Question about digital image copyrights

[Epoman]

If I see an image online, a digital image, a vector image. And I wish to use it on my website. But the site that is was original on is offline and has been offline for months (google still has it in their google images search) And I have tried to contact the webmaster by doing a DNS search. But the email bounces back. And I have tried many times.

What can I do? I know that regardless the author still holds the copyright of the image but is there some thing I can do to alter the image to no longer make it the same as the original? Is their some kind of legal loophole? like I add things to it, or delete parts of it?

I really would like to use this image but I just can't make contact. Like I said the site has been offline for months.

 

[QED]

Nope... nothing you can legally do with it will change the fact that you are creating a derivative work.

You can create an all new image that is "inspired" by the original... but anything beyond that could be deemed copyright infringment.

 

[So]

If you can't find them, and you don't have permission, I'm prettysure you can't use it legally. *but* if that's the case, they probably don't care anyway and you won't get caught. Maybe if you put a copyright notice in the alt tag?

 

[Epoman]

So if I redraw it then it's ok? meaning if I have an artist redo the drawing and it looks the same it's ok? because it was inspired by the original? Or do I have to change it from the original? and if so how much?

 

[torpid]

It can't look too much like the original either. And you certainly can't open it up and add your logo and then save it.