Copyright infringement

is against the law, but very difficult to enforce. The various groups I communicate with spend a lot of time trying to educate people like this, but it's really an uphill battle. The response is often "but I changed (fuill in the blank). At one time the law was that you had to change a minimum of 30%, but now you must make"substantial" changes. There is more of an expectation, amongst artists, that you give credit to your sources and inspirations--or more importantly, ask permission to use an inspiration from an outside source. Usually people are very flattered to be asked and a "yes" response is almost guaranteed. This "friend" has done things like this before--actually put some instructions from a class with Carolyn on her blog. At that time she was threatened with a lawyer (it's always nice to have friends in the professions), and the offending blog was removed, but we never really thought that she "got it" Obviously not! She is a member of Ravenesque, and now I have the quandry of warning other members, and/or becoming very reluctant to share with that group. I can't say too much or identify her on the internet, or I could be breaking the law, so I had to be somewhat vague on the other blog--Ravenesque sometimes read it.