Copyright

[swirlyarts]

Hi,
When I finally get round to making my wedding stationary line (!) I obviously don't want anyone to come along and rip off my designs. Is it worth the hassle/time/expense etc in getting copyright for my designs? Is it even possible for 'designs' or does it only apply to artwork etc? Or will I have to accept that someone might 'get ideas from my stuff?'
Any advice would be much appreciated
Lynsey

[Seahorse]

Im totally confuzzed by the copyright situation.
I do think you need to register it so if its copied you have a legal leg to stand on if you want to sue someone.
Depends on if you can afford to pay for the copyright registration, no idea how much it is tho.

I belive it applies to all works, like art, craft, music etc.No reason why your work isnt as important as a work by Michaelangelo!

[swirlyarts]

Just found a very helpful website http://www.patent.gov.uk/index.htm
You don't have to apply for copyright - it automatically applies when your work is made. Also worth looking at on that page are design rights - might be more suitable for us crafters.

[Peter]

The one that covers most artists and artistic works is 'intellectual copyright' - nothing on paper, but a court would uphold it if you could prove the original work was yours. There again, most of us couldn't afford the court case! Plagiarism is accepted as the norm in artistic circles - it's called 'looking for inspiration', I could never start a new painting without visiting an art gallery, and how many times have you seen jewellery and thought 'I'll have a go at that'? The only hard and fast rule is not to blatantly copy someone else's work and call it your own.:)

[Nattelie]

People will take inspiration, you can't stop that.

However, a cheapy way of copyrite (hubby does this with music n it's legal) post one to yourself, writing on the back what it is (or even a small picture of what's in it). Don't open it, thn if a problem arrises, it's there, with a date on it, to prove you did that at x time, prior to whatever/whoever. It's best to send it to a solicitor if possible, but you still have it either way.

so, in a senario, som eone copies your stuff, - a direct copy 2 years later and they make a fortune. You can take them to the small claimes court. The judge opens the still sealled envelope, to reveal your product, which has been directly copied.

Hope this helps.

[swirlyarts]

I think thats the route I will go down - just with the wedding stationary as to do it with every card I have designed would be very expensive!!
Thanks
Lynsey
P.S. Does anyone know where I would stand if I used a stamped design on my wedding stationary - would I have to contact the person who designed the stamp and obtain permission?

[Nattelie]

the stamps are designed to be used for such things, so I'd imagine there'd be no issue, same with peel offs etc

[nattynetty]

Hi

You'll find that not all rubber stamp companies allow you to use their stamps to create cards to sell - stupid I know! Those that grant you permission to use the stamped images without restriction are called Angel Companies.

This link http://www.littlebit.com/angelList/angellistcomplete.htm has a pretty comprehensive list of most companies and whether they have the Angel Policy or what their policy is in regard to it all...for example some companies allow you to sell up to 100 cards a year with their image, some allow you to only sell for charity and others allow you if you first ask their permission.

Unless you're going to be selling lots and lots of cards with the same stamped image I wouldn't worry too much about it if I were you.

[swirlyarts]

Hi Natty Netty,
The link you gave is brilliant - thanks! I would have given you rep to say so but I've already given you some!!
Lynsey

[0103media]

Hi Natty Netty,
The link you gave is brilliant - thanks! I would have given you rep to say so but I've already given you some!!
Lynsey

You have to share the rep/love around.. :D

Stops people cheating ;)

But you can always come back and rep at a later date :D

[swirlyarts]

Yeah but by then I would have forgotten what I wanted to say/which post I wanted to rep!!

[Lesley Sinclair]

Hi Swiryarts

Under the "intellectual copyright" label apparently, if you send your completed designs to yourself by post and keep the unopened mail with the date stamp etc on it, then if someone copied your work, you have proof that you were the original artist, craft designer and the date that it was done - hence to argument around first date of design etc.

Just a thought.

Lesley

[swirlyarts]

I've been looking into this a lot at the weekend and typically the stamps I already have are made by manufacturers who either aren't in the angel policy or who are very restrictive! I've decided that the best thing to do is to make my own stamps with my own designs and this way I can ensure that I can do what I want with them and that my designs are unique. I'm also going to do as Lesley suggests and mail myself a copy of the designs recorded delivery so that in the event of copyright problems then I should be covered.
Thanks for all the advice
Lynsey

[Seahorse]

I heard about the posting the idea to yourself method, but then I heard it wasnt a legal way of doing it.
So confusing!