copying someones design

[leatheroo]

a quick question...is it OK to copy someones design if i am only going to keep it for myself and not sell the finished product?

[Rayban]

quick answer: yes.

Is is copy righted, trade mark showing?? No....? It's yours.

[Art]

Hi Roo,

Yes, but upon your death you must leave it with some aboriginal people or Torres Strait Islanders with expressed instructions that it never be sold.

Art

a quick question...is it OK to copy someones design if i am only going to keep it for myself and not sell the finished product?

[Windy]

If you want to ask a legal question you should ask

a lawyer not a leather worker wannabe lawyer. A

couple of years ago while taking a class on pottery.

A guy was making plates with the University of

Cincinnati and University of Kentucky logos. He

was donating them to a charity auction. Well

someone ask if this was legal.After everyone who

was not a lawyer gave him conflicting advice ,he

called the University of Cincinnati. He ask them if

he was allowed to make the plates with their logo.

He said that they said "no" he was not allowed to

use their logo even for his own personal use or

any others not even charity. Then he said they

would OK it this time. Now this is all coming from

him since I was not the one making the call. Once

again I would tell you to call a lawyer when you

want legal advice and call a leather worker when

you want leather advice. I am sure you will get

ten answers saying yes you can and ten saying

no you can not.Just remember where the advice

is coming from.

WINDY ... Not a lawyer not do I play one on www.leatherworker.net

[Rayban]

You don't have to be a lawyer to know that university logos are trademarked, therefor, shouldn't be copied.

You don't have to be a lawyer to have common sense either.

[Johanna]

It may not be illegal to use someone's design without their permisssion, but I would ask anyway, if for no other reason than to be polite. I've seen friendships ruined because of someone using a design without having the courtesy to ask.

Johanna

[8thsinner]

I would agree with Johanna here on this, and also offer that taking inspiration from something is the pretty definition of innovation, but like every moral dilemma there is a line.

Thinking more about it, when learning something, It's always better to copy so that you can compare your result to the professionals, I say this only because I will probably be looking to copy a few works of carving soon in order to work out my own design for my belt.

[Tina]

Hi all,

I found a really easy page to read about copyright From the US copyright office:

http://www.copyright.gov/help/faq/faq-general.html#mywork

To make it more than easy:

An artists work is under copyright protection the moment it is created and fixed in a tangible form that it is perceptible either directly or with the aid of a machine or device.

If you have not payed in and registered the copyright you can not enforce penalty fees and lawyers fees but as an artist you Always own your original art and it should never be copied without permission.

I had to edit some...You can legally copy art if the artist have been dead for more than 50-75-100 years, different in different parts of the world.

Edited November 21, 2008 by Tina

[Dags3777]

Hi Roo,

Yes, but upon your death you must leave it with some aboriginal people or Torres Strait Islanders with expressed instructions that it never be sold.

Art

Classis, a man after my own heart. Darryl

[Elegant]

a quick question...is it OK to copy someones design if i am only going to keep it for myself and not sell the finished product?

Honor and integrity are key factors.

I discovered this very site when a friend let me know that someone here had posted a pic of one of my custom items and was wanting input from other members on how to make it themselves (for a family member who did not want to pay my price evidently).

Edited November 21, 2008 by Elegant