When we say we do original work, we mean that we draw our graphics from scratch, pixel by pixel with our hands using a mouse or a pen tablet. We do not use scans, we do not use commercial clipart such as the kind produced by Provo Craft or D.J. Inkers, we do not colorize black and white clipart from books or CDs or any other offline source.
This is why we have rules for the use of our graphics. Because it is our own work. We own the copyright over our work and it is non-transferable. Even when you purchase our graphics, we own the copyright. You cannot use our graphics for commercial purposes unless permission has been separately and expressly asked for and separately and expressly given.
Work that involves scanned images or colorizing commercial clipart is not original work. According to the copyright laws, scanning is a method of converting a work of art from one medium to another, it is not a method of creation. As such, you cannot claim copyright to something you scanned. Putting in a disclaimer saying "As far as I know every image on my site is public domain..." does not protect you from copyright infringement lawsuits.
Work that involves altering someone else's graphic to make for yourself a banner or a webring graphic or an award is not original work. It is altering someone else's original work and is an act of copyright infringement. The same is true for other works of art such as prose, poetry, photography and music.
We hope we have made it clear for you what "original" means. Something is either original or is not original. We don't believe there can be degrees of originality.
You can read more about the copyright issue.
