Can you get in trouble for fanart?

Technically speaking, there’s nothing illegal in the US about making and selling fan art because copyright isn’t enforced criminally. Rather, copyright owners enforce their rights by suing infringers in federal civil court.

Can I put fan art on a shirt?

Fanart Commissions are legal, as long as they’re for personal use only. If you ignore a cease and desist, they can legally come after you. Fanart is illegal to sell because you down own the content or characters and you’r in direct competition with official merchandise.

Do you need permission to draw fanart?

The answer is, if you are creating fan art whether for profit or not, any copyrighted character or use of trademark in a description or title without prior written consent from the copyright owner, then selling fan art is illegal but making fan art is not illegal.

Is it legal to draw copyrighted characters?

Any commercial use of a copyrighted cartoon character without permission of the copyright holder is a violation of law. This includes the sale of any drawings or art works, either by themselves or in some other form such as on a T-shirt, team logo, advertisement, billboard, or promotional design.

Can I sell fan art on TeePublic?

For the first time ever, you’ll be able to sell officially licensed fan art on TeePublic. We’re creating amazing opportunities for fan artists on TeePublic to connect with brands you love, create officially licensed work and gain more recognition for your creativity.

Can you sell fan art of celebrities?

But is it okay to sell celebrity portraits? You should avoid selling celebrity portraits unless you have permission to do so. In most states, you have a “Right of Publicity” which prohibits anyone from selling or exploiting your name, likeness, or personal features without your consent.

How is fanart legal?

Most fan art work is probably not legally permitted, and most likely infringes on someone’s copyright. If the owner does not consent to a particular use of a work, fan art may be considered infringement of either the copyright and/or trademark of the original work that the art is based on.

Can I sell Disney fanart?

You cannot sell your drawings of Disney characters because, by doing so, you would be infringing on The Walt Disney Company’s copyrights and trademarks. These characters are their intellectual property. If you want to sell your Disney artwork, you have to secure a license from them.

Does TeePublic own my designs?

Generally speaking, when you create something original and upload it to TeePublic, you own your creation. When you submit your work to the fan art program, you are using someone else’s intellectual property, which they own, so you would need their permission to sell it on TeePublic.