Shutterstock Photographer Forum :: View topic

renfrompenn · Joined: 08 Dec 2005 Posts: 24

Hi,

I was under the impression that we weren't supposed to send in the same image in different colors. Am I wrong? I mean it would only make sense since the buyer can easily change that. I am wondering, therefore, way I have been finding several instances of the same image/different color. Any ideas?

Also, I don't mean to pick on this specific artist. It just so happens that all of the images are by her. I have found this to occur with other artists as well. I just don't have the links to those pictures handy.

http://www.shutterstock.com/pic-15387106-money-tree.html
http://www.shutterstock.com/pic-15387103-money-tree.html
http://www.shutterstock.com/pic-15387100-money-tree.html

http://www.shutterstock.com/pic-15390700-vector-drawing-of-cat-in-window-watching-bird-in-tree.html
http://www.shutterstock.com/pic-15390700-vector-drawing-of-cat-in-window-watching-bird-in-tree.html

http://www.shutterstock.com/pic-15387121-handpainted-style-japanese-cherry-blossom.html
http://www.shutterstock.com/pic-15387124-handpainted-style-japanese-cherry-blossom.html

(I don't know how you guys link to the images that way that you do, so I am providing the URLs to the graphics.)

ktgraphics · Joined: 16 Jan 2008 Posts: 838 Location: Ont, Canada

I really don't understand either. Usually if I was to have the same version but maybe a different colour scheme I'd put it in the same file.
I mean its a different story if you have a an object with a fall theme and then you make the same object again but now it has a Christmas theme and put it on a separate file. I think that's acceptable.

renfrompenn · Joined: 08 Dec 2005 Posts: 24

Yeah, same image different season would be okay. I have done similar images, but never just tweaking the colors.

Maybe this was okay back when SS first came online. Perhaps that rule wasn't implemented until later on.

bluecherrygfx · Joined: 28 Mar 2008 Posts: 516 Location: Arkansas

Ummm...those are mine; even though all the examples you posted were mine, I'm certainly not the only one who uploads multiple color versions and they were all approved (obviously) after May 1, 2008 when my account went live.

If there is an issue with it, they've never told me. Although I have had rejections for similar submissions.

You also have to remember, not everyone who is a member here is a "designer"; believe me, I design for a living and many of my clients use another well known microstock and it would stand to reason they use SS as well (at least some of them). It's easier for them to actually see various color versions w/o having to visualize them. If you've done any design work, especially identity design, then you know what it's like for the client to want to actually SEE multiple color variations.

Also, b/w images are surprisingly popular, so I include a b/w version of my files as well as color version(s). I also include raster versions of all my vectors b/c those make up around 10-15% of my sales for those who don't have vector editing software.

I sometimes do package multiple variations in one file, but unless you're selling icons, that seems not to be the best strategy; mainly b/c the larger versions w/ more contrast are easier to catch the buyer's eye when browsing thumbnails.

Anyway, that's my rationale behind it; don't know why anyone else does it, but quite obviously at $0.33/download, you have to maximize your time invested in illustrating to have a decent ROI. Similar to the way you've reused the same road/icon/spaceship, etc. in your designs. If you spent time drawing an entirely new illustration for each set, this would be nothing more than a hobby income.

:-)

renfrompenn · Joined: 08 Dec 2005 Posts: 24

I'm not criticizing you for uploading different versions, so please don't think that was my intention. I also know that others do this as well. I even made mention of that in my first post.

I'm just curious as to why this is being permitted. I know that another well-known microstock site expressly forbids this practice, though I have seen it go on there. I'm just wondering if same image/multiple colors isn't taboo at SS.

bluecherrygfx · Joined: 28 Mar 2008 Posts: 516 Location: Arkansas

Well, it must not be taboo, b/c they are being approved. :-) It depends on the reviewer how many variations you are allowed, I think, but it's obviously being done. I have many intstances, you have the spaceship one and the car one that are color variations; look at most of the people in the top 50 for illustrators and you'll see the same thing, so it's allowed. To what extent, I don't know.

It does benefit the buyer, though, because on more than one series of mine, a buyer will download all the images in the series AND all the color variations. I don't know for sure of course if it's the same buyer, but my downloads are very slow when I'm up working around one or two am and it stands to reason that a set of multiple downloads all within a few minutes time are the same person.

Why do they download all the color variations when they can change them themselves? I haven't got a clue. No more than I know why someone would download both the vector and raster version of an image when they could just generate the raster themselves, but they do and they do it on a regular basis. So maybe it's not taboo b/c it's subscriber driven and makes the subscribers happy.

renfrompenn · Joined: 08 Dec 2005 Posts: 24

I would beg to differ. The images of yours that I posted were exact copies in different colors. My spaceship and car images may have some of the same elements, but they have new elements as well thereby making them unique.

bluecherrygfx · Joined: 28 Mar 2008 Posts: 516 Location: Arkansas

Do I have images that are the same except for color? Yes, they were approved by the reviewers that way. However, the examples of mine you linked to are similar to yours as I pointed out.

I have designs where the only variation is color - and as I said, these are often downloaded as a set (including color variations) on a regular basis. Which is why, I assume, it's allowed here as the buyers seem to like it. My cherry blossom has one on white and one with a gradient background in a new color scheme (added element). The money tree of mine is in b/w, color, and on a colored background. I have various designs where elements are added, subtracted, or altered - just like yours.

For example, on one of your spaceship sets there is one with a yellow planet and one with a blue planet as the only difference (I didn't look at them full size, so maybe there are some minor differences). The car has a minor element changed on the door, I agree.

But "unique" might be stretching it a bit. Just my opinion. :-)

renfrompenn · Joined: 08 Dec 2005 Posts: 24

Well, you are entitled to your opinion, as am I, and it would appear as though they differ, so why don't we just leave it at that?

foxie · Posted: Wed Jul 11, 2012 11:59 am

I always make some variations, today I had a bad luck with a reviewer who rejected all colour variations for "similar submissions" - and I had ones that was NOT easy ar all to change colors, they're too complex (even recoloring the entire image you'd have to spend some time adjusting every shade)

Like these

Frustrated
Dunno if resubmit...

darla · Joined: 29 Apr 2006 Posts: 913

I might do that with a jpg, but there's really no reason to do it with a vector.

foxie · Posted: Wed Jul 11, 2012 1:15 pm

foxie · Posted: Wed Jul 11, 2012 1:21 pm

I think this time it was just an extremely bad luck with the reviewer.... Wrote to support, too, to have it clear, attached some examples of the images.

I have less complex images with color variations in my portfolio, they were all accepted without exceptions. Those were much easier to recolor. Haha I'd have to use some more simple techniques to make the recoloring of complex textures easier...

p.s. not only the color variations were rejected today, but the design variations too

I think I gat a drunk reviewer

Sorry guys for being somewhat emotional, but you all know how it feels when hours and days of your work are sent to the trash for no reason.

cgartistgirl · Joined: 20 Dec 2011 Posts: 159 Location: Mars

cgartistgirl · Joined: 20 Dec 2011 Posts: 159 Location: Mars