COPYRIGHT AND LICENSURE
As an artist, there’s nothing more fulfilling than finding the people who resonate with your work. Likewise, there’s nothing more devastating than having your work stolen or used without your permission.
An artist owns their work outright without needing to file for a formal copyright. Using an artist’s work without their permission can put you at risk of violating copyright law, but there are easy ways to make sure you are in compliance and also that your favorite artists can keep thriving!
If you use an artist’s work on social media, don’t alter the artwork with a filter, and be sure to clearly tag the artist. We LOVE when you share our work and connect us with a wider audience.
If you use an artist’s work for marketing materials, a presentation, illustration, etc., you should always ask the artist first, as well as inquire about the artist’s fee for using their image. This works out better for everyone since the artist can send you a clear and high-res digital file instead of a screen shot or a low quality copy. Many of us pay to have our work professionally digitized, so paying our image use fees allows us to maintain our quality standards and keep creating the work you love.
If you want to use an artist’s work on a product that you sell—whether it’s a t-shirt, a label, or packaging—you will need to set up a licensure agreement with the artist so that you have legal permission to use their work and they are compensated for it.