WHAT TO DO BEFORE YOU UPLOAD TO ARTIST ARMOR.
Artist Armor is the premiere website to place your online creative work for protection against theft. But we can’t do it all. You as creators have to understand what is happening to your online art, and how to protect yourself.
REVERSE LOOK-UP
Reverse image lookup is one of the simplest and most powerful tools an artist can use to protect their work online. Instead of typing words into a search bar, you upload an image file or paste an image URL into a service like Google Images, and it scans the web for visually similar matches. This allows you to see where your artwork appears across websites, blogs, marketplaces, and social media — even if your name has been removed.
For creators, reverse image search is less about curiosity and more about enforcement. It helps you identify unauthorized uses, uncredited reposts, counterfeit products, and even AI dataset scraping in some cases. By periodically checking your most valuable or most-shared pieces, you can catch infringement early — before it spreads widely or becomes harder to control. Early detection makes takedown notices faster and more effective.
It’s smart to build reverse image lookup into your regular workflow. Save screenshots of any unauthorized use, document URLs, and capture timestamps immediately.
Online content can disappear quickly once someone realizes they’ve been caught. Used consistently, reverse image search becomes a quiet but powerful first layer of protection — helping artists stay informed, proactive, and in control of their digital footprint.
LOW REZ PREVIEW
Using low-resolution preview images is a simple but highly effective way to protect your digital art online. By placing a smaller, lower-quality version of your work in the preview area, you give viewers a clear sense of your style and talent without handing over the full, high-resolution file. This makes it much harder for someone to steal your work for print or resale, while still letting potential clients and fans see it.
Low-resolution previews also help maintain control over how your art is used. It’s one of the features in the Artist Armor’s 7 points of security viewer, which when used in tandem with each other, it discourages unauthorized copying even further. You’re essentially showing just enough to attract attention and generate interest, while keeping the value of your original work intact.
Incorporating low-res previews into your workflow is straightforward. Export a smaller version of your file — web-optimized and under 500 pixels on the longest side. Any more, and new downloadable apps can upres to make it useable. Keep your high-res originals safely stored offline or behind secure platforms like Artist Armor. This simple step adds a protective layer without affecting your audience’s experience.
Sample of a program that can increase the resolution of an image.
METADATA COMPLETION
Metadata completion is one of the most overlooked forms of digital protection for artists. Every image, video, or audio file contains hidden information fields — like creator name, copyright notice, creation date, and contact details. When you properly fill out this metadata before uploading your work, you’re embedding authorship directly into the file itself.
For protection purposes, metadata acts like a digital signature. If your work is reposted, shared, or even disputed, embedded information can help demonstrate ownership and original creation dates. While bad actors sometimes strip metadata, many reposters and unauthorized user leave it intact — giving you valuable evidence if you ever need to prove authorship.
Making metadata completion part of your publishing workflow is simple but powerful. Before exporting final files, add your name, website, copyright notice, and licensing terms in the file properties. It takes less than a minute — but it adds a professional layer of protection that strengthens your overall Artist Armor strategy.
Be mindful in protecting your art before uploading Artist Armor and when on Artist Armor, you are protected.