload a photo of your unique, signature-style canvas painting, the license means someone can freely reuse, remix, or sell the PHOTO or the WRITTEN DESCRIPTION of how you mixed the colors. It does not give them the right to copy your unique painting style or reproduce the specific painting shown in the photo.

II. The Core Commitment: Copyleft and Irrevocability

The core principle you must understand is copyleft. This is the mechanism that defines the scope of reuse:

1. The Meaning of "Free" Documentation

In this context, "free" means freedom, not zero cost. By contributing your process documentation under GFDL/CC BY-SA, you grant the public perpetual rights to:

   Use and Copy: Anyone can download and reproduce your text description, anywhere in the world.

   Modify and Adapt: Anyone can translate, update, remix, or adapt your documentation to suit their own projects.

   Share Alike: Crucially, anyone who creates a Modified Version (a derivative work) based on your text must release their new documentation under the exact same dual license (GFDL 1.3+ / CC BY-SA 3.0/4.0+).

2. Irrevocability: The Permanent Release

The most significant commitment is that this license is non-revocable and perpetual.

   Once you publish your documentation here, you cannot change your mind later and demand that the content be removed or placed under a stricter, proprietary license.

   The work is permanently committed to the public under these terms. You retain the copyright, but you have irrevocably granted the public the freedoms listed above.

III. Implications and Risks of Sharing Your Process

Sharing the specifics of your creative process exposes your methodology to widespread use. Here are the practical implications and the key risks to consider:

1. Commercial Use by Third Parties (The Big Implication)

Anyone can legally use your documentation for commercial purposes, provided they follow the license terms.

   Example A: Textbook Inclusion
   Scenario: You publish a detailed, 8-step guide on "Creating Biodegradable Resin Molds" with supporting photos.
   Implication: A major art textbook publisher legally extracts this 8-step guide, includes it in their new $50 textbook, and sells thousands of copies.
   Artist's Position: The publisher must provide clear attribution to you as the original author of the text (and the photo), but you do not receive royalties or payment from their sales.

2. Loss of Creative Control Over Modifications (The Main Risk)

While the documentation must remain under the same copyleft license, you lose control over the content of future versions.

   Example B: Translation and Adaptation
   Scenario: You write an in-depth essay on the conceptual framework of your kinetic sculpture series. A university student translates your essay into Japanese and adds a new conclusion that applies your framework to architectural design, changing the focus slightly.
   Implication: The new Japanese version is a legal derivative work. You lose control over the final content and interpretation of the new version, but the student must preserve your original authorship and history entries (under GFDL) or provide proper credit (under CC BY-SA).

3. Revealing Unpatented Techniques (The Patent Risk)

   Risk: By detailing an innovative, unpatented technique, that technique becomes public knowledge. If you plan to patent a new process, you must not publish it here first. Publishing a detailed description of an invention or process prior to filing a patent application can destroy your ability to secure a patent due to the "public disclosure" rule.

IV. Actionable Checklist for Artists: Mitigating Risks

Follow these actions to ensure your contributions meet policy and minimize unintended exposure:

| class="wikitable sortable" |+ Artist Action Checklist: Publishing Your Documentation |- ! Action Item ! Compliance / Risk Mitigation ! Rationale |- | DO NOT Include Proprietary or Secret Techniques | Mandatory Exclusion: Exclude any specific, sensitive, or patent-pending knowledge you wish to keep private or exploit commercially yourself. | Once it’s here, it’s irrevocably public. Treat this space as a vehicle for established or intended open-source methods only. |- | Acknowledge Your License Selection | When you submit, confirm that you accept the GFDL 1.3 or later and CC BY-SA 3.0/4.0 or later dual license. | This inclusion of "or later" is vital. It allows your work to benefit from future, simpler license versions, like the widely preferred CC BY-SA 4.0. |- | Focus on CC BY-SA for Media | For all new photos, scans, and diagrams of your work, use the CC BY-SA 4.0 license (or CC BY 4.0). | GFDL is overly complex for images. CC BY-SA is the modern, easy-to-comply-with standard that maximizes reusability while still requiring attribution. |- | DO NOT Use Restrictive GFDL Clauses | Policy Requirement: Never use "Invariant Sections" or "Cover Texts" in your documentation. | These restrictive clauses violate our mandatory dual-licensing policy, making your work non-compliant and harder for others to reuse, thereby defeating the purpose of an open wiki. |}

Conclusion

By contributing to this wiki, you are choosing to participate in a globally recognized model of open collaboration. The GFDL and CC BY-SA dual license ensures that your technical and conceptual knowledge is permanently contributed to the global pool of free knowledge, promoting the arts and enabling future generations of artists and researchers to build upon your methods.

The trade-off is clear: Permanent, mandatory sharing of the process documentation in exchange for perpetual, public attribution of your authorship.