Privacy Policy
We believe privacy policies should be easy to read. This one explains, in plain language, what information we collect, why we collect it, and what you can do about it.
This service is operated by DESK36 LTD (Company number 17202704), trading as Watercolour Genius. References to "we", "us", or "our" in this policy mean DESK36 LTD.
The short version
- We collect the minimum information needed to run the service — your name, your email, your photos, and payment details.
- Your photos are yours. We don't sell them, share them, or use them to train AI models.
- We use trusted third-party services (Convex, Stripe, AI providers) to deliver the product. They have their own privacy policies, which we link below.
- You can delete your account and all associated data at any time.
What we collect and why
We only ask for information we genuinely need. Here's what that looks like:
Account information
When you sign up, we collect your email address and name. We use your email to log you in, send important updates (like purchase receipts), and to identify your account if you need help.
Your photos
When you upload a photo, it's stored securely so we can transform it into a watercolour. Your photos are sent to our AI image generation provider solely to create your artwork — they are not used for AI training, not shared with other users, and not sold to anyone. Uploads are capped at 10 MB per image.
Generated artwork
The watercolour images we generate for you are stored in your account. Drafts are kept for 30 days; HD (upscaled) images are kept for one year. You can download your artwork at any time during these periods.
Payment information
When you purchase credits, payments are handled entirely by Stripe. We never see or store your card number. What we keep is a record of your purchases (the bundle, when, and the Stripe session ID) so we can credit your account and resolve any billing issues.
Usage data
We keep a log of your credit transactions — when you earned, spent, or were refunded credits. This helps us give you a clear history and debug issues if a generation goes wrong.
Services we rely on
We use a small number of trusted third-party services. Each one has access only to the data it needs:
| Service | What it does | Data it sees |
|---|---|---|
| Convex | Backend — database, auth, file storage, serverless functions | All account data, photos, generated images |
| Stripe | Processes credit purchases securely | Payment details, email, purchase metadata |
| AI image providers | Generate watercolour artwork (e.g. fal.ai, Google Gemini) | Your uploaded photo and the style prompt |
| Google Fonts | Serves the typefaces on this website | Your IP address and basic browser info |
We intentionally keep this list short. We don't use analytics trackers, advertising SDKs, or social media pixels.
How we protect your data
Your data is stored in Convex's infrastructure, which provides encryption at rest and in transit. Your password is hashed and never stored in plain text.
Payment processing goes through Stripe, which is PCI-DSS Level 1 certified — the highest security certification in the payments industry. Your card details never touch our servers.
We use HTTPS everywhere, so all communication between your browser and our servers is encrypted.
Your rights & choices
Under the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and other privacy laws, you have clear rights regarding your personal data:
- Access and Portability. You can download any of your generated artwork from your gallery at any time. You can also ask us for a copy of all the personal data we hold about you.
- Deletion and Correction. Email us at [email protected] and we'll delete your account along with all uploaded photos, generated images, and personal data, or help you fix inaccurate information.
- Object and Restrict. You can ask us to stop processing your data or restrict how we use it. Because we only process what's absolutely necessary, objecting might mean we have to close your account.
- Making a complaint. If you think we've misstepped with your data, please tell us first so we can try to fix it. If you aren't happy with our response, you have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) at ico.org.uk.
Cookies
We use a small number of essential cookies to keep you logged in and make the service work. We don't use cookies for advertising or tracking. There's no cookie banner because there are no optional cookies to consent to — just the strictly necessary ones.
Children's privacy
Watercolour Genius is designed for people aged 16 and over. We don't knowingly collect information from children under 16. If you believe a child has created an account, contact us and we'll promptly delete it.
Changes to this policy
If we make significant changes, we'll let you know by email or with a notice on the site before they take effect. Minor wording tweaks won't trigger a notification, but the "last updated" date at the top always reflects the most recent version.
Questions?
We're a small team and we genuinely care about doing right by our users. Reach out at [email protected] and we'll get back to you within a couple of working days.