BOSS-mer

tw: n/a

there are currently #108 gifs of nafessa williams on my blog.

Base code/theme: Khruseos. (Preview).  | Code Download.

This is a fully functioning base code that simultaneously functions as its own standalone minimalist theme. Like the two previous themes, it is made specifically to be extremely non-coder friendly because of meta tag usage, which allows all of the work (including popup pages) to be done in the customization without ever needing to go into the code.

Features: 

Meta tags: For your convenience, these include dimensions for the height and width of the post content, description box and popup pages. Giving you incredibly easy opportunity to fit them all into even preset boxes within big graphical backgrounds. Recoloring: Very easy through, again, meta tags; full and detailed control. Responsive/fluid design: Interested in changing the width of the post content? Not a single worry, everything will scale accordingly, even the animated features. Sidebar images: Two at the top and two at the bottom, or prefer only the top row or bottom one or neither? You have those options with a single flip of a switch. Boxed blockquotes: One of the recognizable aspects of my themes, the ability to encase entire blockquotes with a box is included in this base code as well. Text-wrapping: Due to popular demand, text/icon wrapping has once made its return. Capital letter styling: To make use of this in posts and replies on top of the various locations you’ll find it already preset in the theme, you need to only underline the first letter of your post. To edit the font of these, find the tutorial here. Expanding and scrollable tags/asks: Hover over either and see the effect!

Mexican artist Gabriel Dawe creates a rainbow sculpture woven from over sixty miles of colored thread.

THEME #01 BY ETHEREALTHEMES

Preview: here \ Code: here

This is a simple personal theme. There are quite a few options, so this theme is basically a 10 in 1.

Images; 275X160 sidebar single image or three random images

Basics; 3+ navigation links, 250-540 Posts, Custom like/reblog 

On/Off; Sidebar Image, Updates, Post Captions

Tweaks; Font Size, Post Padding, Post Margin, Font Style, PXU Photoset Margins, Right/Left Sidebar

Everything you see can be edited including the accent color, margins, texts and much more. There are seven different post sizes that will auto-center posts and sidebar depending on the size chosen. The sidebar will also grow to accommodate your description, but try to keep it short or the updates might cut off.

straight up, no doubts about it: 

charging someone for graphics that include photos you don’t have the rights to is illegal.

charging someone for graphics that include fonts you don’t have the rights to is illegal.

charging someone for graphics that include textures you don’t have the rights to is illegal.

i’ve seen the first argument: “i’m not charging for the final product, but for the time that went into making it.” that doesn’t matter. if what you’re handing off to a client includes stolen imagery (because that’s what those celebrity photos you found on google are — stolen), you’re profiting off of that stolen art, and that’s illegal. you’re re-selling an image that doesn’t belong to you, no matter how much you modified it. if someone in the design industry were to use a photo of nina dobrev that they don’t own in an advertisement and sell that to a client, who put it up on a billboard, they could face legal action. no matter how much smaller the scale is here, it’s the same kind of transaction, and you can’t do it.

i know, i know: “so, jade, does that mean all rp graphics are illegal?” i mean.. it’s definitely not awesome ethically to be using other peoples’ photos in this capacity, which leaves rp graphics as a whole in a bit of a grey area, but i think the line is drawn at profit. if you’re giving these graphics away for free, or making them for personal use, that’s one thing — it’s when you get to the point of making money off of other peoples’ work like this that you start getting into dangerous territory.

think of it this way: you know how upset you get if someone reposts an edit or a gif that you made, without crediting you, right? how would you feel if that person not only reposted, but was making money off of your work? and you weren’t? not cool, right?

here’s argument number two: “but jade, i’ve included a disclaimer for my commissions letting people know that i don’t own any of the images in the graphic!” again — doesn’t matter. that would be the equivalent of me hand-knitting you a scarf, but delivering it to you in a purse that i stole from a store window, then telling you: “you’re giving me money, and i’m giving you the scarf and the purse in exchange, but just so you know, i don’t own the purse! i only made the scarf! $20 please!” admitting a lack of ownership over someone else’s property doesn’t change the fact that it’s stolen.

ok, so now i bet you’re thinking: “but, commissions really help me out with a bit of extra money. is there any way i can do them legally?” the answer is, yes! here’s what you need:

open source fonts: just a quick google of this phrase will show you countless fonts that are open source, meaning they’re free for the world to use and modify, including for commercial use — remember, selling your graphics means you’re now into the territory of commercial use, so avoid materials that are okayed for personal use but not commercial.

creative commons images: flickr and google, among other sources of photography, offer filters for creative commons, which is a license that allows you to use a creator’s images under certain conditions. there are many types of creative commons licenses, but what you’ll need is one that allows you to modify images for commercial use.

royalty free images: there are plenty of websites that provide you with stock images that can be used royalty-free, at no cost to you. 

what’s missing here? those images of celebrities that we all seem to rely on, which is the one thing i don’t have an alternative for. what i do have, though, is a workaround: rather than selling a full set of completed graphics, you could easily sell a template: the psd file, which does not include any celebrity images. you could include royalty free or creative commons images as placeholders, or a simple box that says “your image here” — what your client dies with the file once it’s in their hands is for their own personal use, and not part of your transaction.