Hello All,
I am really interested in copy righting my work but I am not really sure how. I am confused to what or how I should go about copyrighting my images. I have investigated the copyright website but still confused to the process of WHAT SHOULD BE COPY WRITTEN.
To those of you who have copy written your work, should I copyright my signature or each image singularly?
Are there ways around this as an artist?
Thank you,
Gerald C. Lewis Sr.
Copyright laws are preetty strong and basically the same in most countries. But how the laws are followed in different countries is another matter.
What is important is to first understand that if you are employed with a salery by a company to create illustrations/drawings, then that company own the copyright and useally all the rights to what is made under the roof of that company. Its because its what you are employeed to do - create illustrations.
In total contrast to if you are a freelancing illustrator. Everything you create is your own copyright. Basically. If no agreement with any client of yours says otherwise. Hence why its very important to understand contract and set up contract. The rule is to make the contract as simple and straight forward as possible, in your view. Big corporations on the otherhand many times have almost silly contracts because they like to be super safe in all aspects. Hence why they are so massive many times.
Most companies in Sweden I make contracts with have been and are simple and straight forward. At the same time some very large corps in Sweden are getting more and more in line with how corps in USA and Canada for example. Hence again why many big corps either have employeed or use a rights specialist when making contracts. Some uses lawyers as well.
Remember the calssic: George Lucas saw to that he got all the rights to all merchandise when he made a contract with the film company. At that time back in the mid 70´s, 76, 77, 78 they didnt know so much about merchandise. After the Star Wars movie they understood differently. George Lucas in that sense was one of those who set the standard onwards. He is the only movie director so to say who could after star wars pay for all his own movies.
If you talk about creator ownershp, copyright on your own work, its basically like this, in europe that is: if you as an illustrator creates a drawing then you own the illustration and you is the sole copyright holder of your illustration/drawing. - you own all rights to it.
If you sell the rights to your illustration/drawing then you dont own it anymore and loose the copyright. In Sweden at least you still retain something like "artists rights", the rigth to be mentioned as the original creator of the illustration/art. Which many companies neglect.
In general when a newspaper or magazine in europe comission you to do an illustration, you may sign a quick and easy contract in which it states that you are commissioned to do the illustration, you get paid, and the magazine/newpaper have the rigth to use the illustration for the exact issue and article for a one time off. If they like to reuse it in any way whatsoever they will have to pay you an extra fee. For example 50% of the original fee. This can differ, but something to go after, In Sweden its 50%. At times it can go down to 30% but that is if you agree on that. Common praxis is 50%.
This means that the client - newspaper/magazine DOEESNT own the illustration. They only have the right to use it for that issue and article it was commissioned. You still own, reatin , the copyright 100%,
In Sweden there are many organizations protecting photographers, writers, illustrators & graphic designers. And the same in many other western countries.
Here are some to look for with great info on their respective websites.
Swedenwww.svenskatecknare.se
In the UK (England, Scottland and so on)The AOI http://www.theaoi.com/
In USAhttp://www.theillustrationconference.org/
A compilation of org´s in most countries and continents.ICOGRADA