using clipart in a tarot creation?

*UPDATE*

I have decided not to use clipart or any computer images now as my son's girlfriend is now working with me to illustrate the cards.





I'm not a very good artist or drawer, so creating a deck is more on digital area for me, I did do some work a few year ago but the images I mixed and matched definitely had copyright issues so was more a learning experience of how to make a card, my sons girlfriend is a very good artist but until I can convince her to draw out my ideas clipart is the only way I think I get the overall image I have in head.


My question is about using royalty free clipart, say I use a sun image and a child and horse image, paste, cut, edit, change colour etc basically mess about with them untill I feel happy with the whole card image as a finished card for The Sun would that have any copyright issues? Or as it is made up different elements so becomes a completely new image would that be ok to do?

Thanks for any info as thinking of starting again with trying to make a deck.

Before you get too far - especially if you are buying 'clip art' collections from Dover - which come with a CD of the designs - read the front page. Although it may differ with companies and sites - there may be a caveat that says 'No More Than 10 Images may be combined in a single project' - so check and be sure.

Also - with sites that provide 'free' or sell you 'copyright-free clip art' - make sure they themselves don't have a caveat or two about the number of 'free' images you can download from them.

I know - I know - if they are selling you a book of '300 copyright-free clip art of nature images' - how can they tell you how many that you can use? ... because technically a 'collection' is copyrighted by the owner of the collection ... under clauses about 'selection and image order.'

One more thought - Most of these 'free' sites are letting you use the images and have a clause about 'free to schools, teachers, craftsmen' - something like that... these are usually people that are 'not producing a commercial product for sale.'

Be sure the 'use' of copyright-free clip art is allowed to be used for commercial purposes - which means to use 3 or 4 motifs and make a picture for your child is one thing; to use it and put it on t-shirts, mugs, mouse pads, etc., FOR SALE (which makes it commercial use) may not be allowed with 'free clip art.' If you are selling it - even for a penny - it suddenly is 'commercial use.'

Really.

In addition to all of Tarotbear's excellent advice: Some licenses also say that you cannot alter the image. As he said, read the fine print from every site/source where you obtain clip art.

BTW ~ We are NOT trying to discourage you at all - far from it. But a little homework and research is worth NOT investing hours or $$$ to find out you have to go back to square one and change everything!

Remember -
~everything that says 'free' probably isn't
~nothing is ever as easy as they tell you it is
~there is more than one way to get to the end you want to achieve

Go over to Wondermark.com and email the artist who puts together old 1800/1900's illustrations to make his comics. He would be a good person to ask about what's technically copyright free and what isn't. He's put out several books of his cartoons plus some other stuff, all collaging old images.

thanks

Thanks for information and advice everyone, agree tarotbear nothing in life is free.

This more a personal project for me kind of a labour of love to keep me mentally and creatively active, but it's good to know the pros and cons if I ever do finish it, I think my best option is to maybe create my vision with the clip art then try to convince my sons girlfriend to work with me on it.

Thanks again for the advice

Update & question

Just a little update on the Labour of love and a little question....

I decided to try and do sketch for what I wanted on my Sun card and actually surprised myself that it didn't look to bad for someone who can't really draw, will try and get my daughter to redraw what I did as she's abit better at drawings than I am, but question is what size should a sketch be before you scan it into a computer for printing so you don't lose any of the detail? Any help with sizing would be appreciated

Tigerangel said:

Just a little update on the Labour of love and a little question....

I decided to try and do sketch for what I wanted on my Sun card and actually surprised myself that it didn't look to bad for someone who can't really draw, will try and get my daughter to redraw what I did as she's abit better at drawings than I am, but question is what size should a sketch be before you scan it into a computer for printing so you don't lose any of the detail? Any help with sizing would be appreciated

Click to expand...

Letter/A4 should do - but more critical is the resolution you use for your scan. I'd go for 600 dpi as a minimum; if your sketch is smaller, go for the max resolution your scanner can manage.

gregory said:

Letter/A4 should do - but more critical is the resolution you use for your scan. I'd go for 600 dpi as a minimum; if your sketch is smaller, go for the max resolution your scanner can manage.

Click to expand...

Thanks I'll note that down , got my son's girlfriend to work on redrawing it, she's working on it tonight