Selling your stuff - Q for the Pros

[RTK]

I have received a couple of e-mails from some people offering to buy some of my images, or parts of some images on display on the xaraxone.

The question is:

Do you normally sell for the "right to use" for a specific purpose? Or do you, when you sell, lose all rights to the image?

Thanks for any help/suggestions.

Risto

[RTK]

I have received a couple of e-mails from some people offering to buy some of my images, or parts of some images on display on the xaraxone.

The question is:

Do you normally sell for the "right to use" for a specific purpose? Or do you, when you sell, lose all rights to the image?

Thanks for any help/suggestions.

Risto

[pduggan]

Don't know exactly how it works in Canada, but I think it's a pretty international thing. My knowledge of copyright stems mainly from being a composer of sorts, but the principles are just the same. As soon as you have a piece of work set down in a tangible form (ie not just in your head), you own the copyright, full stop. My advice would be never to surrender control of your own work because you'll regret it later (think of all those previously impoverished rock stars who've spent fortunes trying to regain their rights once they could afford it). If someone wants to use my music for something, I can license it to them for that purpose, but I'd never, ever, ever, sell my rights!

2.18am here, and I should be in my bed, but I hope that helps...



Peter</p>



Peat Stack or Pete's Tack?</p>

[jens g.r. benthien]

Risto,

never sell anything with full rights to anybody. I know that most customers want all rights, but you don't have to agree on this.

Limit the rights to that specific purpose, like the photographers do.

If you need more information about copyright, you should check with the US copyright office - sorry, I don't remember their URL, but they have a real great site explaining all details...

Copyright is a serious issue, and most designers don't even care about it, because they don't know enough about it.

I will check my archives, and if I should happen to discover something, I will mail it to you.

jens

[gwpriester]

Risto

I can highly recommend my wife, Mary Carter's book, Electronic Highway Robbery--An artist's guide to copyrights in the digital era, published by Peachpit Press and available from Amazon.com.

Mary is a fine artist and computer illustrator and wrote this book from an artist's point of view, not a lawyer's. That said the book was read by several copyright attorneys before publication and received a glowing review from Tad Crawford who write the Legal Review column for Communication Arts Magazine.

Gary

Gary Priester

Moderator Person

Be It Every So Humble...

[standay]

You are best to just sell the rights for a particular use and leave it at that.

Note that things can change if you do any work on a "work for hire" basis. Generally if you are employed by a company and design art for your employer or their clients, this is usually considered work for hire. That means that your employer is the "author" of the work for copyright purposes and they hold any and all rights to that work, not you.

This can also be the case if you are producing something for someone on a contract basis. Be sure to read and understand the contract you sign, as it may very well be a work for hire contract. Again, you will probably lose any interests in your work under a work for hire contract.

Stan

[RTK]

You have all raised some interesting points and I will bare them in mind.

The URL for the US patent office is:
http://www.uspto.gov/patft/

Gary - Tell your wife you made a sale! (I'm ordering the book tonight...) [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif[/img]

Even though I will probably not do this again, the book will come in handy for other things.

I guess the balance act of rights becomes trickier when you do this kind of work for a living.

Thanks again!

Risto

[gwpriester]

Risto

Check out the cover of the book when you get it. And, hmmmm? I wonder who did the cover illustration [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_rolleyes.gif[/img]

The points made here are all valid. Hold onto your copyrights and if at all possible, only grant a limited use license with your images.

Gary

Gary Priester

Moderator Person

Be It Every So Humble...

[Soquili]

Hi Risto,

When you check out the cover art, you can go to Target Practice to see how to draw a similar image. [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif[/img]

Soquili [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif[/img]