:Openclipart

{{Update|date=July 2020}}{{Infobox website

| name = Openclipart

| logo = Openclipart logo and wordmark.svg

| logo_size = 240px

| logocaption =

| screenshot =

| collapsible =

| caption = Openclipart is a community of artists making the free original clipart for any use.

| url = {{URL|https://openclipart.org}}

| commercial =

| type = Media repository

| registration = Required for posting & uploading

| language =

| num_users =

| content_license = {{nowrap|CC Zero 1.0}}
Unless noted, content is waived of all copyright and related or neighboring rights under this license.

| owner =

| author = Jon Phillips, Bryce Harrington

| launch_date = {{start date and age|2004}}

| current_status = Active

}}

Openclipart, also called Open Clip Art Library, is an online media repository of free-content vector clip art. The project hosts over 160,000 free graphics and has billed itself as "the largest community of artists making the best free original clipart for you to use for absolutely any reason".

The website was brought down for several months by a reported DDoS attack in April 2019.{{cite web|title=Finding an OpenClipart fallback|website=News from JURN |first1= David |last1= Haden |date=9 May 2019|url=https://jurnsearch.wordpress.com/2019/05/09/finding-an-openclipart-fallback/|access-date=2019-05-22}} The site's search feature was restored{{Context inline|date=April 2025|reason=When had it been removed?}} in May 2020.{{Cite web |title=Great news! The search feature on the site is now LIVE! Search clip art at openclipart.org/search/ Colorful geometric line art by GDJ |url=https://twitter.com/openclipart/status/1256666419607060485 |access-date=2022-12-23 |website=Twitter |language=en |date=May 2, 2020 |author=Openclipart }}

History

File:Cliparts (examples).png

The Openclipart library (OCAL) was established in early 2004 by Jon Phillips and Bryce Harrington, who had worked together to develop the open-source vector graphics suites Sodipodi and its successor, Inkscape.{{Cite web|url=http://wiki.inkscape.org/wiki/index.php/JonPhillips|title=JonPhillips |website=Inkscape Wiki |language=en|access-date=2017-01-29}} The OCAL project initially grew out of a project started by Christian Schaller (Uraeus), who, on October 26, 2003, issued a challenge on the Gnome Desktop website for Sodipodi users to create a collection of flags in SVG format.{{cite web|url=https://mail.gnome.org/archives/gnome-announce-list/2003-October/msg00084.html|title=Join the SVG Flag revolution!|first1=Christian |last1=Schaller |website=GNOME Mail Services |date=26 Oct 2003 |access-date=2013-10-26}} The flag project progressed very well, resulting in a collection of over 90 flags made publicly available in SVG format,{{cite web|url=http://www.gnomedesktop.org/article.php?sid=1421&mode=&order=0&thold=1|title=Show us your flag!|publisher=gnomedesktop.org |author=Uraeus|access-date=2013-10-26|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040513120118/http://www.gnomedesktop.org/article.php?sid=1421&mode=&order=0&thold=1|archive-date=May 13, 2004}} and broadened the project's goals to include generic clipart. The project became known as Openclipart by April 2004, with the stated aim of making all its contributed images freely available in the public domain.{{Cite web|url=https://lists.freedesktop.org/archives/clipart/2004-May/000311.html |website=lists.freedesktop.org |title=[Clipart] Thoughts on what Clipart needs for Project Management|last=Harrington|first=Bryce|date=2017-05-01|access-date=2017-01-29}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.freedesktop.org/bin/view/Software/FirstMeeting |title=Open Clip Art Project - First Meeting |last=Phillips |first=Jon |date=2004-11-04 |website=freedesktop.org |access-date=2017-01-29 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041104052634/http://www.freedesktop.org/bin/view/Software/FirstMeeting |archive-date=2004-11-04 }}{{Cite web|url=https://lists.freedesktop.org/archives/clipart/2004-May/000365.html|title=[Clipart] Introduction to the Open Clip Art Library - OOoCon2004 Paper Abstract|last=Phillips|first=Jon|date=2017-05-23 |website=lists.freedesktop.org |access-date=2017-01-29}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.freedesktop.org/Software/FAQ |title=Open Clip Art Project - FAQ |access-date=2017-01-29 |url-status=dead |website=freedesktop.org | author=Jon Phillips |date=11 April 2004 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041020183407/http://www.freedesktop.org/Software/FAQ |archive-date=2004-10-20 }}{{Cite web |title=Open Clip Art Project roadmap |website=freedesktop.org | author=JonPhillips |date=29 April 2004 |url=http://www.freedesktop.org/Software/Roadmap |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041020182730/http://www.freedesktop.org/Software/Roadmap |archive-date=2004-10-20 |access-date=2017-01-29}}{{Excessive citations inline|date=April 2023}}

In the early stages of the Openclipart project, the website lacked thumbnails and was difficult to browse. Downloadable Openclipart packages were released to help propagate the images in the library, and were available directly from the Openclipart website: as an add-on for various Linux distributions such as Fedora, and as an NSIS installer for Windows.{{Cite web|url=http://rejon.org/media/writings/ocalintro/ocal_intro_phillips.html |title=Introduction to the Open Clip Art Library |access-date=2017-01-29 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070106134944/http://rejon.org/media/writings/ocalintro/ocal_intro_phillips.html#packages |archive-date=2007-01-06 }} Each package included most of the clipart to date, and they were manually sorted into categories.{{cite web|title=Case Studies/Open clip art library|url=https://wiki.creativecommons.org/wiki/Case_Studies/Open_clip_art_library|website=Creative Commons |access-date=27 August 2016}} The Openclipart package version 0.20 was released in 2010.{{Cite web|url=http://openclipart.org/wiki/Roadmap |title=Roadmap |website=Open Clip Art Library Wiki |date=2010-02-11 |access-date=2017-01-29 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100211002626/http://openclipart.org/wiki/Roadmap |archive-date=2010-02-11 }} The Openclipart packages received a few more incremental updates during 2010, mostly for seasonal clipart.{{cite web|title=downloads|url=http://download.openclipart.org/downloads/|website=Openclipart |access-date=27 August 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110402214909/http://download.openclipart.org/downloads/|archive-date=2011-04-02}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.openclipart.org/wiki/Past_milestones |title=Past milestones |website=Open Clip Art Library Wiki |date=2010-12-18 |access-date=2017-01-29 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101218193936/http://www.openclipart.org/wiki/Past_milestones |archive-date=2010-12-18 }}

An overhauled Openclipart 2.0 website went live as a beta in February 2010 with a full release in March 2010.{{Cite web|url=https://lists.freedesktop.org/archives/clipart/2010-February/010025.html|title=[Clipart] OCAL 2.0|last=Safadi|first=Bassel|date=2017-02-24 |website=lists.freedesktop.org |access-date=2017-01-29}} The site introduced a change from the old ccHost software to the new AGPL-based Aiki Framework,{{Cite web|url=https://lists.freedesktop.org/archives/clipart/2009-October/009952.html |website=lists.freedesktop.org |title=[Clipart] ocal 2.0|last=Phillips|first=Jon|date=2016-10-03|access-date=2017-01-29}} a content management system made for Openclipart 2.0. The new site allowed anyone to easily browse and add to the Openclipart collection. Jon Phillips, Andy Fitzsimon, Bassel Safadi, Michi, Ronaldo Barbachano, and Brad Phillips added image thumbnails and improved search functions made the Openclipart library more user-friendly, which contributed to higher site traffic. The site was receiving over 5,000 unique visitors and 50,000 page views daily.{{cite web|title=Open Clip Art Library 2.0 is Here!|url=http://fabricatorz.com/2010/03/open-clip-art-2-0-is-here/ |date=2010 |author=brad |publisher=Fabricatorz|access-date=27 August 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120921102105/http://fabricatorz.com/2010/03/open-clip-art-2-0-is-here/|archive-date=2012-09-21}}{{cite web|url=http://rejon.org/2010/03/open-clip-art-library-2-0-is-here/ |title=Open Clip Art Library 2.0 is Here! |date=2010-03-08 |access-date=2014-12-08 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100312092732/http://rejon.org/2010/03/open-clip-art-library-2-0-is-here/ |archive-date=March 12, 2010 }}

The 3.0 website release incorporated allowed members to "favorite" clip art, and provided an image-editing feature that made image remixing significantly easier.

On April 15, 2013, Openclipart launched a new logo and updated their website design with a "scissors" logo.{{Relevance inline|date=September 2020}}{{cite web|url=https://fabricatorz.com/2013/04/openclipart-scissors-logo-and-clipart-opportunities/ |title=We are a design & technology company |publisher=Fabricatorz |date=2013-04-14 |access-date=2014-12-08 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130518234740/https://fabricatorz.com/2013/04/openclipart-scissors-logo-and-clipart-opportunities/ |archive-date=May 18, 2013 }}

On March 12, 2014, Openclipart announced that Inkpad, an open-source drawing app for iPads, had released library integration to make the entire collection available to its users.{{cite web|url=https://fabricatorz.com/2013/04/openclipart-scissors-logo-and-clipart-opportunities/ |title=Draw with Openclipart on your Ipad |publisher=Openclipart |access-date=2014-03-12 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130518234740/https://fabricatorz.com/2013/04/openclipart-scissors-logo-and-clipart-opportunities/ |archive-date=May 18, 2013 }}

Lockdown and attempts at mirroring the library

On April 19, 2019, the site was taken offline by what was initially reported as a distributed denial-of-service attack (DDoS attack),{{Cite web|title=UPDATE: Our plan is to get the site back online early next week. Under DDOS attack from some unknown forces, the simplest thing to protect our beloved Openclipart is to keep offline at present. Your CLIPART is SAFE. Donation & Love Accepted. |author1=Openclipart |website=Twitter |date=May 3, 2019 |url=https://twitter.com/openclipart/status/1124311068233359367|access-date=2019-05-22 }}{{cite web|title=((Openclipart / 404 Page Not Found1))|url=https://openclipart.org/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190419012439/https://openclipart.org/|access-date=2023-04-13|archive-date=2019-04-19}} though Jon Philips, one of the site's founders, appeared to be a victim of identity theft.{{Cite web|url=https://twitter.com/rejon/status/1138644240219512832|title=Have you ever been the victim of identity theft? That is the world we live in now. It will increase! Recent events have forced me to cleanup my accounts everywhere ...|last=Phillips|first=Jon|date=2019-06-11|website=@rejon|language=en|access-date=2019-06-20|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190621090412/https://twitter.com/rejon/status/1138644240219512832|archive-date=2019-06-21|url-status=dead}}{{Cite web|url=https://twitter.com/openclipart/status/1138645767634149376|title=Hello, this is @rejon. The founder of Openclipart. I have taken back control of this account. I unblocked accounts that were blocked.|last=Openclipart|date=2019-06-11|website=@openclipart|language=en|access-date=2019-06-20}} All pages on OpenClipart were redirected to a page asking users to donate money "to support protection". The message was updated on December 25, 2019, with a statement that the site was being "gifted to the community" and that new files could once again be uploaded to the library.

By scraping, most of the library was recovered and hosted on FreeSVG.org.{{cite web |last1=Kenlon |first1=Seth |title=How I used the wget Linux command to recover lost images |url=https://opensource.com/article/19/10/how-community-saved-artwork-creative-commons |website=Opensource.com |access-date=28 October 2019}} A second mirror was established at FreeSVGClipArt.com.[https://freesvgclipart.com/welcome-to-freesvgclipart/ Welcome to FreeSVGClipart!] freeSVGclipart.com (October 28, 2019). Retrieved December 1, 2019.

In early May 2020, the website's Twitter account announced that the search feature had been re-enabled.

Packages and apps

Inkpad for iPad, with Openclipart Integration.{{cite web|url=http://inkpad.org|title=Inkpad iOS App|date=2016|access-date=2016-02-10}}
The vector graphics editor Inkscape can import vector graphics online from Openclipart to one's current workspace. (For Inkscape on Windows, one needs the latest build, ≥ 0.49.){{Cite web |url=http://www.oss-marketplace.com/index.php/downloads-mainmenu-63/Inkscape/Entwicklerversionen/ |title=Inkscape latest build with Import OCAL support |access-date=2013-03-19 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130419010542/http://www.oss-marketplace.com/index.php/downloads-mainmenu-63/Inkscape/Entwicklerversionen/ |archive-date=2013-04-19 |url-status=dead }}
Microsoft Office app{{Cite web |url=https://store.office.com/openclipart-WA104199826.aspx?assetid=WA104199826 |title=Microsoft Office app |access-date=2014-11-10 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141110200608/https://store.office.com/openclipart-WA104199826.aspx?assetid=WA104199826 |archive-date=2014-11-10 |url-status=dead }}
Google Docs Add-on{{Cite web |url=https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/openclipart/jhlifdiflonnipfdneahhngjdcaloajn?hl=en |title=Google Docs Add-on |access-date=2014-11-10 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190807174931/https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/openclipart/jhlifdiflonnipfdneahhngjdcaloajn?hl=en |archive-date=2019-08-07 |url-status=dead }}
LibreOffice extension[http://extensions.libreoffice.org/extensions/openclipart-org-integration LibreOffice Openclipart.org integration]
iOS Clipart,[https://web.archive.org/web/20140602105142/https://itunes.apple.com/be/app/clipart/id588303554?mt=8 Clipart] iOS PosterMaker[https://web.archive.org/web/20140602105131/https://itunes.apple.com/ag/app/postermaker-real-printable/id423574589?mt=8 PosterMaker]
[https://web.archive.org/web/20181211022240/https://clipartxtras.com/ Clipart] Search, Openclipart for Android[https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=apps101.co.za.openclipart2 Free Clip Art - Android Apps on Google Play]
Clipart plugin[http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/clipart/ Clipart plugin] for WordPress
Clipart plugin{{Cite web |url=https://moodle.org/plugins/view.php?plugin=repository_openclipart |title=Moodle plugin that allows the user to search and import clipart |access-date=2013-03-20 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140112092954/https://moodle.org/plugins/view.php?plugin=repository_openclipart |archive-date=2014-01-12 |url-status=dead }} for Moodle
Linux distributions

Some Linux distributions, including Mandriva and Ubuntu, include many of the Openclipart collection releases packaged as SVG, PNG or OpenDocument-format files.[http://packages.ubuntu.com/hardy/openclipart Ubuntu openclipart Packages] These distributions are based on the 2005 pre-ccHost release, since regular releases stopped after the switch to ccHost software. Openclipart 0.19, the first version released after the switch, was released in March 2009. With the release of version 2.0 and updated packages, distributions have bugs filed in their respective bug trackers to begin packaging Openclipart once more.

Openclipart was included on the cover discs in Linux Format issues 123 and 132 as a package of browseable SVG files from the Openclipart collection.{{Cite web |date=October 2009 |title=Cool Linux projects |url=http://www.linuxformat.com/archives?issue=123 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230926193900/https://linuxformat.com/archives?issue=123 |archive-date=Sep 26, 2023 |website=Linux Format |series=Issue 123}}{{Cite web |date=June 2010 |title=Try any distro! |url=http://www.linuxformat.com/archives?issue=132 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230528002958/https://www.linuxformat.com/archives?issue=132 |archive-date=May 28, 2023 |website=Linux Format |series=Issue 132}}