When an artist shares their work for free online, it can be easy to assume the art is free for everyone else to use too. So you grab it and include it in your own project, and all of a sudden an artist is mad at you, their fans are calling you out, you’re getting threatened with legal action—or even scarier, the artist’s publisher is threatening you with legal action. One-shot comics and minicomics are especially susceptible to this misunderstanding because often they are seen as viral memes instead of art, or treated as public property. But is this really the case? This guide will help you navigate using art you’ve found online. We’ll start with three basic questions: 1. Do I need to ask permission from the artist? 2. Do I need to give credit to the artist? 3. Do I need to pay the artist? After that, we’ll offer some tips on how to approach the artist.
I wrote an article for Cartoonists United! CU has a great collection of resources to help the art community, and I was really excited to contribute.
If you don't know whether it's safe to use a piece of art you found online, if you don't know how to ask permission to use art, and if you are unsure of how to approach artists, read the article!
And if you're an artist who frequently finds your work being used without permission, spread this around so more people know the etiquette around using art online!
Can I Use That Art? A Guide to Approaching Artists and Cartoonists Online
