I don't know if I jinxed myself. My last post was about how creative types have a tenuous link to using pop culture properties, provided the rights holders don't object.

As a hobby I try and see if I can replicate some piece of art I have have seen elsewhere and do a spin on it, typically using Star Trek as the jumping off point, in an open source tool, in this case I was trying to learn the finer points of Inkscape.

One of my favourite T-Shirts ever, mainly because it is a fantastic conversation starter is this one:

I bought 3 at the time, partly to average out the shipping to get it delivered to Australia, but as a T it only gets better over time, so it lends itself to aging so well.

So I decided to see if could replicate the style in Inkscape, but using something Star Trek as the base. Scottys Engine Repairs was the result. I was happy enough with the image and felt it was within the line of acceptability of parody/fair use and put it up on Redbubble over two years ago.

Sadly the design did not set the world alight and languished there, I had pretty much forgotten about it until yesterday when I got an Infrigement Notice (?) from Redbubble saying that the rights holders of Star Trek, had flagged it for violation and that they were taking it down.

We're sorry, but we had to remove some of your artwork from the Redbubble marketplace because it may contain material that violates someone's rights. We identified this material in your artwork based on guidance provided to us by the owner of those rights.

More information:

Rights holder: CBS Studios Inc. Subject matter: Star Trek

Affected artwork:

Scotty's Engine Repairs

I am a little upset, I really wish the rights holders of Star Trek, would put out more licensed content like this. I have no plan to fight it. I will say though, I was sure, based on what I have seen elsewhere this would stand up to a parody/fair use situation.

However the timing is interesting, I have to suspect that the rights holders, CBS, are in the process of doing a clean up job in advance of their new TV show, Discovery, starting in the Fall (or as we saying in the rest of the world Autumn). I hope it is a great show, but the stewardship of Star Trek and its relationship with the fans over the last 10 years has not been great.

Anyway I am fairly sure I can share the image here, provided I am not trying to sell it, so it will only be a bit of fan art from now on ...