LibGuides: Copyright on Campus: Copyright and the Arts

Disclaimer:

This guide is designed to provide basic, general information about copyright, and does not constitute legal advice. The links to third party sites in this guide are provided for your convenience. College of the Redwoods does not take responsibility for the content of these other sites.

Copyright Law and Visual Arts

Copyright protects original “pictorial, graphic, and sculptural works,” which includes two- and three-dimensional works of fine, graphic, and applied art. Under certain circumstances, these works should be registered with the U.S. Copyright Office. For more information on Copyright Law, visual arts, and the registration requirement, please see the Copyright Office Circular #40,linked below. Other links provide more specific detail on various aspects of copyright law relevant to artists.

Copyright Registration for Pictorial, Graphic, and Sculptural Works
Six page pdf covers how to register and protect your creative output. From US Copyright Office.
Art Law: Image Rights
Covers copyright, moral rights, resale rights. The copyright section is extensive but well organized by topic, providing links to sources and cases. Created by Harry S. Martin, Librarian and Professor of Law at Harvard Law School.
College Art Association: Program on Fair Use
CAA provides a wealth of directly relevant information for both artists and art instructors, with guidelines for best practices.