*sidles around the mess*

Sachys, that plan to pre-do work - and maybe tweak it for prospective customers has two pluses and two problems that I can see

Pros

1 Gets your work out where people can see what level of skill they are hiring

2 Possible straight funds when bought rather than 'maybe I'll pay you if i like it" - that they may then have a buddy tweak and still try not pay you properly (pure numptiness!) - but at least in that case there is more of a legal trail if you have to go after them.

Problems

1 Theft - yes I know you said that already but in addition to just running off with the exact image, there are increasingly common variations. Like when an UNcreative type steals your ideas/ layouts/ models and simply reworks them in a borderline 'lawyer-proof'' fashion.

Bonus negative karma points for these morally bankrupt souls if they rework your ideas into a commercial project (physical or digital) while giving no royalties or credit to the original starving artist. This incredibly irritating variation on straight theft is more common than ever with untalented chumps who got in at a big company somewhere (usually with help, sometimes by using someone else's work in their portfolio) and then they have to produce something, so when their very shallow artistic puddle dries up they go right back to seeing what they can get out of other peoples' wells. If the company accepts it, then the company's ability to fend off the legal challenge usually outstrips that of the original individual artist. It is sooo wrong, and it has happened way too often.

Our daughter had a bunch of digital work stolen. Not only that, but then she was slandered by same people into the bargain - basically accusing her of what they had just done. Probably they hoped this would discredit her when she finally saw where her original work was ending up. Sooo "creatively" dishonest, which seems to be the only creativity involved. How pathetic can you be to need to go so low?

But it happens.

I knew of one dude who was selling special necklaces with states' shapes and hearts on Etsy (or someplace like that) and a national chain of stores started selling the exact same thing, even replicating the exact layout and special angle, but the company never even contacted the guy. I think the chain was eventually shamed into stopping their sales, but I don't know if the original artist ever got a cut!

Usually the response when some place is called out on it is basically What a Coinkidink! GMTA! :P

2 A lot of other artists want their PR work to seem as 'fresh' and 'original' - basically unknown to the world - as the album/ book/ play/ comic/ choreography/ they just made, and may regard previously listed works as too old hat to be interesting, or not specialized enough to represent their special groove

Suggestion: Only post a few samples and keep the best offline.

Additionally, please make sure you have copies of your work well marked and in an offline (unhackable) archive - like a large external drive (or three) that is usually not connected to the computer. Burned archive disks are a great idea as well. Since the hack attacks, good archives & records have become our best defense.

Seems like there are ripoffs and pitfalls in every direction. May your simian grace and strength see you through. If everything goes banana-shaped, well, you still have poo! :)