Word going around about toys

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hazard
Word going around about toys

I know this is weird, but I believe I've heard people saying that there is a way to air-inflate plush toys? Anyone ever try this to see if it's really possible?

booyajimmy

 

I must say, that is a rather interesting notion.  If it came to inflating a toy that is plush, I think it would only work depending on the type of material the outer “shell” is made from.  It would have to be a stretch knit fabric, but the problem is that it is still too porous.  One’s chances might be a little greater if the material was wet, much like drown-proofing classes that teach you how to use your clothes as a flotation device.

 

It’s interesting that this topic came up, as it sounds reminiscent of a project I worked on last summer when my sewing machine broke down.  Not to toot my own horn here, but I started working with latex for the first time, and actually made a 1/6th scale inflatable suit for one of my female action figures [insert_nerd_reference].  Surprisingly, the outcome was successful and I’ve wanted to post pictures of it online for a while now, but have been rather hesitant due to more and more plagiarism of online media (i.e. YouTube, Flickr).

hazard

I definitely want to see the inflatable suit. Where could you post one? Maybe upload it to flickr? I really want to see it.

booyajimmy

I've seen too much plagarism and copyright violations on Flickr, so I would stay away from that one.  I probably would be more willing to upload pictures to this site, since it has been a lot more low-key than others.

pballooned

Or maybe you could take Photos and Copyright them and the design before posting.

I'm going to send some comics I'm making to a person who puts online several comics by different authors to help the artists be better known. But I've been suggested to copyright these comics before sending them.

booyajimmy

By copyrighting these images, do you mean placing a watermark over the image and adding ID information to the file's properties, OR do you actually mean applying for a patent via the United States Patent & Trademark Office?  I hear the latter can be costly.

 

hazard

I'm not sure. Maybe you can just email them to me? I can message you my email address if you'd like.

pballooned

I think what I meant was the Patent and Trademark Office. Maybe it works different in the States.

Last time I copyrighted something here in Argentina, it costed the equivalent to about 10 US dollars, and it lasted about 3 years, not that much. Then I had to pay again.

If you are afraid of plagiarism, I guess the best is to save money until you can pay the copyright.

hazard

Good idea pballooned. I hope we get to see his inflation suit.

Inflate123
Inflate123's picture

In the US, if you create something (in this case, take a photo, or create a design for a product), you own the copyright on that item, image, or design. Enforcing it, especially online, is where it gets messy and/or expensive. Are you planning to make money on this photo or the concept it represents? Are you likely to get money from whoever decides to take it? Are you ready to go to court to prove that this image and/or product is yours? If any answer is no, then applying for a patent or a copyright sounds ridiculous.

The US patent system takes years, so if you are trying to register a design, that will be time and money invested before you can show anybody here what you've done. For years, songwriters have mailed copies of their songs to themselves (lyrics & demo recorders) and keep the sealed envelope on file. The US postal mark counts as a federal timestamp, and you just keep the envelope sealed until the day comes when you need it in court. Simple, right? It's known as "the poor man's copyright." However, this has never been reported as effective in a court of law, so it's really for your own amusement more than anything. If you really have an idea you feel needs protection, you should go through the proper lengthy legal channels and be very patient.

You might also research existing patents for the same concept to see if someone already owns your idea simply by having it first. 

If we're just talking about an image that you want credit for once it's uploaded, a watermark is the strongest theft deterrent in this case; you can't stop people from downloading the image, but you can permanently alter the image before you post it so that if they like what they see, they know its origin. This is why so many of the artists and morphers in our community add a signature or URL to their work in some way. But they are sharing their work without hope of profit in those cases, so it's more about getting the credit and perhaps a few kind words from fellow perverts. I don't know that any of them plans to manufacture goods or sell their work through services, but even if they do...they still own their own work, because copyright is legally assigned at the time of creation. The minute they're done drawing, they own it. 

DeviantArt will automatically watermark images for you if you like. If the photo is something you want to sell, DA can do that too. 

pballooned

Thanks. All those suggestions are useful for me too :)

The envelope idea sounds good

hazard

Can you please upload them here?

hazard

Any word yet anyone?

hazard

bumpin the topic... hopefully you have some pics booyajimmy