Copyrights once again

[kris_hm]

Hi,
I found graphic/artist who allowed me to use some of his graphics on my t-shirts. We didn't agreed price yet, but it will be one payment or commission based.
Anyway, I don't know him personally and I would like to protect myself in this transaction. Is in that case verbal agreement enough or should I get some kind of testimony from artist ?? I don't want anyone to accuse me for breaching copyrights in the future. If we should write out a document, how it should be formulated??
thanks

[Justin]

Personally my artists always sent me a full copyright certificate/letter type thing basically saying I owned the rights to use and so on.

[kris_hm]

is there any chance to see sample of that letter ?? I could change details on it and give it to my designer to sign

[jamescork2]

Hi Kris,

I have dealt with using copyrighted material in the past, and it is always best if you can get written permission. Although it is my understanding that a verbal agreement is as good. It could be your word against theirs. While you may trust the other person, it is advisable to go for the written word.

Jim Cork.

[DREAMGLASS]

I don't really do 'made to customer requirements' work, but someone asked to do a mug as a birthday present for their husband, who is a director of a small engineering company. She forwarded me a business card and wanted the logo on one side and the guys name on the other side. This I did for her.

Some weeks later I saw exactly the same logo on the van of a large national company. I later find that the logo is a registered trademark of that company. Whilst the small engineering company is obviously totally unaware that their business logo is absolutely identical to someone else's registered trademark, it does bring home the potential problems of someone bringing in a design and asking you to put it onto a product.

[AdamB]

Ok ................ where do you stand when someone asks if you can put a 'school photo' on a jigsaw?

Nice photo, will look good on a jigsaw .................... but let's not forget that the photo remains the copyright of the photographer/company that took the picture and they have only sold that person a 'print' or prints .............. not a licence to use it for jigsaws!

We've all been there ............... what's your opinions please?

[mrs maggot]

is the jigsaw being done on behalf of the school ? if so ask the school to write you a letter giving you permission to use the image, they will then take any flack from the photographer as you can show that you had permission to use the image of the school given to you by them

[Kaz]

My kids have their school photo's taken by Tempest photography, and I've actually stopped buying the image packs, just buy it on CD, and that way I have the rights to use the image as I see fit, so it goes on jigsaws/mugs or whatever.

If it's only a one off jigsaw, I'd do it, be different if they wanted 200 of them, then you'd come up against problems I'd think.

Coming to you, or taking the image to Asda to have them make a jigsaw isn't any different, and you can bet your bottom dollar that Asda won't refuse to do it

[AdamB]

I wasn't really asking if "I" should do it or not ................. but merely pointing out that there are many various things that happen day to day that could be put in the 'copyright abuse' category.

Yes, Asda's will do it - Yes, you'll do it for the odd jigsaw but it's still an abuse of copyright and although it's not the same as 'stealing' branded images it's still abuse!

Although everyone likes to think this is black and white, we should bear in mind that we often let things slip into the grey area when it suits us - just my opinion, not starting an argument or anything but just pointing it out.

[AdamB]

sorry - double posted.