| A “Siggy”, “Sig”, Sig Tag” or | | | | the web. Sometimes the art will be stripped out |
| SigTag” is an image used as a signature in | | | | from its background (a tube) or even animated. |
| forums and on emails. Closely related are | | | | There is increasing scrutiny on such groups for |
| “Tubes” (a tube is the removal of the | | | | the abuse of copyright. Siggy forums and |
| background, while still leaving the main subject of | | | | groups are responding by requesting permission |
| the artwork intact). There is an entire internet | | | | from artists before using their artwork. They |
| culture based around the creation and use of | | | | usually ask the artist to grant permission in the |
| siggies, tags and tubes. | | | | form of an email and supply a set of Artists |
| Countless people exercise their creativity creating | | | | Terms and Conditions. |
| miniature works of art (or maybe I should say | | | | Siggy artists who are interested in using the work |
| modifying the art of others) while creating and | | | | of professional stock photographers for creating |
| maintaining communities of like-minded people. I | | | | their own signature tags and or tubes can usually |
| first became aware of siggies, tags and tubes | | | | obtain the rights as long as they conform to a |
| when I began to be approached by a series of | | | | few guidelines. Most photographers will want the |
| people, mostly “moderators”, of groups | | | | creators of these e-mail and forum signatures to |
| devoted to creating and helping others learn to | | | | include their copyright notice and prohibit |
| create these uniquely internet art forms. I have | | | | commercial use of the images. |
| a large number of concept stock photos and | | | | They need to do this because often the stock |
| funny animal pictures on my site that are perfect | | | | images are already under contract to the stock |
| for making a new siggy. | | | | photo agencies like Getty, Istockphoto, and Blend |
| Siggies, Tags and Tubes seem to be closely | | | | Images, and using the images for commercial |
| related to Incredimail and to a lot of people using | | | | purposes would interfere with the contracts the |
| Paint Shop Pro. Apparently a lot of PSP Tutorials | | | | photographers have with the stock photo |
| are aimed at making these often highly creative | | | | agencies. |
| e-mail, stationery, and forum signatures. | | | | For use of my own stock photos I also require a |
| Quite often the creators of these diminutive art | | | | link to my site from the siggy creator's site. |
| pieces begin with work from another artist and | | | | Perhaps the fad will benefit me through branding |
| then using digital manipulation, add their own twist | | | | or through increased sales of my images. Time |
| to “borrowed” images they discover on | | | | will tell. |