Copywriting?

[Poetic_Pirate]

ive been throwing around the idea of making my own deck for a very long time, and finally put that to practice. currently i have about 13 cards done and would like to show them off and get imput on them. problem is is that i have had my art stolen before, and i want to know first off, how much copywriting is, and second where to get it. you have any information, i would be most grateful

Pirate

 

[September Pixie]

http://www.whatiscopyright.org
http://www.ucop.edu/ott/crbasics.html
http://strategis.ic.gc.ca/sc_mrksv/cipo/cp/faq_cp-e.html
http://www.copyright.com/ccc/do/viewPage?pageCode=h24-n

Hope that helps

 

[September Pixie]

Or you know what, just go here
http://www.copyright.gov/

 

[HudsonGray]

Right, the main copyright.gov site pretty much has it all. The fee went up to $30 a number of years back & they won't be changing the total for a good long while. You'll need to fill out the short form VA for the deck (it takes less than 5 minutes) or, if the deck is based on existing work, the long form would be needed. Once you send it off, it's 'copyrighted' soon as it hits the mail to them, but the forms they send back with the assigned numbers for your project will take about 9 months to get back to you (something to think about if you're renting and move during that time). They've been backlogged since 9/11 and use extra security proceedures since they get tons of boxes and packages. It used to be a 2 month turnaround.

If you want to put images up online & keep theft down, plaster a watermark on the image before you scan it in, even if it says something simple like 'sample' and your name and date, that'll be embedded in the actual picture that way and not eraseable. Everyone understands that a covered image is for your protection.

 

[thinbuddha]

You could post low res images that wouldn't be suitable for print. There would still be the risk of someone stealing the idea (and recreating your art) but there would be little or no chance of them using the image as is.

I don't think that you can really copyrite the idea for an image, though. RWS is copyrighted, but many decks out there are "clones" with very similar (sometimes almost identical) imagery on the cards.

 

[Moonboy]

I checked out the copyright page....i have a whole deck i want to protect, WHAT do i need to send in....aCD with the images or the actuall artwork [it was done on computers]

Im so confused...anyone ever do this before with a whole deck?

 

[HudsonGray]

I sent them two copies of a physical deck, but I think they'll accept a CD format as well. But if it's easier to print out a set of cards, then do that. They just need something they can 'see'. There should be a number to call for assistance, on the site, if you need to ask them something.

The form you use is the VA (Visual Aids) short form, unless the deck is a derivitive of some other work, then you use the long form. They actually DO keep everything filed away somewhere. Makes you wonder how many warehouses are filled with stuff just from things sent to them.

The check goes with the package you send, and don't expect to see return paperwork with your assigned number for about 9 months. There used to be a turnaround of only 3 months, but after 9/11 everything slowed down considerably. However, soon as your package hits the mail going out to them, you're covered 'officially' by copyright.