The Source playmat??

[Kayradis]

Since the whole plan got shit-canned, I was wondering if TheArchitect could repost only the logo on a black/dark blue background as an image fitted for inkedplaymats template. In a lack of a better playmat, I'd still like to play with a Source playmat at GP Washington.


Thanks!

[TheArchitect]

I'd gladly create such a thing. Just one thing.

The font used in The Source logo is matrix, a font owned by WotC which is used on their cards. The font I used was matrix bold, also owned by WotC, since either font is really hard to find on the internet and has to be downloaded illegal I think and that's the best I could find.

Is using that font owned by WotC ok for a non-official The Source playmat? Even one that contained no other images of?

If not, I can make one with a font similar that is public domain.

[Di]

Odds are it's harmless, but it'd be best/safest to stay away from anything copywritten or acquired illegally, even if it is a font. We just don't want to take any chances.

[Dan Turner]

I'd gladly create such a thing. Just one thing.

The font used in The Source logo is matrix, a font owned by WotC which is used on their cards. The font I used was matrix bold, also owned by WotC, since either font is really hard to find on the internet and has to be downloaded illegal I think and that's the best I could find.

Is using that font owned by WotC ok for a non-official The Source playmat? Even one that contained no other images of?

If not, I can make one with a font similar that is public domain.

Actually Matrix Bold was/is owned by Emigre Graphics but that was in 1990 but here is the fun part.

Under U.S. law, typefaces and the characters they contain are considered to be utilitarian objects whose utility outweighs any merit that may exist in protecting their creative elements. Typefaces are exempt from copyright protection in the United States (Code of Federal Regulations, Ch 37, Sec. 202.1(e); Eltra Corp. vs. Ringer). However, this finding was limited in Adobe Systems, Inc. v. Southern Software, Inc., wherein it was held that scalable computer fonts, i.e., the instructions necessary to render a typeface, constitute a "computer program" for the purposes of copyright law and hence are subject to protection. Hence the computer file(s) associated with a scalable font will generally be protected even though the specific design of the characters is not. Furthermore, a rasterized representation (e.g. bitmap) of the characters in a scalable font is not protected by copyright in the United States. According to section 503.02(a) of Compendium II: Copyright Office Practices, typography and calligraphy are not copyrightable in themselves in the U.S.

So the "software" is protected but the end item resulting (in this case the playmat) is not.

[TheArchitect]

Actually Matrix Bold was/is owned by Emigre Graphics but that was in 1990 but here is the fun part.

Under U.S. law, typefaces and the characters they contain are considered to be utilitarian objects whose utility outweighs any merit that may exist in protecting their creative elements. Typefaces are exempt from copyright protection in the United States (Code of Federal Regulations, Ch 37, Sec. 202.1(e); Eltra Corp. vs. Ringer). However, this finding was limited in Adobe Systems, Inc. v. Southern Software, Inc., wherein it was held that scalable computer fonts, i.e., the instructions necessary to render a typeface, constitute a "computer program" for the purposes of copyright law and hence are subject to protection. Hence the computer file(s) associated with a scalable font will generally be protected even though the specific design of the characters is not. Furthermore, a rasterized representation (e.g. bitmap) of the characters in a scalable font is not protected by copyright in the United States. According to section 503.02(a) of Compendium II: Copyright Office Practices, typography and calligraphy are not copyrightable in themselves in the U.S.

So the "software" is protected but the end item resulting (in this case the playmat) is not.

Interesting... Thank you for sharing that!


If it is alright then, may I post a image with just The Source text in Matrix Bold on a blue backdrop?

[thecrav]

I don't know exactly how you've got it stored, but you could provide the photoshop template missing all copyrighted parts so that those who wish to skip violating copyright may have a mat, and those more piratey can add the images, fonts, etc. themselves.

[TheArchitect]

I got the ok to post this, if anyone just wants an unoffical MTG The Source logo on a plain background.


http://img27.imageshack.us/img27/6488/tzab.jpg


It is the right size for inkedplaymats.

[Dan Turner]

I got the ok to post this, if anyone just wants an unoffical MTG The Source logo on a plain background.


http://img27.imageshack.us/img27/6488/tzab.jpg


It is the right size for inkedplaymats.

could you post that as a .psd file or something with a "clear" background? This way I could sue my own custom artwork with it.

[apple713]

How do y'all get the card artwork in the best resolution for this process? Are y'all scanning cards you own or finding them online?

[Di]

How do y'all get the card artwork in the best resolution for this process? Are y'all scanning cards you own or finding them online?

The concept we've presented is to do the exact opposite of that. Under no circumstance do we want the MTGTheSource.com name and/or logo used in conjunction with copy-written art.

[apple713]

The concept we've presented is to do the exact opposite of that. Under no circumstance do we want the MTGTheSource.com name and/or logo used in conjunction with copy-written art.

i read your previous post and it sounds like yall made the original logo. then printed it on playmats. Got in trouble. and can no longer use the banner for anything other than it already existing on this site?

[Dan Turner]

I have an artist friend of mine doing "cartoon" versions of the core 5 planeswalkers would something like this be allowed since it is original art?

[TheArchitect]

Did mtgthesource get permission from the artists to use their art in the logo?

I dont believe it matters because they arent selling and redistributing the logo like people want to do with the playmat.

How do y'all get the card artwork in the best resolution for this process? Are y'all scanning cards you own or finding them online?

I was getting them online, and 99% of the cards out there dont have an image on the internet larger than around 400x300 pixels making it pretty hard to get the image you really want.


Here is the .psd for the plain background playmat:

http://www.mediafire.com/?s95bji6hwbbduy5

[Dan Turner]

Here is the .psd for the plain background playmat:

http://www.mediafire.com/?s95bji6hwbbduy5

Awesome thanks

[adamt]

Is anyone still looking for one of these? I have one I may be interested in parting with..