Question about credit/use on photomanipulations?

[titleknown]

Hey, I was wondering, I do a fair bit of photomanipulation art, and I was thinking about doing it with some of the preview images of the models on here. But, I was wondering, how would I credit the images? Would I just need to credit the site and what images I used, or would I need to credit the folks who uploaded 'em for rendering it or w/e as well.

I was planning to use it to make character designs, with the original character concepts being CC-BY Vanilla and the pictures just as a starting point with the photo elements belonging to their original rippers.

Here's an example I made using some of John2k4's Unreal Tournament 2004 preview images, tho I'll admit I'm not the most satisfied with this one:

So, anybody got any info on how that works? Thanks!

:EDIT: Also, here's another, better sample made using Zerox's Kingdom Hearts: Birth By Sleep images:

[Magma MK-II]

The only people you ever need to credit are whoever developed the game.

[titleknown]

Why do you say that? I presumed that if I was making a wholly new design from those images (Which I aim to do); the image'd be considered derivative from the picture itself I chop-shopped to make into a new design rather than from the original model/design itself, given that I'd be specifically using the properties unique to the picture to make it rather than drawing from all the other iterations of the design.

Am I assuming wrong? I tend to have a reputation as the copyright-person in other spaces, but as you can see I'm not the surest on this sort of fair use as it pertains to collage art. Which isn't helped by the fact that the burden of proof for fair use is always put on the users rather than on the rightsholders, which I think needs to be changed...

[puggsoy]

You asked:

But, I was wondering, how would I credit the images? Would I just need to credit the site and what images I used, or would I need to credit the folks who uploaded 'em for rendering it or w/e as well.

And the answer is neither. Just credit the original creators.

If you believe your manipulations fall under fair use then by all means feel free to omit credit. I'm no legal expert though and all I know is that it's usually a safe bet to credit the creators of the original source. Regardless it's usually good manners anyway, and there's usually no reason not to.

[Petie]

I'm no legal expert though and all I know is that it's usually a safe bet to credit the creators of the original source. Regardless it's usually good manners anyway, and there's usually no reason not to.

This sums it up nicely. Basically, if it's fair use, there's no requirement to credit at all. It's still good to credit the original creator to cover yourself and because, as puggsoy said, there's no reason not to. And while there's certainly no requirement to credit anyone here (given that we don't own the content), you're more than welcome to credit the ripper and link back if you want but in that case, it would be your choice - there's nothing you need to protect yourself from, so to speak, with us.