Hi All!

[hamby]

My name is Cliff Hamby. My online name is Crotale. I have been using the Crotale monicker for at least ten years, and, for the better part of that decade, I have been creating digital art. I started out making the equivalent to MS Paint doodles and although I have plenty of room for improvement, my skills and vision have grown to the point where my work now garners highly favorable comments from one of gaming’s most prominent studios, Epic Games. My work has also been featured on Time Magazine’s technical website, Techland. I am the lead graphics designer for GEARSCON, an organization that hosts Gears of War competitions and that is supported by, but not affiliated with, Epic Games. I am also a graphics designer for a defense contractor and the US Air Force.

Moving on to your website, I have never been a member here until today. I use Photoshop in lieu of Gimp. It is a personal and professional preference. Seeing less than 24 hours ago that some lowlife has taken on a twisted version of my online persona, stolen not only my personal artwork and trumped it as his own, he has sullied my name and my reputation by thieving the works of others while claiming to be me. Much of the Gears artwork that this TaintedCrotale person posted on your website is created solely by me; none of this artwork is created by him/her. The other Gears works I that did not create either belong to my friend Tkavil3 or Epic Games. The three photos in the one photography thread are mine. I took the two B&Ws; my son shot the color image of the Stratosphere. I have all my layered project and image files backed up, so I have proof that I created the works that bear my online name (I did not create any of those ghastly signature images). To see another person using my artwork and my name in such a way has totally disgusted me.

My artwork and my reputation are extremely important to me. This TaintedCrotale person is an impostor, a liar and a thief. I just want the record to be set straight and my good name cleared. Thank you for your time and understanding.

Respectfully,

Cliff “Crotale” Hamby

[dark lite]

i guess thats where the "tainted" came with that b***

he is gone from here
rippers will NOT be tolerated and Impostering (is that a word?) someone to get away with it is even worse

Welcome to gimper hope you dont run into this again

[humblejohnny20]

Don't take it too seriously, if it only occurred on a few little forums it probably didn't even make a dent in your reputation, especially with your vast real-world credentials and experience (which are very separate from the internet).

After he got 'outed' for the first of multiple times, I thought he was more of a gimmick account than someone seriously trying to pass stuff off as his own.

Hopefully, an appropriate dose of justice will be served

also: i dont think we discriminate against adobe/photoshop
i happen to use illustrator.

[Arzoroc]

I seriously hope it's true...

We had some really bad time with TaintedCrotale, and you surely do understand that we are pretty much sick of his multi-accounts, lies, false excuses etc etc. It would be cool if you could you post a speedpainting video or a PSD of one of your non-commercial artworks for us to check whether you're not another one of TaintedCrotale's different accounts, as this is -sadly- possible aswell.

We could make an arrangement if you're having a big problem with a bad light cast on your nickname.
You prove that you're seriously the real one and he's another person (I guess an admin could also check via IP), and we delete all the posts containing the name "Crotale" in it in return. That's all I can offer you if you're being cooperative.

[David Wood]

Thank you for shedding further light on the matter, Cliff. I am very sorry this had to happen and I'm glad it is cleared up. If you wish we can delete all posts made by this impostor.

[hamby]

Welcome to gimper hope you dont run into this again

Unfortunately, while this is the first that I know of anyone impersonating me online, it is not the first time another person has taken credit for my artwork. I actually had a guy selling prints of my work on eBay last year.

also: i dont think we discriminate against adobe/photoshop

Thanks johnny. That is good to know.

I seriously hope it's true...

We had some really bad time with TaintedCrotale, and you surely do understand that we are pretty much sick of his multi-accounts, lies, false excuses etc etc. It would be cool if you could you post a speedpainting video or a PSD of one of your non-commercial artworks for us to check whether you're not another one of TaintedCrotale's different accounts, as this is -sadly- possible aswell.

We could make an arrangement if you're having a big problem with a bad light cast on your nickname.
You prove that you're seriously the real one and he's another person (I guess an admin could also check via IP), and we delete all the posts containing the name "Crotale" in it in return. That's all I can offer you if you're being cooperative.

I can totally understand your frustration here with this guy. Just so you guys can feel safe that I'm not that other guy, here is what was an early layered project for one of the images that clown claimed he made. I will keep it on my server for a few days to give you guys time to check it out if you want to. http://www.acliffhanger.com/gears/hurt_project.psd

Thank you for shedding further light on the matter, Cliff. I am very sorry this had to happen and I'm glad it is cleared up. If you wish we can delete all posts made by this impostor.

Thanks. Yes, it would make me very happy if you would kindly delete all of those postings.

I am sorry this happened to you guys as well. The thought escapes me as to what would drive a person to claim he is someone else. I mean, why me? I am not THAT good of an artist.

[mikethedj4]

Well I've dealt with a lot of people stealing for from myself in the past, and I still come across it occasionally (Mainly on deviantART) My reputation is important to myself, and I'm sure everyone else's reputation is important to themselves as well.

To be quite honest I've dealt with so many people that steal artwork in the past, and with this TaintedCrotale (excuse my language) $%$^, I wish I could believe you. Anyone can post a project file, and say it's theirs if they search the web good enough, or let alone if their decent at editing images. However I'd haft to go with what Arzoroc said a speed paint/time-lapse would help some of us believe you more.

If it is really your artwork, I'm truly sorry this happened, and hopefully others will realize how much this dude is a joke, a fake, and an impostor.

Also I don't discriminate against users who use PS, Inkscape, or whatever program as we're all artists, with different/multiple styles and we post our work not to get patted on the back (unless you're an idiot lol), but to become a better artist than we currently are.

[Rod]

Honestly i do not know who to believe anymore.

[Arzoroc]

Well, the PSD you uploaded does not exactly end up being the picture you uploaded to dA, the blood's missing and the colors are different.. is that because I view the PSD with Gimp?

[hamby]

Well I've dealt with a lot of people stealing for from myself in the past, and I still come across it occasionally (Mainly on deviantART) My reputation is important to myself, and I'm sure everyone else's reputation is important to themselves as well.

To be quite honest I've dealt with so many people that steal artwork in the past, and with this TaintedCrotale (excuse my language) $%$^, I wish I could believe you. Anyone can post a project file, and say it's theirs if they search the web good enough, or let alone if their decent at editing images. However I'd haft to go with what Arzoroc said a speed paint/time-lapse would help some of us believe you more.

If it is really your artwork, I'm truly sorry this happened, and hopefully others will realize how much this dude is a joke, a fake, and an impostor.

Also I don't discriminate against users who use PS, Inkscape, or whatever program as we're all artists, with different/multiple styles and we post our work not to get patted on the back (unless you're an idiot lol), but to become a better artist than we currently are.

I took an option I was given on the chance that it is sufficient. I will wait to hear back from the admins.

[Arzoroc]

First of all: Shhhh....

A lawyer... seriously...
Now do you want only your images removed from this site? That shouldn't be a problem at all. We know they're stolen so we could easily delete them.

There's a very simple solution for the thing with your name:
David / Cyril just change the name of TC to something different and voilá, your name's clean. We don't even have to delete the messages he posted.

[hamby]

First of all: Shhhh....

A lawyer... seriously...
Now do you want only your images removed from this site? That shouldn't be a problem at all. We know they're stolen so we could easily delete them.

There's a very simple solution for the thing with your name:
David / Cyril just change the name of TC to something different and voilá, your name's clean. We don't even have to delete the messages he posted.

You read my post before I edited it. It was a knee-jerk reaction from a very still asleep me. I am not going to sue anyone here, I just want this mess cleared up as much as you all do. The only reason I came here was because of a message I received from Stacey "Flak" Connelly of Epic Games asking me if I knew what was going on here. I surely did not come here to make threats; I only wanted to clear my name before this grew into a larger problem.

Maybe I am taking this all way too personally, but I have worked hard to get where I am today. It isn't about whether or not I think my work is better or worse than that of the next guys'; it is about my hard work being stolen and my reputation sullied by some no-talent assclown who also stole other people's work. By the way, the Crotale deviantArt link he provided is mine, as is the Crotale account over on the Epic forums. TaintedCrotale apparently owns that tainted-victory account on dA.

I really am beside myself here. I have no real solid way to prove that I am who I say I am, as I could provide proof after proof and one of you would disclaim it. I have said my piece and asked for you to take me at my word, for that is all I have. Therefore, I am leaving it up to you guys to determine what course of action to take, if any.

I do thank you for your time.

[Arzoroc]

See, that was what I hoped for
So, what do you think of my offer? I'm "just" a moderator not an admin but deleting every link and image affecting you and changing the name of the impostor should be okay shouldn't it?

[hamby]

Well, the PSD you uploaded does not exactly end up being the picture you uploaded to dA, the blood's missing and the colors are different.. is that because I view the PSD with Gimp?

You are correct, it is not the same exact image. That is because I ran the PSD through Lightroom for color and lighting tweaks for the final image you saw on dA. The blood is there, just not as pronounced. It gives my images a more natural and uniform finish.

See, that was what I hoped for
So, what do you think of my offer? I'm "just" a moderator not an admin but deleting every link and image affecting you and changing the name of the impostor should be okay shouldn't it?

That sounds fair.

[Arzoroc]

See what an admin sais to this and you're ready