Debate: Should artists watermark their showcase images or leave them clean?

I was reading a post in another group where a digital artist had their entire portfolio scraped and sold as NFTs without permission. It really got me thinking about how we handle our showcase work here. On one hand, a watermark keeps your art safe and gives you credit if it gets shared around. But on the other hand, I feel like a big ugly watermark takes away from the actual piece and makes it look less professional in a gallery setting. Some people say just use low res images, but that also kills the detail we work so hard on. I've had a few pieces stolen myself over the years, so I lean toward a small discreet signature. What do you all do with your showcase pieces when you post them online? Do you think the protection is worth the visual trade off?

3 comments

3 Comments

parker1831mo ago

Wouldn't a clean image actually prove you're confident enough in your work to not need a safety net?

the_jessica1mo ago

Yeah that "safety net" thing hits it. I feel like people treat backups like they're a sign of weakness or something but in any other part of life we call that being prepared. Nobody says you lack confidence when you pack an umbrella on a cloudy day.

ellis.leo1mo agoTop Commenter

But a clean page doesn't mean the code actually works right.