FAQs

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WishmasterAlchemist's avatar
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As I'm asked the same questions over and over again, especially concerning my photography equipment and artwork usage, I thought it would be a good idea to write a journal for the most Frequently Asked Questions.

If there is anything you would like to ask me, go ahead and leave a comment here! I'll be constantly updating this page with new Q&As whenever they come up.



ARTISTIC


Q: What camera do you use?
A: I've had four digital cameras during my "career" as a photographer. You can find a detailed list of my present and past equipment in the 'About Me' box on my profile page. Anyways, my current camera is a Canon EOS 600D (aka EOS Rebel T3i in the Americas). It is a dream come true, as I've been dreaming of owning an EOS DSLR camera for I don't know how long.

My previous tool would be the Canon PowerShot SX1 IS (a camera of the bridge type), which has served me well for about 5 years, while my older shots were taken with a Canon PowerShot A630.
[There are also two photos in my gallery, my oldest published photo of Smarty and my only shot of a fawn, that were taken with a Canon Digital IXUS v2, but that's really old equipment.]

Tip: The camera used for a certain shot is also listed in the description of each piece.


Q: What lens do you use for...?
A: (As I haven't posted any photos taken with my DSLR yet) if you just kindly bother to check the camera model, you'll learn that I have been using a bridge camera, which means that unlike DSLRs, this camera doesn't have interchangeable lenses, so the only lens I could possibly use is the integrated one: 5.0-100.0mm f/2.8-5.7 (35mm film equivalent: 28-560mm), with Optical Image Stabilizer System.

Tip: whenever I'll start publishing new photos taken with my EOS, they will be accompanied by a detailed description of the equipment used, so go check the description of each photo you're interested in.


Q: What art software do you use for the postprocessing/editing of your photos?
A: Adobe Photoshop CS4 for the photos taken with my compact cameras and for making Deviant Stamps. I'll start using Photoshop CS5 for the newer DSLR photos.

Q: How do you edit your photos?
A: There is no set order of steps when it comes to postprocessing my photos. A great deal depends on the shot itself, its natural colours, lighting, composition, the effect I wish to achieve through the editing process, etc. which is why I can't provide a general explanation related to how my photos often come out having rich colours, pastel tones or a soft light, so I can only suggest that you experiment with your graphics software of choice and read tutorials.
[I personally seldom use PS actions, because I don't like having my pieces automagically retouched with all the layers merged and without knowing what it's being done. Besides, some actions are a pain to make work. So my usual approach is a step-by-step editing with groups of layers.]


Q: Do you own a graphics tablet?
A: Yes, I own a Wacom Bamboo Pen & Touch.

Q: Why did you decide to become a photographer?
A: This is one tough question, I don't know when and how it happened, all I know is that I've always enjoyed taking photos, although not being very good at photography when I was a child. I think I really discovered a love for it in the past several years and since actually owning my own camera, I've been able to get deeper into it and learn some more about the technical aspects of photography. I believe that deviantART played an important role here: when I first found out about the website, I was deeply fascinated by the amazingly talented photographers active here and their marvelous shots. This pushed me to share my own, and not being very good when I started, to improve, to do better, to know my equipment better, to learn more about digital photography technique. There hasn't been a moment when I actually said "I want to become a photographer", or "now I've become a photographer", or "I am a photographer", it just gradually happened, and looking back, I'm happy that it happened.

Q: How do you make your stamps?
A: I started with zilla774's Stamp Template and customized it lightly. After loading the base in PS, I insert the image I've chosen for my stamp: not all images look nice after being resized to fit into a stamp, so I sometimes have to try several pictures before I find a good one. And since not all images are the same in terms of quality, some only need minor adjustments while others need heavy editing. For this reason the time it takes for me to complete a stamp varies a lot. Finally, I work on the text level, which usually needs the blending options to be modified in each new stamp - because the background image changes every time - so that it looks nice and easily readable.

Q: What Font do you use for the text of your standard animal stamps?
A: It's Tahoma, 8 pt.

Q: How do you get your cats to pose?
A: My cats don't pose. I take them by surprise most of the time or stay still with the camera in my hands, patiently waiting for them to offer me a good glimpse, and that's when I shoot.
I know that some cats behave like models but that's not the case with mine, so I just wait for the right moment.


Q: Do you take stamp requests?
A: Yes, they're free, but not always open and limited to standard animal stamps. You can find all the details here: wishmasteralchemist.deviantart…

Q: Do you take stamp commissions?
A: Yes, and unlike free requests, you can commission me any stamp you can think of, whenever you'd like, but it's going to cost you dA points: the base price for any stamp is 25 :points:. More information can be found here: wishmasteralchemist.deviantart…. Note me to discuss commissions in detail.

Q: How long will it take to complete my request/commission?
A: It's impossible for me to set an ETA. I have a busy life just like anyone else and I work on stamps whenever I'm in the mood and I have the free time to do so. Also, my pending requests list is constantly long, so please be patient and I'll get to your request/commission as soon as possible.

Q: When will stamp requests be open again?
A: I really can't tell. As they take a good deal of my free time, sometimes I just don't have enough time for them and prefer to close them. Any announcement concerning requests being open or closed will be posted here: wishmasteralchemist.deviantart…
If you don't want to wait, you can always commission your stamp.


Q: Where do you get the pictures you use in your stamps from?
A: Most of them come from Flickr Creative Commons, Wikimedia Commons, and the Stock Resources category of dA. The images found on these sources have all been licensed for third party use, which means that the original photographer decided to let others use their photos and applied a license to them stating so, but with some restrictions to comply with.
In case I cannot find a suitable stock resource I'll use a copyrighted picture, but only after I've obtained the author's permission.

Tip: I always make sure to credit everything I use, so if you're curious about a certain image, simply check the stamp description.



MY ARTWORK USED


Q: Can I post/share/reblog this photo of yours on ___?
A: NO. JUST DON'T! My artwork is copyrighted to me and I'm the only one who can decide where to publish it.
When I chose dA to host my art gallery, it was and it's still meant to be the only place where I want my artwork to be displayed. [Of course this doesn't apply to deviantART features.]

Just so you know, I found my art used without permission on the following websites:
Big popular websites: Photobucket/Tinypic, ImageShack, Tumblr, WeHeartIt, Facebook, Blogger/Blogspot by Google, Netlog, Flickr, Polyvore, Pinterest, Wordpress, LiveJournal, YouTube;
Minor websites, often non-English: Forumotion/Forumactif forums, Lemiart.com, VisualizeUs.com, HostingPics.net, LiveInternet.ru, pinger.pl, LOVEit.pl, Avatarko.ru, chatta.it, dreamies.de, Radikal.ru, SunPhoto.ro, e-literaci.pl, Taringa.net, Blogg.no, YuMe.vn, Draugiem.lv, AnimalWalls.net, Subito.it, desmotivaciones.es, zedge.net, blogcu.com, and many more...
Each time I filed a copyright infringement complaint (or DMCA) and had the images successfully removed, so don't waste your time stealing my art, because I will waste mine to file report over report.


Q: But I will credit/did credit you...
A: No, crediting doesn't make it okay to take whatever you want and repost it somewhere else. It doesn't automatically grant you permission to use something rightfully belonging to someone else for your own purposes, without bothering to ask or inform the author in the hope that you will get away with it.
You must obtain written permission from me for any work of mine you wish to use, credit alone does not replace this requirement and won't placate me in case I come across my artwork being reposted in any form.


Q: So no picture posts, but can I link to your dA profile?
A: Yes, of course! Feel free to link to my profile and single pieces of art anywhere and anytime you wish. [Keep in mind that link doesn't mean hotlink.]

Q: Can I use this picture of yours as reference for a drawing/painting?
A: Yes, you can use my photos as reference for both digital and traditional drawings or paintings, as long as you let me know before you start, credit me, and show me your final result.

Q: Can I use this picture of yours in a photomanipulation/graphic layout/forum signature?
A: No. My artwork is not stock and I don't want it to be included in any derivative works. The internet provides a lot of free stock resources that are licensed for third-party use and you just have to search through them.

Q: Can I put your stamps on my dA profile?
A: Yes, you may use Thumcodes to display as many stamps as you wish. Have fun!

Q: How do I use a stamp? / What is a Thumbcode? / Where do I find it?
A: This awesome tutorial will resolve your doubts: sweetduke.deviantart.com/art/H…

Q: Can I put your stamps in my signature on ___ forum?
A: Most of my stamps are licensed under a Creative Commons - Share Alike License, so the answer is yes as long as you're willing to comply with the CC license requirements, which are fully explained in each stamp's description.
You may also find some useful coding tips for stamp usage off dA here: wishmasteralchemist.deviantart…


Q: Can I use this stamp of yours as group avatar for ___?
A: Yes, as long as you credit me somewhere on the group's front page in compliance with the CC License.

Q: Can I turn this stamp of yours into plz-accounts?
A: No. Since all members of deviantART can now use the Thumbcode feature, there's no point in creating stamp plz-accounts anymore. In any case, the creation of plz-accounts from any of my stamps MUST be discussed with me in the first place. If I find plz-accounts being created without my prior permission, there will be consequences.

Q: I saw your art posted on ___ and I don't think it should be there. What shall I do?
A: Inform me as soon as possible. Send me a link to where you found my art and I'll look into it immediately.


PERSONAL


Q: Why did you choose your username?
A: It's a combination of Wishmaster, one of my favourite songs by Nightwish, and Alchemist, from Fullmetal Alchemist, one of the coolest and of my most favourite manga/anime series. I picked words of the English language whose sound I liked and that referred to something I liked a lot at the same time. I tried several combinations, then stitched these two pieces together and thought they'd sound nicely. I wanted my username to be kind of a powerful name and I don't think I'll ever change it,

Q: Have you been taking any art/photography courses?
A: No, I am self-taught. I learnt everything I know about photography, digital art and computers by reading guides and tutorials that I found on the internet or experimenting by myself.

Q: How many pets do you have?
A: I'm the proud owner of three Cats and two Mongolian Gerbils, plus a 40L/10-gallon Tropical Freshwater Aquarium. My cats are Smarty, a male red mackerel tabby mix between a Siamese and a Norwegian Forest, Layla, a female dilute calico mixed-breed, and Oliver, a male brown mackerel tabby mixed-breed.
My gerbils are Aurora and Kamilla, two female Siamese from the same litter. My fish tank is heavily planted, currently populated with 6 Platies, 2 Corydoras panda, and an unknown number of snails of the Physa genus.


Q: What's that dirt on Smarty's nose?
A: His nose isn't dirty: those black spots are freckles typical of orange/red cats that tend to increase with aging.

© 2011 - 2024 WishmasterAlchemist
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BlueWolfDreaming's avatar
What a great idea to write that FAQs !! It's most interesting and most helpful ! I wonder how you found out about all those legal matters... you almost sound like a lawyer ! Congratulations !+fav