COPYRIGHT INFO LINKS

[Mike Sibley]

Courtesy of JD Hillberry (http://www.jdhillberry.com) - updated from the former ArtPapa.com:
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Copyright law is very complex. As far as I know, we don't have any copyright lawyers on this forum and even if we did, they would probably disagree on some points. The information in this post should not be considered legal advice.

These are some helpful links for anyone interested in exploring the subject further.
This is the website of the Library of Congress US Copyright Office:
http://lcweb.loc.gov/copyright/
The 4 exclusive rights granted for visual art can be found under the link "Copyright Basics".

Another good page that on that site is helpful for answering some common questions.
http://www.loc.gov/copyright/faq.html

Many other questions can be answered on the following pages:

Who Owns and Holds the Rights to a Copyright
https://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia ... 29953.html

The 'Fair Use' Rule: When Use of Copyrighted Material Is Acceptable
https://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia ... 30100.html

Should I Copyright My Writing or Artwork?
https://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia ... twork.html

Copyright Registration, Notice, and Enforcement FAQ
https://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia ... t-faq.html

These two sites dispel many common misconceptions about copyrights.
https://www.templetons.com/brad/copyright.html
http://www.copylaw.com/new_articles/copy_myths.html

Whenever you post your images on the internet you are taking the chance that someone will steal them. I and Mike have discovered our work used on posters, t-shirts, mugs, stamps, CD covers, etc. These unscrupulous people will take even a low resolution image and produce products to sell to unsuspecting customers. Sometimes they remove your copyright information and sometimes it is still visible. These products look horrible, but their customers don’t realize that until they have purchased the image. It looks fine on the internet.

If you discover that your work has been used without your authorization you can send them a cease and desist letter. Here is a link to a sample letter you can use as a template to draft your own.
https://www.utsystem.edu/documents/docs ... agreements

Again, the information given here is in no way legal advice. I hope it helps.