Knightcrawler
New Member
My jurisdiction is: California, United States
I've been trying to convince certain members of a video game community to behave well with regards to copyrighted works. However, some are still unconvinced for various reasons. So if someone here could help me, I'd be much obliged.
1) If an artist creates a completely original work, they gain immediate copyright over it, correct? I heard a story on NPR a month ago about how this was possibly going to be overturned, so I figure that's a law that exists right now.
2) Does this include digital art?
3) If an artist creates a new piece of artwork based on an existing intellectual property that doesn't belong to them, may they copy that piece of art and distribute it? AKA is distribution of "fan art" legal? If so, they cannot make any sort of profit on it - including donations - correct?
4) What defines "artwork" legally? Does it only cover paintings/drawings/ink (2D art), or does it cover sculptures/statues as well? Are 3D models considered artwork, as they are essentially digital sculptures/statues? Music?
5) If an existing piece of digital art is edited to the extent to which it no longer resembles/is no longer recognizable as the original copyrighted work or intellectual property, can it be copied and distributed? (I actually don't have any preconceptions about this one, and am asking out of curiosity.)
*Edit*
3b) An extension on question 3. Does the artist who creates an original piece of art on an intellectual property that s/he does not own gain copyright over their piece of art? I don't expect so, but it's worth asking.
I've been trying to convince certain members of a video game community to behave well with regards to copyrighted works. However, some are still unconvinced for various reasons. So if someone here could help me, I'd be much obliged.
1) If an artist creates a completely original work, they gain immediate copyright over it, correct? I heard a story on NPR a month ago about how this was possibly going to be overturned, so I figure that's a law that exists right now.
2) Does this include digital art?
3) If an artist creates a new piece of artwork based on an existing intellectual property that doesn't belong to them, may they copy that piece of art and distribute it? AKA is distribution of "fan art" legal? If so, they cannot make any sort of profit on it - including donations - correct?
4) What defines "artwork" legally? Does it only cover paintings/drawings/ink (2D art), or does it cover sculptures/statues as well? Are 3D models considered artwork, as they are essentially digital sculptures/statues? Music?
5) If an existing piece of digital art is edited to the extent to which it no longer resembles/is no longer recognizable as the original copyrighted work or intellectual property, can it be copied and distributed? (I actually don't have any preconceptions about this one, and am asking out of curiosity.)
*Edit*
3b) An extension on question 3. Does the artist who creates an original piece of art on an intellectual property that s/he does not own gain copyright over their piece of art? I don't expect so, but it's worth asking.
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