Any painting done or photograph taken is naturally copyrighted by the artist, so she is definitely in the wrong to just inform you that she is using your image. Asking you is not just more polite, but necessary… If you feel uncomfortable, tell her that you’re just informing her that no, she’s not allowed to use it. Or if it is a good marketing avenue, tell her to credit you in her post.
I have come across some really interesting images on instagram, and asked the artists if I could use it for my art. They said yes with crediting. But in your case, I might have been so pissed off that I will just say no (she didn’t ask you, but inform you… what kind of attitude!)
Yes she did inform me, but I think I was kind of overreacting, I guess because I was already planning on painting my photos. I did tell her that I was flattered, but wanted to reserve them for myself…hoped she would understand…and she did. She very politely said no worries.
So it’s all good.
Thanks everybody for the help!
I’m going to try and answer the question you are really asking, which is how would we feel. My 1st response would probably be to feel a bit pissed off. Then, on reflection I would feel that the person who did it wasn’t thinking clearly, which is a problem many people have. When someone doesn’t think clearly they can do and say very goofy things. You seem to already have made a choice not say anything about her using your photo, so that leaves you with the question how do you deal with your feelings about this. I can only share the way I try to think in these cases. 1st I acknowledge that it really feels uncomfortable. 2nd I try and remember I really can’t do anything about anyone whose behaviour seems to be insensitive. It’s not personal; they probably act like that with everyone. 3rd I’m left with a choice: will I carry this annoyance with me all day or will I let it go. That’s actually a choice and you can choose to hold on or let go. Either choice is OK because it’s YOUR
choice. You may not be able to help it if another misbehaves but you can choose your response. Lots of times we forget this and I always appreciate it when someone reminds me of this simple key to happiness. If you choose to let it go when it pops up in your mind again(and it will) take a breath and simply say I don’t care about that and let it out with the next breadth. Then continue with your beautiful paintings.
I hope that helps!
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This to me is not an issue, artists copy other artists all the time, I don’t understand it, but it is a fact. No one can copy someone else exactly, so I would just carry on and paint your painting from your photograph and it will be your rendition of that picture. There are photographs all over the place, in magazines, books etc. and people can paint the same picture as someone else, but they will never look the same. Even the old Masters copied each other. My two pennies worth!!!